Kurkumama means turmeric mama.
I start every khoresh with turmeric: the golden spice that gives my cooking warmth and depth, the way Persian families have done for generations. Read my story
“Every day at least three generations gathered around the Sofreh.”
I grew up in southern Iran in a family of eleven. Nobody taught me to cook from a book. I watched my mother and my sisters, tasted, and trusted my hands: tomato paste made under the summer sun, mountains of herbs chopped for Ghormeh Sabzi and the smell of date cookies for Nowruz.
Every day at least three generations gathered around the Sofreh, a cloth on the floor where everything was passed on and shared by grandparents, cousins, children, neighbours and whoever happened to be there that day. This was how my family looked after the people we loved.
A journey begins“We wanted to give our children more choices.”
Life in Iran was good for my husband and me. However, we wanted to give our children more choices. We left on foot, walking eight hours a day through forests and mountains. Feysal was almost 8 and Feryal had just turned 5 years-old.
In Belgium, I started as a dishwasher, then worked two kitchen jobs. Sina, my third son, was born here. I peeled so many potatoes on the back seat of the bus, racing the school bell because I knew my cooking made my three children feel at home.
“I have always cooked with love, every single day.”
I love to mix my own spices: turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, saffron, dried lime. I chose them for their taste and for their warmth.
For me, turmeric comes first. It’s the golden start of every khoresh. This is the way Persian cooks have done it for 3,000 years.
“Let’s start with one dish.”
I remember saying this to the owner of the friterie where I worked. After years of hard work, we opened Spicy Lemon. Today, seeing a full room of people sharing Persian dishes like family still makes my heart full.
#ReadyForPersian
My family table keeps getting bigger everyday. They arrive asking for “chicken with red sauce” and eventually they learn to say Zereshk Polo, one of our Kurkumama Favourites.
Just like back in Iran, flavour fills the table, conversations overlap and everyone has a place at the Sofreh.
