Retired policewoman succeeds in creating her own healthy food project

“Wheat is the most important food crop in the world. Hundreds of millions of people around the world depend on foods made from the grain of the wheat plant. These grains are milled into flour that is used in making different kinds of healthy food and sweets” Chef Aida Salim told the Syriatimes e-newspaper in an interview:

Mrs. Salim, who is from the countryside of Lattakia governorate, is the founder of her small own wheat-food and sweets healthy project. She is supported by the Rural Women’s Development Department there .

She added “Wheat is also used in alternative medicine and herbal medicine as its sprouts are a natural source rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants”.

After her retirement from her job as a policewoman in the Ministry of Interior, Mrs. Aida made a handloom with the help of her husband and started weaving traditional rugs. Then she joined a cooking course at the Syria Trust for Development and followed cooking websites specialized in preparing healthy whole wheat, oats and barley meals to develop her work.

“Through my project of preparing different types of healthy food, including pastries, kibbeh, apple pie, salty and sweet cakes, bread, oatmeal cookies and other food, I seek to spread the culture of healthy whole wheat food” Mrs. Aida said.

Syrian food has a special taste and the 57-year-old lady also enjoys making pomegranate , grape and watermelon molasses, makdous, olives and thyme using natural materials, in addition to making olive oil soap.

She pointed out that “I am interested in making dairy and cheese products. This industry is a type of traditional Syrian one , especially homemade shanklish which I made from cow’s milk. This type of food is a daily or almost daily raw material that the Syrians eat in their various meals, especially in the countryside of Lattakia despite the availability of relatively modern capacities for the manufacture of milk and its derivatives’.

“Wathiqat Watan Foundation has begun a new documentation project on the Syrian food supplies in cooperation with the ministry of agriculture to document the experiences, knowledge and practices in this field” Aida indicated.

She stressed “this documentation contributes to preserving the Syrian identity as a first step in documenting the intangible Syrian cultural heritage”.

The Syrian chef participated in a number of local exhibitions in different governorates, expressing her hope to take part in world exhibitions to introduce the traditional Syrian food.

“My dream is to have my own restaurant. Work is the hope, energy and life. Women should be active and enhance their presence in society and take part effectively in rebuilding their country” the retired policewoman chef Aida concluded.

Interviewed by: Rawaa Ghanam

Photos by: Rawaa Ghanam