A Mosaic of Flavor: Iraqi Lubia and Mahalabia

This monthly series is a collaboration with the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program. In April we will be making two dishes from Iraq. Lubia is a simple bean dish that uses black-eyed peas and an oil and salt fry preparation technique to make a delicious dish that can be eaten as a snack or main meal. Mahalabia is a cardamon and rose water pudding, often decorated with coconut and almonds. It's a favorite dessert throughout Iraq, particularly during Ramadan. We will also sample Hadeer's Dolma, grape leaves stuffed with lamb, rice, tomato, eggplant and mushrooms and Abeer's chocolate coconut balls. Hadeer and Abeer Almogalli are sisters from Baghdad who came to Vermont in January 2017. Hadeer hopes to one day be a chef and Abeer's dream is to be a fashion designer. Hadeer prepares the savory dishes for her family and Abeer loves making decorative desserts. They are excited to share some of their favorite recipes with us.