I reached out to Saima for an interview because I have noticed Saima often achieves the difficult balance of being unfailingly kind, gracious, and encouraging to others while unflinchingly frank in her opinions on many topics of great importance.
It’s so difficult to do both at the same time, but when someone does so successfully, that is exactly the type of person I’m most curious to speak with - and most likely to learn from!
For this episode, Saima chose to share a lamb dish popular all around Pakistan and generally eaten by her family for Eid Al Adha. The unique thing about Saima's experience with this particular lamb dish is that they begin making this dish with a sacrificial slaughtering of the lamb to commemorate the way God provided Abraham with a lamb to replace the sacrifice of Abraham’s son.
This episode covers dozens of topics including the making of this dish, how Saima’s faith became deeply personal to her, and why she is so critical of the West. Listen to the end and you’ll even hear about her grandfather, the water diviner, and how to make roti from sourdough! I’m so excited to turn this over one to Saima - but first, thank *you* for tuning in.
Highlights
- The Pashtun tribe that crosses Afghanistan and Pakistan
- What mutton means in Saima's language
- KPK contains many races
- The cuisine of the Pashtun tribe - lots of barbecuing
- How Saima's tribe became part of Pakistan
- Entering an arranged marriage at 18 and what that meant
- Being a "single parent" for 10 years while her husband worked in Dubai
- Why Saima is so critical of the US and the West
- How Pakistan was affected by 9/11, the invasion of Iraq, and the War in Afghanistan
- "I don't remember one single day without people in my house?"
- Why Saima's food memories revolve around her father
- Eid-up-Adha - this celebration in Islam
- Why the celebration begin with sacrificing a lamb
- How they sourced the sacrificial lambs
- Why Saima believes it's important for children to see the slaughtering of the lamb
- How Saima tries to live her religion
- How Saima's Islamic faith became very personal to her
- Her father/grandfather being water diviners
- Where sheep carry their fat - and adding that to this dish
- Sourdough naan/roti
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Saima's Storied Recipe: Shinwari Mutton Karahi
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Saadia says
I absolutely loved listening to Saima. I love how candid side. She is so culturally proud and so respectful towards other cultures. Such an engaging and introspective interview.
admin says
Thank you so much for turning in, Saadia!!! I loved our conversation - learned a lot and it's stuck with me. Been thinking about it often. Have a great day!