Thursday, January 24, 2013

Celebrating the Mouled

Today is Thursday 23/01/2013 corresponds to 12 Rabiaa I , 1434 Hijri., the day of Prophet Muhammad(Peace be Upon Him) Birth Day, called Mouled.
Like most of Muslim countries, this day is a holiday in Tunisia and most people stay at home to celebrate it with Family.
In Tunisia, we have a specific culinary tradition for Mouled festival, it's the Aleppo Pine Porridge.
According to Tunisian historian Abdessattar Amemou, this tradition was initiated by a Tunisian Lady from Tunis in the 19th century.
In that time people use to make the Porridge for the Mouled from Wheat semolina, but there was a serious luck of wheat, so this lady tried to make the Porridge from Aleppo Pine grains and the try was very successful as the Porridge was very delicious and gradually Pine Aleppo Porridge became a tradition for the Mouled in whole Tunisia.
I heard today in the Radio, that in Kebili and Douz (South of Tunisia), people prefer the Wheat Porridge even for the Mouled.
Aleppo pine is a tree which grows in Tunisian mountains like all other Mediterranean countries.
Here after some photos taken today.


Preparing the Porridge



 Porridge in bowls without cream




Final presentation of Porridge: 
covered with cream and dried fruits