From a House Cleaner to a Cook for the Masses

News from the Egyptian Street and Media Translated Without Comment from Arabic into English As a Public Service
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Ghalia Mahmoud, a poor house cleaner, has become on Egyptian TV a celebrated cook for the masses.  The 33-year old gal from "Old Cairo" had cleaned house for the sister of a TV producer at Channel 25 (named in honor of January 25 when Egypt began its uprising which toppled Mubarak on February 11.

Picture this: Egyptian masses live mostly on falafel and beans and over-sweetened tea.  Manhattan pushcart vendors sell a falafel pita sandwich for $3 (equivalent of 18 Egyptian pounds).  This huge underclass had been victimized by the corruption of the Mubarak regime which split 90 million Egyptians in two classes: a thin veneer of the mega-rich and a gigantic poor class.  A middle class of dwindling proportions in between.  The underclass people have been living on an average of $200 a month.

In came the revolution of the masses.  And with that came Ghalia Mahmoud whose father had died when she was too young to remember when.  So Ghalia had to go to work with 8 of her siblings to help the family survive in a land of plenty whose riches were the reserve of the high and mighty.

But in Tahrir Square, the masses (the millions) who shouted to Mubarak IRHAL (Leave) stood as one to reclaim dignity, democracy and development (the new 3Ds of the Arab Spring).  And with the army siding with the people, the 83-year old dictator relinquished his 32-years of one man rule and was then put on trial publicly.

The discovery of Ghalia Mahmoud was made by the man who launched the TV channel "Twenty-Five," Muhammad Jawhar.  Ramadan, the month of fasting for Muslims was approaching (no food or drink from dawn to sunset), and Jawhar had inspiration for how could poor families cope with soaring food prices.  His inspiration came from Ghalia Mahmoud.  Before he put her on TV, he asked her to prepare a simple meal to feed a hungry family of 8 but would cost no higher than $4.  For Ghalia, that was a test which she had no problem passing with flying colors.

With Ghalia came her pleasing personality, her simple ways, her motherly explanation to urban ladies on TV in how to make their families survive on the little they have.  She stood in her simple kitchen, with pots without handles on a simple stove which she lights with matches, and prepares delicious meals made from vegetables sold on open carts lining up the streets of Old Cairo.

In no time, Ghalia Mahmoud became a huge hit all over Egypt and became known as "the Cook of the 25th January Revolution."  Her long practice in feeding her family of 15 on a monthly budget of $200 paid off.  With a captivating smile, Ghalia talks directly to all of Egypt, if not the entire Arab world, saying, "You, women, are smart and you can cook anything, if you just try."

When she cooks for her TV audiences, her measuring cups are made of plastic.  Her table is laden with all kinds of Egyptian vegetables: eggplant, tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, scallions ... etc.  Her stuffed vine leaves, stuffed zucchini, and stuffed cabbage, with cucumber and cheese on the side, are tantalizingly inviting.  As for meat, that expensive item, it is only reserved for a weekly meal on Friday -the Muslim Sabbath.

Ghalia also describes recipes for Copts (Egyptian Christians) for food during the season of lent.  In this regard, she comments: "In poor Egyptian neighborhoods, there is no Muslim/Christian divide.  That divide was of Mubarak's making."

How about Ghalia's hopes for the New Egypt.  "I have lots of hope for Egypt after Mubarak.  Egypt will be vastly different."  Then she picks up a telephone donated to her by the TV station to answer an incoming call.  The call is from a group of young and rich Egyptian girls, calling "the Revolutionary Cook" from their car to ask her "How do you make your delicious lentil soup?"

She also gets calls from children who tell her "Auntie Ghalia , we love you."  One of them put up on a page on the Internet calling for "Ghalia Mahmoud for President!!"