Mloukhiye
One of the nice things about having a partner who comes from a culture different from one's own is the food one gets to try that one might never otherwise have ever sampled. LL is a very good cook and I have enjoyed quite a bit of Lebanese/Middle Eastern cuisine over the years.
Tonight, though, she made that dish you see there to the left. It's called mloukhiye, which apparently is a descriptive word that simulates the sound that one's camel might make when clearing its throat. The concoction is composed largely of jute leaves, chicken and beef with coriander, pepper and cinnamon, which is served over rice and toasted pita. It's Egyptian in origin, and LL tells me that there's a saying in Egypt: "One is not poor who can afford meat for his mloukhiye."
I would add a corollary: "One is rich who never has to eat mloukhiye at all."
The stuff is rather slimy. I had a hard time keeping it in my mouth. The taste left a great deal to be desired, at least to my American palette, as well. I don't think it will become part of our regular menu around here.
I love LL madly and I have gained a good 50 pounds since the two of us began living together, so you know that I enjoy her cooking. It's not her fault... but I probably should've known better than to try eating something called mloukhiye in the first place. The sound of a word sometimes tells you all you need to know.
