Mia Schem Instagram photo. Mia Schem was kidnapped to Gaza on Oct 7 and used her Jewish skills to survive. Cooking was one of those skills.
A Jewish woman named Rachel kept a number of Hamas terrorists calm by preparing them cookies on the Oct 7 terror attack on Israeli communities outside the Gaza Strip. Jewish women do have their wiles, most apparent when it comes to cooking. Jewish women from North African countries such as Morocco, Tunisia and Libya are known for the tastiest food. Jewish traditions found in Israeli cooking incorporate flavors from the Diaspora. When Mia Schem (her Instagram is here), the Israeli-French national kidnapped by Hamas terrorists wanted to keep herself alive, she did what she knew best: she cooked Jewish food like her mother taught her and like her life depended on it.
Although she had only one functional arm, she instructed a group of Hamas terrorists what they needed to buy at the market, she said on the half hour video she released in Israel. She was going to cook for them a Libyan dish known as tbeha. Libyan food or Tripoli food, as it’s sometimes known in Israel, is rich with long-simmering sauces that include paprika (hot and sweet), cumin and maybe some baharat. They are North African stews best enjoyed with a chunk of fresh bread or a bowl of fluffy couscous.
Do you want to learn to cook to save your life? Try the life-saving meal, tbeha cooked by Mia Schem. This is a Green Prophet version of the tasty dish that can be cooked with chicken, beef or for protein you can add tofu or chick peas. Feel free to load up on the olive oil. It’s only good for you. Once you have the sauce down pat you can pretty much make plenty of variations adding potato, zucchini, chickpeas, English peas, and haricot vert. My favorite is with green peas and potatoes, plain and simple without the meat. The key is to cook and simmer for a long time, hours if you have the time.
In Jewish households it is customary to have pots of hot food simmering on a blech overnight well into the next day as religious or observant Jews do all their cooking before the Sabbath starts. This way, a real rest for all can be had, with bullies full and satisfied.
Ingredients for tebha:
Tebha can save your life. This Libyan dish was prepared by Mia Schem as a way to keep the Hamas terrorists keeping her in Gaza both calm and happy. Image via The MD Chef
- 2 pounds chicken, cut into pieces
- 3 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- small can of tomato paste
- 1 cup chickpeas cooked (canned or frozen is okay)
- 1/4 cup olive oil or more. You can lighten buy adding any tasteless vegetable oil.
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 to 2 tablespoons of sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon or more hot paprika (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon baharat (you can make baharat from this recipe here)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh coriander or parsley for garnishing later
- optional variations: 1 pound green peas, green beans, green or brown lentils. Tomato chunks.
Instructions:
- Sauté Vegetables:
- In a large wide pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Add chopped onions and minced garlic, sauté until softened.
- Incorporate tomato paste, spices, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
- Cook Chicken:
- In a separate pot, brown the chicken or beef pieces on all sides with a bit of oil.
- Once browned, add meet to sauce
- Combine and Simmer:
- Mix the ingredients well, ensuring the chicken is coated with the spices.
- Pour in enough water to cover the ingredients and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Add potatoes, and also add vegetables such as peas, green beans, lentils.
- Let it cook over low heat until the chicken or beef is tender, and the flavors meld. You can make a variation with tofu or any other kind of vegan protein such as adding more chickpeas.
- Adjust Seasoning:
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Add more salt, pepper, or spices to suit your preferences. We sometimes add a teaspoon of vegan soup mix for extra flavor. A dash of white wine or red never hurt anyone.
- Serve:
- Once the tbeha is cooked and the flavors have melded, it’s ready to be served.
- Garnish with fresh coriander or parsley before serving on a fluffy bed of couscous.
Libyan cuisine is a reflection of the country’s rich history from North African, Jewish, Berber and Arab and Ottoman influences along with Italian cultures. In Libya, tbeha is a staple dish enjoyed during family gatherings and celebrations. It showcases the country’s agricultural abundance, with ingredients like chickpeas, lentils, and tomatoes being widely produced.
Couscous, great for saving money on meals or an easy dish that satisfies in the winter
Want to know more about Libya’s sustainability initiatives and the environment there? Dive in here. Looking for more food? Here is an Iftar-inspired vegetarian couscous dish. Couscous common in North Africa is the national dish of Libya.
