“We paid the heaviest price for the revolution” he said. “We (Egyptians) all paid a very heavy price”, I responded. “But not as much as we did”, the man from Arish replied. After only 1 day in Al Arish, I totally agreed with his assessment.
Al Arish and North Sinai had been closed off as a war zone for 10 years. From 2013 when the Egyptian military took control of the country until a few months ago in 2023. Towns and villages razed to the ground. Neighborhoods displaced. Families killed. Lives and economies destroyed. The official line is “fighting terrorism”. Some believe the military wanted to subjugate the Bedouin tribes who have always been somewhat autonomous.
Earlier this year, in 2023, North Sinai was finally opened to domestic tourism. No foreigners, diplomats, judges, high ranking officials or anyone who may be a deemed as a kidnapping target, are allowed in. We had to go through many check points and there are still street barricades in city streets. Once we got to the beach, all the hassles felt worthwhile. Beautiful serene beaches adorned with palm trees. Warm clean sea with gentle waves. Sandy beaches stretched as far as the eyes could see. Amazing sunsets. Very few people around. The best part was the generous hospitality of the locals. Yearning to revive their local economy after many years of destruction, they welcomed us with open hearts, warm smiles and delicious food. The trip was organized by a Escape Egypt, a Cairo based tour company. They made sure we experience the unique traditions and foods of the Arishi culture, including “Mandi” (explained below), “Maklouba”, fish, Bedouin tea and coffee,
Cooking in the sand is an ancient Bedouin tradition. It’s the oldest, most natural pressure cooker and produces delicious food!
Dig a deep hole in the sand and insert a metal barrel (steel drum). Light a wood fire on the bottom of the barrel and wait till it gets very hot. Arrange whatever you want to cook on the special circular grill that fits in the barrel and lower in the pit of hell. Cover the pit well with a piece of treated animal hide to protect the sand oven from any debris and hurl a layer of sand on top. We cooked chicken stuffed with grits (crushed wheat). A traditional dish called “Mandi”. Typically lamb meat is used but any kind of meat may be used. After an hour or so, food was ready and we indulged. Super yummy!
Another typical Arishi dish is the “Laseema”. They grill eggplant or whatever vegetables they have on a camp fire. Bake very thick dense bread in the sand. Cut the bread into small pieces and mix in the veggies. It was delicious (sorry, no pictures of the end product, I was on the beach).
Next time you find yourself on a desert island, you won’t starve to death because now you know what to do. You’re welcome!
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Unconditional Love 