Taha Aljalal, at the home of the only Yemeni cook in Italy

In Italy there is only one Yemeni cook, his name is Taha Aljalal and he’s a real character. Born in the countryside around Sana’a, the capital, he grew up in a family of seven brothers. From an early age, he was intrigued by the world of cooking: «I always observed my mother while she cooked and my mission was to be able to make holba sauce like her, that is, to mix fenugreek with water, parsley and chilli, just like all women do in Yemen ». Yet growing up, he doesn’t dream of opening a restaurant: studying English Translation at the University of Sana’a e opens a calligraphy shop, his great passion. He also teaches Arabic for foreigners: that’s how he knows Laura Silvia Battaglia, a journalist from Catania, his student, destined to change his life forever.

The love

“As soon as I saw her, I was moved because I felt that she was an honest woman and that there was an important human side within her.” They continue to feel, without forgetting at all. After a year, she goes to him to meet the family and then he does the same with her in Sicily. In 2015 they get married, first in a mosque in Venice, then in San Pietro all’Olmo and together they move to the Giambellino district of Milan.

The food

The nostalgia for the food of his country makes him look for ingredients, study and learn, both on the phone with his family and looking at recipes on youtube. Laura immediately appreciates her cooking and her friends too: “This is the way to become friends with Italians, through the stomach!” Jokes Taha. In reality he is also a Yemeni friend who makes him realize his skills and encourages him to make it a job. So Taha begins to cook more and more, cooks for the Ethnic Aperitifs of the Food and Colors Association and makes herself known: her dinners at home or for events, catering, begin to be more and more in demand. “I am happy when I see happy people.” In 2017 the situation got so out of hand that it even ended up in Masterchef … But Taha is still the only Yemeni cook in Italy! Today he continues to study, cook and do research; he is also attending a Film Making Doc course at Bauer in Milan, to better manage his Youtube channel (https://youtube.com/c/JalaLTvye) where you can find all the Yemeni dishes he prepares, in particular based of meat.

Yemeni cuisine

Meat occupies a central place in Yemeni cuisine. “There are several ways to prepare it and there is a verb that corresponds to each way of treating the meat, combining it with spices and cooking it,” says Taha. Furthermore, these actions also reflect the different influences that have been in Yemen over time: crush, cut and grind, for example, is related to the Ottomans, while spice and smoke more to the Indians. It is no coincidence that Yemen is defined as the middle ground between India and Turkey. But in reality, despite the different influences, Yemeni cuisine has then built itself over time in a completely unique way, as often happens when one is contaminated.

There are mainly four ways to prepare meat: the first is squash e cut, which we find in dishes similar to stews such as Mugalgal, one of the symbols of Yemeni cuisine, with veal, garlic, tomatoes, green chillies, onion, turmeric, cumin, chilli, served as an accompaniment to bread; or in the fahsa, with beef, spices, oil, salt, bread. The second, however, is grind, as is the case with the selta, with potatoes and other seasonal vegetables; or in kebab word with ground beef and spices; or again in the sambusa, puff pastry rolls similar to Indian ones.

The third, then, is specialists, a feature that actually unites all Yemeni dishes, but in particular one: it is pocket, another emblem in Yemen, with chicken, basmati rice, onion, spices, tomato, almonds, raisins, lime and saffron. Finally, the fourth is to smoke, which par excellence is reflected in thehanidh, with lamb, rice, sauce, and always lots of spices, which as you may have noticed, together with meat, are one of the constants of Yemeni cuisine. As an accompaniment, Taha also prepares a delicious fresh drink of water, lemon, mint and sugar and concludes with a tasting of Yemeni Arabica coffee by Faris Shaibani from the Qima Coffee company. In short, what are you waiting for to call him at your home as a home chef?