IB Kitchen Club

noraina said:
I learned that the hard way. I used to think it's rude if you don't finish your plate at someone's house, only Arab families don't let you empty your plate, for them it's rude to even leave it looking half full. I think the first time I just carried on eating until I realised they weren't going to stop. Sooo much food, for them food is their way of expressing love.

I think Afghans are similar, my uncles are *very* generous. Don't even start on shopping with them, you look at one thing for a second too long, it's in the shopping bag no matter how much you protest.
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Definitely. Most Arabs are big eaters too, though. One Arab can eat a pot of curry and twelve rotis for breakfast, with other stuff.
 
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Hm.. tasty!
 
Both Arabs and Africans love Smileys.

(In South African slang, a sheep/goat head is called a Smiley, or a Talkie. The trotters are called Walkies. A dish of the head and trotters together (famous in Cape Town) is called a Walkie-Talkie. A chicken head and feet, also. The term Walkie-Talkie is used for any dish containing the head and feet of the animal.)

The reason they're called Smileys is because as you braai (another South African term. In the US you guys say "BBQ") the head over the fire, the lips start to peel back, making it look like the sheep/goat is grinning.

Most South Africans love Braais. It's my favourite, too.
 
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Yeesh, never knew how nice South African cuisine is.

Btw our whole family is excited since now we can eat chicken at restaurants now.
 
noraina said:
I learned that the hard way. I used to think it's rude if you don't finish your plate at someone's house, only Arab families don't let you empty your plate, for them it's rude to even leave it looking half full. I think the first time I just carried on eating until I realised they weren't going to stop. Sooo much food, for them food is their way of expressing love.
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I found out that too - in a hard way. Oh boy how full I was after that... and in my culture leaving any food to the plate is a sing of discourtesy. A good manner is eat the plate totally empty.

:phew
 
I don't think I can put down a Walkie-Talkie [emoji85] When I was younger I would eat paya(trotters) but now it puts me off too. [emoji58]
 
Huzaifah ibn Adam said:
Both Arabs and Africans love Smileys.

(In South African slang, a sheep/goat head is called a Smiley, or a Talkie. The trotters are called Walkies. A dish of the head and trotters together (famous in Cape Town) is called a Walkie-Talkie. A chicken head and feet, also. The term Walkie-Talkie is used for any dish containing the head and feet of the animal.)

The reason they're called Smileys is because as you braai (another South African term. In the US you guys say "BBQ") the head over the fire, the lips start to peel back, making it look like the sheep/goat is grinning.

Most South Africans love Braais. It's my favourite, too.
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That sounds really sinister putting it like that - 'Smileys', I prefer these ones: :).

I don't think I'd ever eat a Walkie-Talkie, in Afghan culture paya (trotters) is a delicacy but I can't bring myself to eat it. My family makes it a lot but I just have to eat the plain naan.

sister herb said:
I found out that too - in a hard way. Oh boy how full I was after that... and in my culture leaving any food to the plate is a sing of discourtesy. A good manner is eat the plate totally empty.
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I sympathise sis....I was taught leaving a plate full of food is bad manners or a sign you don't like their food. But it seems in some cultures (including Arab) that if a host lets their guest's plate become empty it's a sign discourtesy for them. I'm still not used to leaving a plate full of food but I have no choice, lol.
 
noraina said:
That sounds really sinister putting it like that - 'Smileys', I prefer these ones: :).

I don't think I'd ever eat a Walkie-Talkie, in Afghan culture paya (trotters) is a delicacy but I can't bring myself to eat it. My family makes it a lot but I just have to eat the plain naan.



I sympathise sis....I was taught leaving a plate full of food is bad manners or a sign you don't like their food. But it seems in some cultures (including Arab) that if a host lets their guest's plate become empty it's a sign discourtesy for them. I'm still not used to leaving a plate full of food but I have no choice, lol.
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With Smileys, sometimes the eyes are removed before cooking/braaing, but other times they are left in because some people like to eat them as well. Also, the brain obviously gets left inside while cooking the head. So when it's served, you don't just eat the meat up; you use something sharp and hard enough to pop the skull open and eat the brains out. I haven't tasted the brains yet, but they're said to taste like scrambled eggs.
 
All this type of cuisine is really something I dont look forward to,:muddlehea would you really eat those smileys and walkie-talkies and the like, Huzaifah?
 
I certainly would.

Many times if Arabs are cooking for a lot of people, and they're making something like Mansaf or Kabsah or Maqloobah, they'll throw a whole cooked sheep or goat on top of the rice. Whole; not cut up or anything. Head and everything intact. People can just pull pieces of meat off as they want. It's simpler that way.

I want to try that style.
 
Hmmm, very interesting, so Im assuming you've eaten all sorts.

Trotters and tripe is nice though.

Wonder what was the occasion in the last pic, such a huge platter.
 
Umm Abed said:
All this type of cuisine is really something I dont look forward to,:muddlehea would you really eat those smileys and walkie-talkies and the like, Huzaifah?
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I'm with you on that one. Just looking at it makes me not want to eat anything else too[emoji85]
 
Abraar said:
If I may ask.. Would that not be wasting?
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It is extremely wasteful, yes. If people are going to make such an enormous platter, then invite 100-200 poor people to join you in the meal. Then there will be immense Thawaab (reward), In Shaa Allaah.

But 10 people devouring so much food is wastefulness and gluttony.
 

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