Fresh Frozen Molokhia, watercolor on paper, 5x7"

Fresh Frozen Okra, watercolor on paper, 5x7"

Packaged Kibbe Hamda Meatballs, watercolor on paper, plastic wrap,  5x7"

Apricot Tomato Sauce, watercolor on paper with raised elements, 5x7"

Alt Oot, watercolor on paper with raised elements, 5x7"

Figs in Brooklyn, watercolor on paper, 5x7"

Carob Cakes & 7roob, watercolor on paper 5x7"

About the Art: 

Fresh Frozen Molokhia - Chopped and frozen malo leaf from Egypt is defrosted for molokhia, a signature Egyptian dish. I make it often and usually serve it on Sukkot.

Fresh Frozen Okra - Baby okra frozen with arabic writing I can't read. Usually I prepare this with a tomato based sauce and refer to it as bemyah. 

Packaged Kibbe Hamda Meatballs - I buy these frozen from the butcher almost weekly. They are a labor intensive food that I have not made myself since I was a little girl. A shell of ground rice and meat encases a small ball of spiced red meat. We use to put a tiny piece of celery inside too.

Apricot Tomato Sauce - I use dried apricots and canned tomato sauce as the base for many dishes including bemyah and mechshi. 

Alt. Oot - When you do not have tamarind sauce there is a trick of combining lemon juice and dried prunes to get an artificial sour yet sweet zing. 

Figs in Brooklyn - I think my neighbor was the only one in at least a 15 block radius with a fig tree in their backyard. My dad would hold a fig and tell me, "This is honey!" 

Carob Cakes & 7roob - I thought they were chocolate rice cakes when I was little. Then we gnawed on a dried carob on Tu' Beshvat. Karob, Haroob, 7roob - all the ways you spell the hebrew letter chet in English.