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"I think for those of us who cross the ocean or borders, food may be a pain, unless we slowly try not to replace it but accept its meaning. Then, once we create it in a new place, the past and the The union now becomes positive."

Wafaa Bilal is an Iraqi-American artist whose work establishes a continuous dialogue between two places he calls home.

"These two places have shaped my life and career. My body lives in the comfort zone of the United States, while my emotional and spiritual lives are in conflict zones in Iraq."

Our interviews covered a wide range of topics, from eating silently, to providing food to the village, to reshaping rituals in a new place. Time and time again, we return to the ways in which nostalgia can catalyze new things.

Wafaa is a patient and persistent teacher. I absorbed the knowledge, but didn't realize it was happening. He gently insisted that this is a sign of an excellent educator, quietly allowing you to reach the highest standards.

We watched a YouTube video so I can learn the art of making Najafi Qeema (Iraqi meat and chickpea stew). Wafaa patiently translates each step, and when he pauses, explains, and presses the play button again, there is an Arabic whisper in the background. We emailed back and forth: Where can I buy black limes? Where can I buy red onions? What is the correct way to cut beef and lamb?

There is nothing that might be lost in the translation. Wafaa prides itself on detail, specificity and nuance.

I have been thinking about how the silence between our words contains real magic. Here, knowledge is absorbed into our cells and has its own life. Learning is somewhere in between and happens after the fact. It is from that deep understanding that we obtained the permission to invent. Creating new things is rooted in translating past memories.

"I love culture. As an artist, I trigger a platform for dialogue. This is to bring different cultures closer together to share some common points. It broadens the horizons, so it is no longer an "other A". I always think of food as a continuation of me and something I can share with other people."

Wafaa explained that Najafi Qeema is an ancient dish whose name comes from the Iraqi region (Najaf). The ingredients are very simple: chickpeas, meat, tomatoes and onions, plus five specific spices traditionally used in the region: black lime, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and cardamom. The stew is simmered slowly, lightly mashed, and then cooked again to produce a fragrant taste.

This dish is served during Ashura, Muharram, and also at weddings or funerals. This is a dish that can easily feed 200 or more people, and usually the entire village is involved.

If you are interested in more specific techniques Wafaa introduced to me, please watch a YouTube video that shows you how to slice onions and how to mash the stew.

The stew is traditionally served on basmati rice (recipe below) and a plate of fresh radishes.

2 or 3 red or yellow onions, peeled and cut in half. Neutral oil, such as vegetable oil or safflower oil. 2 pounds of dried chickpeas, soak for 8-12 hours. 1 1/2 pounds sirloin, remove excess fat 1/2 pound lamb shoulder 2 beef bones (optional)

1 6-ounce container of ketchup 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1 tablespoon cardamom 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin 1 tablespoon cinnamon 2 dried black limes, ground into powdered salt to taste

Red onions are onions with light pink skin and white flesh, and are not easy to find in the United States. Wafaa mentioned that he found them at Trader Joe's and Morton Williams. I replaced Qeema with yellow onions.

You can find black limes (noomi Basra) at most Middle Eastern grocery stores, or you can order pre-ground limes from Burlap and Barrel.

Wash the chickpeas with cold water several times. Cover the chickpeas with plenty of cold water (remember, they will double in size when fully soaked), then add a teaspoon of baking soda to the soaking water (this will soften the chickpeas). Soak for 8 to 12 hours and drain. Rinse several times in cold water to remove traces of baking soda, then set aside until you are ready to add them to Qeema.

Cut the halved onion into thin strips lengthwise. At an angle, slice horizontally so that you are left with thin strips about an inch long.

In a large pot, add onions and a drop of oil. Fry the onion over low heat until translucent. They should not be caramelized or browned, and salt should not be added.

When cooking onions, cut the grained beef and lamb into 4 to 5 inch chunks.

When the onions are soft, add large pieces of meat and turmeric. Stir-fry until the meat is no longer red and everything is soft yellow.

Add the chickpeas to the pot and stir well. Add enough cold water to cover six inches of stew. In a large pot, this will be about an inch or two from the top.

Bring the stew to a boil. Turn the heat to very low, cover, and let the stew simmer for six to seven hours, or overnight.

Remove the stew from the fire.

In a separate pot, using a slotted spoon, add a few tablespoons of the meat and chickpea mixture to the new pot (the broth will stay in the original pot.)

At this point, use the bottom of an old wine bottle or cup to start mashing meat and chickpeas. Saccharification should be the action of pushing down and sliding out. It should not be a heavy blow.

Mash as much as possible. Part of the unique texture of this dish is the thin shreds of pork in the thick and smooth chickpea soup.

Put the mashed meat and chickpeas in a separate bowl, then repeat the above steps with the remaining chickpeas and meat in the broth.

After all mashed, add the mashed meat and chickpeas to the soup pot. Bring to a simmer. The mixture should be the consistency of loose hummus. If you think it is too thick, add more water.

Add a can of tomato paste and mix well. Add spices, black lime powder (I use cumin to turn them into powder, but a food processor or mortar and pestle will work too), and finally add a lot of salt.

Tips from Wafaa: You can change the amount of the five spices according to your taste. For example, you can add more or less cinnamon, cardamom or cumin.

Simmer the mixture, often stirring for another two hours under low heat. The mixture should be dark caramel brown, nice and thick.

Note from Wafaa: I made a large batch and freeze any leftovers. In this way, whenever I desire Najafi Qeema, I will be ready. I prepare basmati rice when defrosting.

4 cups basmati rice 12 cups water salt 6 tablespoons butter

Wash the rice several times until the water becomes clear. If you have time, you can soak in cold water for about 30 minutes.

Bring a large pot filled with concentrated salt water to a boil, then add the rice. Cook for five minutes, until a little bit of rice remains.

Drain the rice with a colander and set aside.

Melt two tablespoons of butter in a large pot over low heat.

Add rice to form a mound in the middle. Use a wooden spoon to poke holes in the rice to let the steam escape. Add two to three cups of hot water, add the remaining four tablespoons of butter, and garnish on top. Wrap the lid with a towel. (This will absorb the steam, so it will not drip back into the pot). Cover the rice with a towel and steam for 10 minutes until the rice is soft and fully cooked. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

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