Many shapes and types of Eid sweets, the women used to make them at home in Al-Suwayda, to be present for the hospitality and for the family, especially children.

The homemade Eid sweets has become a necessary annual tradition and social heritage in Al-Suwayda, especially today, as buying them from the market is very expensive.

Days before Eid, Abeer made all kinds of al-Mamoul (dates, pistachios and nuts), with umm Omar, in a good quantities, Whereas, they found in homemade Eid sweets, the cleanliness, abundance and the ability to control the quantity and quality of the materials used.

Tamarind drink or as we call it in the Middle East “Tamr-hindi ” is a popular drink prepared from the tamarind wet pulp blocks (comes from a leguminous tree with edible fruit)with water and sugar.

Sweet tamarind juice is usually sold by street vendors in Syria especially during Ramadan, this seller is holding a huge, probably copper, pot on his back with lots of cups arranged around his waist. This man also carry two copper discs in his hand, clanging them together to make a noise announcing that he is in the neighborhood, something like the ice cream truck.

Sweet tamarind is especially popular during the holy month of Ramadan. This sweet drink makes can refresh you after a long summer day.  This drink is not only sold in the Middle East but it is a very popular drink in Mexico called Agua de Tamarindo!

Tamarind is an excellent source of vitamin B, C, potassium, magnesium, iron, thiamine, phosphorus, riboflavin, and fiber. Tamarind is believed to lower the risk of diabetes, aids weight loss, boosts digestion and also prevents chronic diseases.

Consuming tamarind in moderation is essential as any other thing in life. Too much can lead to diarrhea, also it works as a blood thinner so you need to be careful if you already take blood thinner medications.

What is unique about Syrians is that they may lose their temper, but they will never lose their hope in the future. They resist and they are resilient too! You find them drawing from their glorious past and extensive traditions in search for means to survive with dignity. Unfortunately, the current coercive economic sanctions have added more pressure on the ordinary Syrian cuisine, already suffering from the long war’s repercussions.

However, Syrians find creative solutions in resorting to their rich environment to maintain their meals as balanced with five tastes: sweet, sour, pungent, salty and bitter. Unripe grapes (Hosrum) is getting renewed attention, making a comeback on the food scene. In the absence of lemon, what is a better alternative than Hosrum!

Associated with the early summer season, unripe grape juice (Hosrum)is used as an acidic addition to food that substitutes lemon, which has become a scarcity because of the sanctions that contribute to a steep rise in prices.

Osh el Bulbul ” (Birds’ Nest) Made of a vermicelli-like pastry dough spun into bite-sized nests and loaded with whole nuts! Incredibly crunchy with the perfect amount of sweetness

These nests are are baked instead of fried and they are the easiest kunafa you can make. It is very popular during Ramadan and Eid.

Usually these nests are filling with nuts but today we will fill them with Nutella.

Ingredients 

500 grams konafa dough

 Nutella

 1cup almond

1 cup ghee (melted)

2 cups sugar syrup

Syrian crunchy deep-fried small pastries filled with various fillings, usually ground meat or cheese. Depending on the type of dough used, they either have a crescent shape, or a triangular one. Unlike shishbarak whose origins people disagree about, Sambosek originated in Syria and made its way to the rest of the world to be the more popular Indian samosas and Latin American empanadas. Can you believe it? Samosas and empanadas were actually inspired by our humble Sambosek.

Sambosek is one of the most popular and elegant appetizers -especially in Ramadan and it is perfect for the parties or dinner table. These little meat pockets appeal to all ages with their juicy filling and flaky crust. You can also use puff pastry to fill them with chicken, rice and beans for a vegetarian version or cream cheese and green onions.