طباخة القصر | The Palace Cook of Taroudant
"A palace cook discovers passion with a food writer who comes to learn the secrets of Moroccan cuisine."
طباخة القصر
The Palace Cook of Taroudant
الفصل الأول | Chapter One
أَطْبُخُ فِي قَصْرِ تَارُودَانْتَ مُنْذُ ثَلَاثِينَ سَنَةً.
I have cooked in Taroudant palace for thirty years.
جَاءَ كَاتِبُ طَعَامٍ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَتَعَلَّمَ.
A food writer came wanting to learn.
"أُرِيدُ أَسْرَارَ المَطْبَخِ المَغْرِبِيِّ."
"I want the secrets of Moroccan cuisine."
الفصل الثاني | Chapter Two
كَانَ فِي الخَمْسِينَ، وَسِيمًا، بِابْتِسَامَةٍ دَافِئَةٍ.
He was in his fifties, handsome, with a warm smile.
"الأَسْرَارُ لَا تُعْطَى... تُكْتَشَفُ."
"Secrets are not given... they are discovered."
"فَسَاعِدِينِي فِي الاِكْتِشَافِ."
"Then help me discover."
الفصل الثالث | Chapter Three
بَدَأْنَا بِالطَّاجِينِ.
We started with the tagine.
"الطَّاجِينُ يَحْتَاجُ صَبْرًا وَحُبًّا."
"The tagine needs patience and love."
"مِثْلُ المَرْأَةِ؟" سَأَلَ بِابْتِسَامَةٍ.
"Like a woman?" he asked with a smile.
الفصل الرابع | Chapter Four
"المَرْأَةُ أَصْعَبُ مِنَ الطَّاجِينِ."
"A woman is more difficult than a tagine."
"لَكِنَّ النَّتِيجَةَ أَلَذُّ."
"But the result is more delicious."
ضَحِكْتُ. كَانَ ذَكِيًّا.
I laughed. He was clever.
الفصل الخامس | Chapter Five
عَلَّمْتُهُ كَيْفَ يُقَطِّعُ الخُضَارَ.
I taught him how to cut vegetables.
وَقَفْتُ خَلْفَهُ، يَدَايَ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ.
I stood behind him, my hands on his.
"هَكَذَا... بِرِفْقٍ."
"Like this... gently."
الفصل السادس | Chapter Six
"رَائِحَةُ التَّوَابِلِ مُسْكِرَةٌ..." قَالَ.
"The smell of spices is intoxicating..." he said.
"أَوْ رَائِحَتُكِ أَنْتِ."
"Or your scent."
نَظَرْتُ إِلَيْهِ. عُيُونُهُ تَتَكَلَّمُ.
I looked at him. His eyes were speaking.
الفصل السابع | Chapter Seven
بَعْدَ الطَّبْخِ، جَلَسْنَا نَأْكُلُ.
After cooking, we sat to eat.
"هَذَا أَلَذُّ طَاجِينٍ أَكَلْتُهُ."
"This is the most delicious tagine I've eaten."
"لِأَنَّنَا صَنَعْنَاهُ مَعًا."
"Because we made it together."
الفصل الثامن | Chapter Eight
تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ، اكْتَشَفَ سِرًّا آخَرَ.
That night, he discovered another secret.
سِرَّ جَسَدِي المُمْتَلِئِ بِالتَّوَابِلِ.
The secret of my body full of spices.
"أَنْتِ أَلَذُّ مِنْ كُلِّ أَطْبَاقِكِ."
"You are more delicious than all your dishes."
الخاتمة | Conclusion
كَتَبَ كِتَابًا عَنِ المَطْبَخِ المَغْرِبِيِّ.
He wrote a book about Moroccan cuisine.
وَأَهْدَاهُ لِي.
And dedicated it to me.
الطَّبَّاخَةُ الَّتِي عَلَّمَتْهُ الطَّبْخَ وَالحُبَّ.
The cook who taught him cooking and love.
من حكايات تارودانت From the Tales of Taroudant