Episode 71 – Chez Nermine

In this week’s episode I talk to Nermine Mitry-Mansour from Chez Nermine about Egyptian cuisine and culture.

All about Nermine

“I am an Egyptian-American food writer, food photographer, recipe developer, and visual storyteller. As a former diplomat and current trailing spouse, I lived in nine cities, across five continents. Some of those cities are known for being universal gastronomic capitals such as Cairo, Paris, and Singapore, just to name a few. My long expat life (fifteen years) has tremendously broadened my culinary knowledge, tuned my palate, and deepened my appreciation to the genius behind Egyptian food.

I am committed to bring the Egyptian cuisine steeped int 7000 years of history to the limelight. Refining its recipes and promoting its health benefits are my top priority. You can find my recipes, food photos, and food memoirs on my blog and Instagram account”

Nermine’s journey

After marrying an American diplomat and having children, Nermine felt that she needed to go back to her roots. As a family, they moved every 3 years and she wanted to familiarise her children with Egypt, her native country.

As a family, they entertained a lot which lead to Nermine studying American cuisine. She borrowed books from the library to learn about the culture and cuisine. She now finds that her foods have become a mixture of American and Egyptian dishes.

Helping others

When Nermine moved to Armenia, there was an influx of Syrian refugees. She wanted to help the Syrian people. With the help of Impact Hub, an open space for entrepreneurs, she started a programme to help Syrian women use their skills to progress in life. To do this, Nermine felt she needed to improve her photography skills to be able to photograph their work. She feels very fortunate to have been admitted to a photography class, mentored by some very talented photographers, and was able to use the skills that she learned.

The programme started with no funds and needed a lot of work. However now, they have a database of women that have a vast amount of skills, giving them a purpose in life.

Egyptian foods

Egyptian food has lots of influences with in it from many decades and countries, they were all blended to make up the Egyptian cuisine. There are two main herbs that are often used to add colour and nutrients to Egyptian meals. One herb that is used looks like spinach, is called molokhia. It contains lots of fibre, calcium and vitamins. It can be blended and make into a soup, or can be served with rice and protein as a side dish. Another typical Egyptian vegetable is Taro, it is a starchy vegetable that is deiced and cooked into a soup made of blended swiss chard and broth

Egyptian people do not tend to eat three meals per day. They will have breakfast on the go and a very simple dinner. Day to day meals are very practical. It will normally contain grains such as rice or couscous, protein which is usually roasted such as chicken or fish and this is served with soup. Elaborate meals are generally saved for the weekends or for gatherings.

Fasting

In Egyptian Coptic Christian culture, fasting is a period where no meat products or dairy products are consumed – vegan, or pescatarian. Nermine refers to these periods of fasting as time to cleanse the body and to be mindful of what they are eating. They spend only a handful of days a year out of the fast and consuming meat products.

Quick fire questions

What is your most positively memorable meal? The meal that I had when my husband proposed to me in Italy. I had pasta that was named after the last Egyptian King that had lived in Italy. It was seafood pasta in a cognac sauce with lots of fresh parsley. We went back for our 10th wedding anniversary and it tasted just as good!
What food reminds you of your childhood? It is a rice pudding made with cinnamon and Mastic which is a type of resin, that melts and has a chewy consistency.
What have you got for tea? I am currently following a diet which means that I will not have tea, but I had a lovely spicy lentil soup for lunch. Although it is hot here in Singapore, it is cool in my house!