When Maryam Jillani was growing up in Islamabad, the last day of Ramadan was about more than breaking a month-long fast with extended family.
A joyous occasion, the Eid Al-Fitr holiday also was marked with visits to the market to get new bangles, wearing her best new clothes and getting hennaed. Not to mention the little envelopes with cash gifts from the adults.
“But, of course, food,” said Jillani, a food writer and author of the new cookbook “Pakistan.” “Food is a big part of Eid.”
At the center of her grandmother Kulsoom’s table was always mutton pulao, a delicately spiced rice dish in which the broth that results from cooking bone-in meat is then used to cook the rice. Her uncle would make mutton karahi, diced meat simmered in tomato sauce spiked with ginger and chilies.
Cutlets, kebabs, lentil fritters and more rounded out the meal, while dollops of pungent garlic chutney and a cooling chutney with cilantro and mint cut through all the meat. For dessert were bowls of chopped fruit and seviyan, or semolina vermicelli noodles that are fried then simmered in cardamom-spiced milk.
The vegetable sides were the one thing that changed. Since Ramadan follows the lunar Islamic calendar, it can fall any time of year.
These dishes, and many of the associated memories, make it into Jillani’s book, but she would be the first to acknowledge they represent just a sliver of the nation’s varied cuisine.
Her father, who worked in international development, used to take the family to different parts of the country. Later, she did her own development fieldwork in education across rural Pakistan.
Along the way, she found striking differences between the tangier, punchier flavors in the east, toward India and China, and the milder but still flavorful cuisine in the west, toward Afghanistan.
“I knew our cuisine was a lot more than what we were finding on the Internet,” she said.
After moving to Washington, D.C. as a graduate student, she started the blog Pakistan Eats in 2008 to highlight dishes that were lesser known to Western cooks. Research on the book began 15 years later, and she visited 40 kitchens in homes across Pakistan.
“Even though I hadn’t lived in Pakistan for over 10 years, each kitchen felt like home,” she writes in the book’s introduction.
She includes what she calls “superstars” of the cuisine, such as chicken karahi, one of the first dishes Pakistanis learn to make when overseas to get a taste of home. The meat is seared in a karahi (skillet) and then braised in a tomato sauce spiced with cumin, coriander, ginger, garlic and chilies before a dollop of yogurt is stirred into the pot.
Other recipes reflect the diverse nature of Pakistan’s migrant communities, such as kabuli pulao, an Afghan rice dish made with beef, garam masala, chilies, sweetened carrots and raisins.
“The idea behind the cookbook is to try to play my small part in carving out a space for Pakistani food on the global culinary table,” she said.
And of course, honoring her grandmother’s mutton pulao.
Jillani is hosting Eid this year at her home, now in Manila, Philippines, and she plans to make it, as well as an Afghan-style eggplant, shami kebabs, and the cilantro and mint chutney.
“If I’m feeling especially ambitious that day, I might make a second mutton dish,” she said. “I’ve been a bit homesick.”
As Ramadan ends, a new cookbook sheds light on Pakistan’s varied cuisine
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As Ramadan ends, a new cookbook sheds light on Pakistan’s varied cuisine
- Cutlets, kebabs, mutton karahi, diced meat simmered in tomato sauce spiked with ginger and chilies, and more round out the meal on the Eid Al-Fitr holiday that marks the end of Ramadan
- These dishes, and many of the associated ones, make it into Maryam Jillani’s book, but she would be the first to acknowledge they represent just a sliver of the nation’s varied cuisine
Kaouther Ben Hania and Oscar-winning producers on board to direct film on killing of Palestinian girl
- Film will dramatize death of Hind Rajab, five-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza earlier this year, whose passing captured global headlines
LONDON: Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania will direct a new feature dramatizing the death of Hind Rajab, the five-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza last year, a Variety report said on Wednesday.
The project, which is currently untitled, is set to be shot in Tunisia and produced by Nadim Cheikhrouha (“Four Daughters”), alongside Oscar-winning producers Odessa Rae (“Navalny”) and James Wilson (“The Zone of Interest”), with backing from Film4.
Hind Rajab’s death became a global symbol of the humanitarian toll of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza following the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks.
She was one of thousands of children killed in the conflict, but her story sparked particular international outrage. In one notable protest, student demonstrators at Columbia University renamed occupied buildings in her honor.
Rajab was fleeing Gaza City with members of her family on Jan. 29, 2024, when their car came under Israeli fire, killing her uncle, aunt and three cousins.
Hind was left trapped in the vehicle for hours, speaking with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society by phone as paramedics attempted to reach her.
On Feb. 10, after Israeli forces withdrew from the area, rescuers found the bodies of Hind, the paramedics and the family still inside the vehicle.
Israel initially denied responsibility, but investigations by The Washington Post, Sky News and the research agency, Forensic Architecture, later concluded that Israeli tanks were in the vicinity and had likely fired at the car.
The same investigations indicated an Israeli tank had also targeted the ambulance sent to rescue her.
Ben Hania, one of the Arab world’s most acclaimed filmmakers, has received multiple Academy Award nominations.
Her 2017 feature, “Beauty and the Dogs,” was Tunisia’s Oscar submission, while “The Man Who Sold His Skin” (2020) was nominated for best international feature.
Her latest film, “Four Daughters,” was nominated for best documentary feature at the 2024 Oscars.
Red Sea Film Foundation announces Cannes’ ‘Women in Cinema’ gala honorees
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival has unveiled its seven honorees for the annual Women in Cinema Gala.
The event celebrates the achievements of female filmmakers, creators, actors and executives who have made significant contributions to the entertainment industry.
This year’s lineup includes a mix of talent from across the world: Zambian-Welsh writer-director Rungano Nyoni, known for her critically acclaimed film “I Am Not a Witch”; South Asian actress Jacqueline Fernandez, a big name in Bollywood with a string of successful films; Egyptian actress Amina Khalil, whose performances have redefined contemporary Egyptian cinema; Saudi actress Elham Ali, celebrated for her roles in regional series and films; Thai actress Engfa Waraha, an emerging talent making waves in Southeast Asia; Syrian filmmaker Gaya Jiji, recognized for her storytelling that reflects the complexities of Syrian life; and Saudi filmmaker and artist Sarah Taiba, whose work explores the intersection of culture and identity.
The Women in Cinema Gala, established in 2022, is hosted annually by the Red Sea Film Foundation in Cannes, coinciding with the film festival. Held at the prestigious Du Cap Hotel, the event spotlights women who are making significant strides in their careers across the Arab world, Asia and Africa.
Last year’s honorees included Egyptian actress and model Salma Abu Deif, Indian actress Kiara Advani, Thai actress, model and singer Sarocha Chankimha (also known as Freen), Saudi actress Adhwa Fahad, Saudi singer and actress Aseel Omran, and French-Senegalese director Ramata Toulaye-Sy.
Oman debuts at Venice Biennale with Sablah-inspired pavilion
- Inspired by Omani ‘Sablah’ communal space
- Architect Majeda Alhinai fosters connections
DUBAI: The Sultanate of Oman has marked its debut at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia with a thought-provoking pavilion titled “Traces,” curated by Omani architect Majeda Alhinai.
Drawing inspiration from the Sablah — Oman’s traditional communal gathering space — the pavilion reimagines this architectural concept as a modern civic space, rooted in cultural continuity and adaptive design.
Unlike conventional references, the Sablah in “Traces” functions as an architectural method, not merely an aesthetic reference. Its open circulation, shared presence and adaptability are reinterpreted for contemporary public life.
It proposes a new civic space that remains culturally specific while addressing global concerns of collectivity, sustainability and architectural responsibility.
The pavilion’s structure is built entirely from raw aluminum, utilizing a custom system of folded and cut panels.
Each panel is precision-cut with patterns inspired by Omani cultural practices — palm frond weaving, carved wooden doors, and the Falaj irrigation system.
One of the pavilion’s standout features is its commitment to sustainability and reuse. The entire assembly is designed for easy disassembly and transportation, ensuring no material loss.
Following the Biennale, the structure will be permanently installed in Oman, maintaining its scale and purpose as a civic gathering space.
Curator Majeda Alhinai said: “The pavilion is not a symbol of tradition. It is a working model for how civic space can be reimagined through inherited systems of making, maintenance, and adaptation.”
The Omani pavilion opened on May 10 and will be at the venue until Nov. 23.
Arab stars, designers shine at the Cannes Film Fest
- Bella Hadid, Shanina Shaik among top models
- Dresses by designers Zuhair Murad, Elie Saab
DUBAI: Arab stars and designers made a strong appearance at the 78th Cannes Film Festival this week, with supermodels Bella Hadid and Shanina Shaik in black gowns and Heidi Klum wearing a voluminous dress by Elie Saab.
Guests arrived at the festival’s opening in a variety of statement designs.
Hadid, who is American, Dutch and Palestinian, appeared with a new blonde hair color. She wore a black floor-length gown with a draped asymmetrical neckline, fitted silhouette, high slit and low back.
She accessorized with statement earrings from Chopard, set with green gemstones, along with a matching ring.
Shaik, the Australia-born model of Saudi, Pakistani and Lithuanian descent, wore a black strapless gown featuring a structured bodice made of smooth, matte fabric.
The dress included a wide, embellished peplum detail at the hips, covered in crystals and beads. The skirt was made of sheer, glittering fabric decorated with teardrop-shaped embellishments and extended into a small train.
Klum chose a pink gown from Saab’s collection “The 1001 Season of Elie Saab,” that was presented in Riyadh.
The strapless dress was designed with layered pink fabric shaped like large petals. It featured a high front slit and a long train, with the petal-like layers covering the entire gown from bodice to floor.
Lebanese couturier Zuhair Murad also had a presence on the red carpet.
Brazilian supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio wore a strapless gown in metallic green fabric by Murad. The dress had a sweetheart neckline, draped detailing gathered at the waist and a thigh-high slit. She paired it with matching green textured sleeves.
Arab stars attending the event included Egyptian actress Amina Khalil, Lebanese actress Nadine Nassib Njeim, Lebanese reality TV personality Alice Abdel Aziz and presenter Raya Abirached.
Khalil wore a light pink gown by Lebanese designer Rami Kadi, featuring a fitted bodice with a halter-style neckline. The dress included a tiered skirt decorated with multiple layers of feathered trims.
Njeim also opted for a light pink gown by Tamara Ralph. The strapless dress featured a draped neckline and a fitted, corset-style bodice. The waist was accented with a decorative embellishment shaped like a flower.
She completed the look with jewelry from MARLI New York’s high jewelry collection, specifically the CLEO Sculpt pieces.
Art exhibition reveals lost worlds buried beneath Lebanon’s surface
- Rubble of cities, Palestinian refugee camps, and construction sites was rearranged into images and transparent capsules
- Artists, guided by archaeologists, present the city’s entangled history through sculptural forms echoing both the soil and red sand used to cover the land
BEIRUT: Art lovers may embark on an astonishing exploration with Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige into the depths of the waters and soil of Lebanon in search of the hidden secrets of its unseen subterranean worlds.
At the Sursock Museum on Beirut’s historic Sursock Street, Hadjithomas and Joreige have unveiled the results of a decade of research and experimentation in an exhibition titled “Remembering the Light.”
This exhibition serves as a transcendent experience that explores various expressive forms, delving into reflections on time, memory, and the profound transformations of cities, bodies, and history.
The outcome of this research has taken the form of artistic installations, photographs, and sculptures that narrate the intricacies of archaeology, infused with imaginative elements and references to fragility and permanence.
These works evoke perspectives on materiality, memory, and undiscovered narratives, delving into what is buried, forgotten or obscured, at depths reaching 45 meters in a remarkable journey through time.
The exhibition derives its title from a video produced in 2016, in which the two artists explored the spectrum of light underwater and the glow emanating from its depths, addressing the present by collaborating with geologists, archaeologists, poets, divers, and scientists.
The artists said that through the exhibition’s paintings is shown how “unexpected phenomena occur underwater. Sensory perception changes as one descends deeper into the water. The light spectrum diminishes and colors fade, with red disappearing first, followed by orange, yellow, green, and blue, until everything is engulfed in darkness. However, when the dark seabed is illuminated, the obstacles recall the memory of light and reflect it.”
Hadjithomas and Joreige state that the experience undertaken by the divers they enlisted mirrors the dangers faced by migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea. They accompanied this with a scene of a scarf cascading downward, symbolizing memories of a war submerged over time.
The exhibition features a pile of earth layers bearing the material traces of archaeological and geological times in the cities of Beirut, Nahr Al-Bared in northern Lebanon, and Tripoli, completed over the past decade.
The rubble of cities, Palestinian refugee camps, and construction sites was rearranged into images and transparent capsules, revealing shattered scenes of people’s lives over time. The land has therefore turned into a notebook on which Hadjithomas and Joreige recorded the erased stories.
One unfolds in Nahr Al-Bared (Cold River Bed) camp, which was established in 1948 and destroyed after the 100-day conflict in 2007 between Fateh Al-Islam and the Lebanese Army. As reconstruction efforts began and rubble was cleared, layers of archaeological ruins unexpectedly surfaced: the remains of the mythical Roman city of Orthosia, believed to have been destroyed by a tsunami in 551 AD.
At the exhibition, the artists, guided by archaeologists, present the city’s entangled history through sculptural forms echoing both the soil and red sand used to cover the land.
A slideshow of images or testimonies narrates a story that vertiginously weaves together human displacement, military conflict, and archaeological discovery.
Matter extracted from core samples — soil, rocks, clay, and limestone — is carefully stored for analysis by engineers, prior to any construction.
Guided by those archeologists and geologists, the artists collected and re-sculpted these remains of buried worlds to make visible the imprints of successive human occupations, ecological upheavals, and lost civilizations.
History does not unfold as a coherent succession of chronological layers, but rather as a dynamic entanglement of epochs, marked by ruptures, where traces and civilizations intermingle.
Joreige dedicated part of the exhibition to his uncle, who was abducted in 1985 during the Lebanese civil war, piecing together some of his memories.
He gathered whatever undeveloped films he could from his abandoned home, each lasting 180 seconds, and before they faded, he printed them on blank sheets, producing faint impressions that could only be deciphered by looking closely.
Joreige describes them as “an attempt to resist disappearance.”
He said: “It’s a form of mourning that has yet to find closure, memories that have faded but won’t disappear.”
