My grandma passed away last week. We drove to San Diego on 4th of July to my cousin Kinneret for a family gathering. When we arrived after six and a half hours of driving, we barely had a chance to chat, Ayelet, Kinneret’s sister called to inform us that our grandmother died.
My grandma, had a very difficult life. Her mom died when she was a baby, and when she was 11 years old she forced to marry my grandfather. She told me that after the wedding she wanted to go home with her sisters to play, but her aunt explained her she had to go to her husband’s house.
She had extremely hard life. She was a cleaning lady all of her life, she worked hard and didn’t rest for a minute. She also did not like others resting. She adored diligence and hard work. She liked to cook and eat, she loved plants, and she came with me from time to time to the nursery, even though she was disabled and could not stand by herself. She would make the effort because she said that plants open the heart and soul.
She believed in evil eye and knew how to remove it, she read the future in coffee, and when she retired she learned English. Just like a little girl with a dictionary and picture- but in the end she knew English. Not an easy task for an old Kurdish lady.
My grandma was very sick, always. Every year she had at least one surgery. Despite her illness, she was very involved in our life. She always knew when I had a test at school. If I had a successful or failed date. She could laugh at the guys I was dated and consoled me after a painful break up. She knew if I’m happy or sad in a second, and knew how to cheer me up even faster.
Every holiday, I would come to her house in the morning, help her arrange and prepare, set the table and when everything was ready I would go to bed with her for a short nap.
Granny did not know how to tickle. She thought she was tickling, but the truth was that she would give you a deep tissue massage. She had big rough hands with big tacky gold rings that I admired as a little girl. I spent a lot of time with my grandmother, as a child and as an adult.
When we were in Israel in April, and we were in a hospital with her day before the flight, I refused to leave. I was weeping at her bedside. It was ironic, my sick grandma, was barely able to speak consoled me. She stroked my head and said to me, “Enough crying, I’m fine. Everything is fine” I was so afraid it would be the last time I will see her. And indeed it was. I’m angry with my self that I’m here, in the other side of the world. Angry that I wasn’t with her in her last days like all the other grandchildren. I also angry with myself because she did not see my Noam, because I was afraid to take him to the hospital.
I loved Grandma a lot. She was a wonderful grandmother. Warm and pampering. She always had a good word. I want to write so many things she said, so many stories related to her – because she was a big part of my life, but unfortunately my grandmother cannot be summed up in a post.
The next recipe is a recipe of stuffed grape leaves (Dolmeh) that my grandmother used to make. When she was cooking a pot she would call me to come and take some home because she knew it was one of my favorite.
Ingredients
- 1 of cup rice
- 1 bunch of parsley
- 1 bunch of cilantro
- 1 bunch of dill
- 1 small onion
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- Half a teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
- 1/2 Pack of grape leaves i(225 g) or fresh leaves. If you want to prepare the whole package, add another cup of rice, double the amount of oil, salt and the lemon juice.
Instructions
1
Rinse the rice and put in a bowl
2
Chop thinly the onion, the cilantro, the parsley and the dill and add to the bowl
3
Add the salt, the oil and the lemon juice and mix
4
If you have fresh grape leaves (which of course are better), wash them thoroughly and place them in warm water until softened. It is important that they are not too soft
5
If it’s canned grape leaves (that’s what I use here in the US) wash them well
6
Cut the stem of the leaves and arrange the leaves on a plate or tray. It is important to arrange the leaves before filling, because the leaves tend to stick together
7
Fill the leaves. You should put a little amount of rice on each leaf, and do not tighten the leaves too strong because the rice will double his size while cooking
8
If there are particularly rough leaves that cannot be used, you may place them at the bottom of the pot (but it’s not a must)
9
On top of them place the stuffed leaves
10
Cover the stuffed leaves with hot water, cover with a lid, and cook on a high heat until boiling
11
When the pot is boiling, lower to medium heat and cook for an hour and half
12
Serve with sour cream or unsweetened yogurt
2 Comments
Elisabeth
May 15, 2021 at 7:10 pmMy grandmother lived with us from the time J was born until she died when I was 22 years old. My grandmother was my life snd I miss her every day.
Thank you for your recipe, But more importantly thank you for the tribute to your grandmother.
atNelly's
May 17, 2021 at 4:47 amThat’s amazing to grow up so closely to grandmother!
Thank you 🌸🙏