Mia Schem’s Instagram photo shows how she used her cooking skills to survive after being kidnapped in Gaza. When she found herself in a terrifying situation, she turned to her Jewish culinary heritage, preparing a dish called tbeha for the Hamas terrorists holding her captive. Tbeha is a traditional Libyan dish, rich and flavorful with long-simmering sauces and fragrant spices.
Despite having only one functional arm, Mia Schem managed to instruct her captors on how to obtain the ingredients needed to prepare tbeha. This dish, which can be made with chicken, beef, tofu, or chickpeas, is a hearty stew that reflects the rich cultural influences of North African, Jewish, Berber, Arab, Ottoman and Italian culinary traditions in Libya.
The key to making tbeha lies in slowly simmering the dish for hours, allowing the flavors to meld together. It’s a dish meant to be enjoyed with a bowl of fluffy couscous or a chunk of fresh bread. The tbeha recipe is a great addition to anyone’s cooking skills, so why not give it a try and discover a new way to experience Jewish cuisine.