Eid Treat for the Sweet Tooth

A small team of Jordanian women has been busy in the kitchen of the Center for Palestinian Culture in the capital, Amman.

They undertake careful preparation, peeling and sifting nuts, rolling out dough, to create fruit and nut stuffing for a popular sweet pastry, known as Mamoul. The dessert is high in demand as the holiday to mark the end of Ramadan, Eid, approaches.

''One of the most popular thing during Eid is this sweet, which is especially made for the holiday. It is part of our tradition too. When a family in Palestine wants to make sweets, all the women of the family get together to make it, as it requires painstaking effort and a lot of time. Usually, they move from one house to another during the night to finish it,'' said Seham al-Dabagh, director of the center.

The Center has employed women and supplied them with necessary ingredients to prepare the sweet delicacy, which they begin preparing a week ahead of the Eid festivities to accommodate orders.

"As an association, we benefit financially during Eid. One week before Eid, we start to prepare the nuts and dates for the sweets so we can finish them on time. People can buy the sweets anytime during this period, but we prefer they book in advance," said Dabagh.

Mamoul's popularity stretches to countries. Palestinians and Jordanians carry parcels with them when they visit friends and family during festive occasions, or offer it to guest visiting their homes.

Speaker:

Seham al-Dabagh, Director of the Center for Palestinian Culture

Voice:

Nadia Idriss Mayen