I was at a store in cleveland area called World Market and they have this lanterns from middle east, pakistan and India. It reminded me of a time when I used to go with Salem to a street in the Khan al Khalili during a feast day and we would buy them. His daughter Badraya and I would walk along swinging our lamps chanting the song of the season WA-HA-WE YA WAH-HA-WE! eh yo hoya...was Kaman wahwee .........eh yo hoya.......... Bint al sultan labis kaftan (daughter of the sultan wears a kaftan)......eh yo hoya
I wish i could remember the entire chant!
Salem picked me up with his daughter Badraya. it was a special event for the Eid ( festival/feast). we walked hand in hand down the road looking at all the shops that had special cakes, cookies and the entire street was covered with lanterns. Alot of them had been recycled from old tin cans and glass bottles. some were very beautiful. Salem chose one for me and one for Badraya. we put candles in the lanterns. Chanting while swinging the lighted lanterns......walking down the street. Salem bought a tray of kakh ( cookie covered with powdered sugar) and ghoryiba (a kind of shortbread cookie) ladies fingers ( sponge cake cookie), Angel wings ( cookie shaped like wings that was covered in a sticky syrup. These would be his gift to my family for the eid.
We stopped also at the Fitr shop. Fitr is a cake made with very thin layers. The baker takes your order and then rolls out the dough then he picks it up and swings it over head a couple of times and lays it on the marble top its see thru thin!! I had ordered Mukasarat ( it means broken bit ...its a peanut one) he puts a layer of fine peanut crumbs over the dough then folds it up inot layers ( like filo dough ) in each fold he puts more peanuts with sugar . then he puts it in a mud brick oven ( ike a pizza oven ) when he pulls out the golden goodness he pours orange blosson syrup all over it. the "cake" sizzles ......finally he puts a big dollop of sweet cream in the center.
Wow it was the best thing I have ever eaten!!
I wish i could remember the entire chant!
Salem picked me up with his daughter Badraya. it was a special event for the Eid ( festival/feast). we walked hand in hand down the road looking at all the shops that had special cakes, cookies and the entire street was covered with lanterns. Alot of them had been recycled from old tin cans and glass bottles. some were very beautiful. Salem chose one for me and one for Badraya. we put candles in the lanterns. Chanting while swinging the lighted lanterns......walking down the street. Salem bought a tray of kakh ( cookie covered with powdered sugar) and ghoryiba (a kind of shortbread cookie) ladies fingers ( sponge cake cookie), Angel wings ( cookie shaped like wings that was covered in a sticky syrup. These would be his gift to my family for the eid.
We stopped also at the Fitr shop. Fitr is a cake made with very thin layers. The baker takes your order and then rolls out the dough then he picks it up and swings it over head a couple of times and lays it on the marble top its see thru thin!! I had ordered Mukasarat ( it means broken bit ...its a peanut one) he puts a layer of fine peanut crumbs over the dough then folds it up inot layers ( like filo dough ) in each fold he puts more peanuts with sugar . then he puts it in a mud brick oven ( ike a pizza oven ) when he pulls out the golden goodness he pours orange blosson syrup all over it. the "cake" sizzles ......finally he puts a big dollop of sweet cream in the center.
Wow it was the best thing I have ever eaten!!
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