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Shay bil Maramiya (Palestinian Sage-Scented Tea) and The Gaza Kitchen

11 August, 2017 by Tara 12 Comments

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The Gaza Kitchen: A Palestinian Culinary Journey, written by Laila El-Haddad and Maggie Schmitt, features a collection of 130 recipes and personal stories from the Gaza region of Palestine. I am reviewing the second edition which has been updated (the original was published in 2013) to include information on the current state in Gaza and the people highlighted in the book.

You will find notable dishes such as Salata Khadra Mafrooma (Gaza “Confetti” Salad), Mayit Bandora u Bayd (Tomato Rice and Poached Eggs), Tabeekh Ari’ Hilew (Sweet and Sour Pumpkin Stew), Qidra (Spiced Rice with Lamb, Chickpeas, and Garlic), Hbari Maqli (Gaza-Style Hot Fried Calamari), and Namoura (Semolina Walnut Cake). I will also be sharing a recipe for Shay bil Maramiya (Palestinian Sage-Scented Tea) following the review.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Just World Books in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

Shay bil Maramiya (Palestinian Sage-Scented Tea) in two glasses next to dried sage.

Laila El-Haddad and Maggie Schmitt

Laila El-Haddad was born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents from Gaza. She is a writer, public speaker, social activist, and a policy advisor for Al-Shabaka, the Palestinian Policy Network. She is also the author of Gaza Mom: Palestine, Politics, Parenting, and Everything in Between and the co-editor of Gaza Unsilenced. Laila currently lives in Maryland with her husband and three children.

Maggie Schmitt is a writer, researcher, translator, educator, and social activist. She has a B.A. from Harvard, has conducted advanced graduate studies at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, and her focus is on the daily practices of ordinary people as a way of understanding political and social realities in the Mediterranean region.

The Gaza Kitchen

Cookbook cover- The Gaza Kitchen: A Palestinian Culinary Journey.

El-Haddad and Schmitt begin with a brief history behind the creation of Gaza, a 25 mile long and 2 1/2 mile wide strip of land set in 1967- previously referred to as the Gaza District, and its people. A map with pre- and post-1948 borders is included to help locate the different areas mentioned in the book.

Along with the recipes, you will also find stories of the daily lives and homes of cooks, farmers, fishermen, food producers, and others who live here. Their personal stories cover everything from the current state of water, electricity, nutrition, and imports/exports to the difficulties in the operation of small farms, factories, fishing, and more.

Chapters are divided according to course: Introduction; Fundamentals: Condiments, Broth, and More; Salads; Soups, Dips, and Spreads; Breads, Biscuits, and Savory Pies; Little Dishes: Eggs and Hot Mezze; One-Bowl Meals: Pulses, Grains, and Greens; Vegetable Stews; Rice Dishes and Stuffed Vegetables; Meat, Poultry, and Dishes for Special Occasions; Seafood; Sweets and Beverages; and Pickles and Preserves.

To help recreate the authentic flavors in your home kitchen, the basic building blocks of Gazan cuisine are included with recipes for spiced broths, sauces, and spice blends. You will find a guide to the Gaza pantry with descriptions of popular ingredients like red tahina, sour plums, mastic, and nigella seeds and information on specialty pots and utensils. There is also a section on how to properly clean and prepare meats, vegetables, herbs, and spices.

The beautiful photography showcases not only the finished dish of many recipes, but also the people and landscapes of Gaza from El-Haddad and Schmitt’s travels in the summer of 2010. The name of each dish is written in Arabic and English. The headnotes include background information, serving sizes, and tips. Measurements are listed in US Customary and Metric.

Shay bil Maramiya (Palestinian Sage-Scented Tea)

Side view of Shay bil Maramiya (Palestinian Sage-Scented Tea) in two clear glasses.

Shay bil Maramiya (شاي بالمرامية) is a Palestinian tea made by steeping black tea leaves with dried sage. It takes less than 10 minutes from start to finish and is a common treatment for stomach aches and even menstrual pain. A little sugar is mixed in as desired. Add the sage to the boiling water just as it is removed from heat. Overheating the herb will create a bitter taste.

I grow sage by my front door and dried a few bundles of leaves in an oven set to 180˚F (80˚C) for about 4 hours, until all traces of moisture are removed and they become crumbly. This is also a great way to preserve the leaves and use them during winter.

Update: I recently came across Maramiya (Meramiyeh, dried Palestinian sage) while picking up food at Ammatoli Mediterranean Bites in Long Beach, California! 

Other Dishes

The Gaza Kitchen Other Dishes: Imtabbal Abucado (Spicy Avocado Dip), Shakshuka (Eggs in Hot Tomato Sauce), Jaj Mashwi Bil Furun (Oven-Roasted Chicken), and Mtabbaq (Nut Parcels).

I also made Imtabbal Abucado (Spicy Avocado Dip), Shakshuka (Eggs in Hot Tomato Sauce), Jaj Mashwi Bil Furun (Oven-Roasted Chicken), and Mtabbaq (Nut Parcels).

Imtabbal Abucado is a spicy avocado dip has become a part of Gazan cuisine since the introduction of avocado trees by Israeli settlements in the 1980s. Avocados are blended with garlic, chile peppers, yogurt, and lemon juice. The top is decorated with a swirl of olive oil and alternating prints of cumin and paprika around the edges. It is best served with Khubz Kmaj (Arabic Bread).

You can find Shakshuka (Eggs in Hot Tomato Sauce) recipes across the Middle East and North Africa (I currently have one on the blog from Yemen). The Palestinian version uses crushed garlic cloves and green chile peppers simmered with onions and tomatoes. Eggs are added towards the end and cooked just until the whites are set. It is simply seasoned with salt, pepper, and allspice.

Jaj Mashwi Bil Furun is a beautifully seasoned whole roasted chicken with a rub of sumac, salt, cardamom, and red pepper flakes. It is additionally covered in a tomato and onion paste before cooking until golden with a variety of chopped vegetables. It held up well for leftovers the next day and the remaining bones made a delicious broth.

Mtabbaq are sweet little parcels of thin dough filled with an orange blossom and cinnamon scented almond or walnut mixture. They were perfect for pairing with tea. The dough and filling are not very sweet on their own, but the baked pastries are covered in Qatir (simple syrup) or honey. It is noted that this Gaza version is filled with nuts, but you will find them filled with sweet cheese in the West Bank.

Close up of Shay bil Maramiya (Palestinian Sage-Scented Tea) in a clear glass next to dried sage.

The Gaza Kitchen is a great pick for those wanting a closer look into the everyday life and cuisine of Gaza and Palestine. The preservation of traditional, homestyle cooking and culture is the focus here. The recipes range in difficulty from simple beverages and snacks to longer simmering stews and elaborate meat dishes.

Having a market with Middle Eastern/Mediterranean ingredients will be helpful for items like grape leaves, fava beans, mastic, orange blossom/rose water, spring wheat berries, fine/coarse semolina, sumac, tahina, and more.

Shay bil Maramiya (Palestinian Sage-Scented Tea)

Excerpt from The Gaza Kitchen

Shay bil Maramiya (Sage-Scented Tea) in two glasses.
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5 from 4 votes

Shay bil Maramiya (Palestinian Sage-Scented Tea)

Recipe for Shay bil Maramiya (شاي بالمرامية, Palestinian Sage-Scented Tea) from the cookbook, The Gaza Kitchen! Dried sage leaves are steeped with black tea and a little sugar for a soothing drink.
Course Drinks
Cuisine Palestinian
Keyword beverage, drink, Palestine, Palestinian, sage, tea
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 13 minutes
Servings 5 -6 Servings

Ingredients

  • 3 teaspoons full-bodied loose black tea or 3-4 black tea bags
  • 1 handful dried sage leaves
  • 6 teaspoons sugar adjust to taste
  • 6 cups water

Instructions

  • In a clean teapot, boil the water and sugar for 3 continuous minutes. Remove the teapot from heat. As you do so, immediately throw in the sage leaves so they get one brief boil through (do not be tempted to boil them longer or a very bitter flavor will result). Add the tea bags, then cover and let them steep for about 5 minutes.
  • The tea should be an amber red color, not dark red or it will be too bitter. Strain it and serve, preferably in clear glasses so the color of the tea is visible, with assorted pastries or to finish a heavy meal.
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Filed Under: Beverages, Middle Eastern/African Tagged With: beverage, cookbook, drink, middle east, middle eastern, palestine, palestinian, tea

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Simon Vanbecelaere

    11 August, 2017 at 8:48 am

    I love sage! It’s one of my favorite spices but I’m not really familiar with that region! So I should take a look at the book! Sounds interesting! Nice review

    Reply
  2. Monica | Nourish & Fete

    11 August, 2017 at 8:53 am

    I am so impressed with all the recipes you’ve made from this lovely cookbook! Everything looks delicious, starting with that beautiful tea, but also the shakshuka and those sweet little nut parcels. What a great book to make this cuisine more accessible to home chefs who didn’t grow up with it.

    Reply
  3. Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food

    11 August, 2017 at 9:16 am

    Palestinian food is just amazing. I enjoy reading cookbooks, and this one sounds like an exceptional read: regional history combined with personal stories—and, of course, the amazing recipes. I love your idea for preserving sage leaves to enjoy all winter. I’ll definitely be making this tea.

    Reply
  4. Calleigh - TheForkBite

    11 August, 2017 at 9:38 am

    Never tried any Palestinian recipes and this Palestinian tea just piqued my attention.

    Reply
  5. Lisa | Garlic & Zest

    11 August, 2017 at 9:38 am

    Thanks for digging down to show the array of amazing flavors from Palestine! I’d love to make some of the recipes you’ve highlighted – and that tea is beautiful.

    Reply
  6. Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook

    16 August, 2017 at 4:52 pm

    How cool that you can dry your own herbs, I bet the house smelled amazing.
    Love those glass teacups, too!

    Reply
  7. Pamella kaoud

    8 February, 2021 at 5:48 pm

    Salam! Where can I get or but seeds for maramiya to plant in my own yard? When is the best time to plant it? What season is the best to harvest it? Should it always be in dried form to make tea ? Thank you so much for your beautiful pictures of the tea. Brought back so many memories!!

    Reply
    • Tara

      8 February, 2021 at 10:18 pm

      Hi Pamella! So glad this tea brought back memories! Where to find the seeds and when to grow it will depend on where you are located. I was able to find the seeds for common sage at my garden store, but purchased dried Palestinian sage at a local market.

      Reply
  8. Jamie

    24 February, 2021 at 4:06 pm

    5 stars
    I love trying different kinds of tea so I’m really looking forward to making this! The flavors sound so incredible!

    Reply
  9. Kushigalu

    24 February, 2021 at 4:30 pm

    5 stars
    What a fLavorful soothing drink this is. I would love to try this soon. Sounds interesting.

    Reply
  10. Jo

    24 February, 2021 at 6:08 pm

    5 stars
    So, so good!! Thank you for this great Palestinian Tea! So easy and yet fragrant and satisfying

    Reply
  11. Suzy

    24 February, 2021 at 7:27 pm

    5 stars
    Wow! This was incredibly good! So simple to make and would never of thought about using sage!

    Reply

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