Sharjah, November 13, 2025
The Cookery Corner at the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2025) transformed into a celebration of memory, migration, and flavour as Iranian-American chef Nasrin Rejali took the stage to share her recipe for Boorani Esfenaj, a traditional Iranian spinach and yoghurt dip steeped in nostalgia and simplicity.
“The beauty of this dip lies in its simplicity,” Rejali told the audience as she stirred a steaming pan of spinach. “It takes just a few minutes to make but elevates any table. You can serve it with toasted bread, chips, or use it as a spread — it’s delicious in every form.”
Her recipe, featured in The Kitchen Without Borders: Recipes and Stories from Refugee and Immigrant Chefs, calls for spinach, Greek yoghurt or labneh, roasted walnuts, dried mint, salt, and a sprinkle of dried rose petals. “Don’t over-roast the walnuts,” she cautioned, “too much heat makes them bitter.”
As she cooked, Rejali wove her story into the aroma of her dish — one of displacement, resilience, and rediscovery. She fled Iran in 2016 with her three children. “Life was hard at first,” she recalled. “But my love for food kept us going. It gave me strength and, eventually, a livelihood.” Today, she runs a successful restaurant and catering business in Manhattan. “I haven’t employed any cooks, I cook myself,” she said proudly, drawing applause from the audience.
Her culinary journey began in childhood, under the guidance of her grandmother. “I never went to culinary school,” she shared. “My grandmother was my teacher and mentor. I started cooking when I was about eight or ten, always eager to help her in the kitchen.”
As she combined the cooled spinach with labneh and walnuts, the air filled with the earthy scent of mint and rose petals. Even after years in New York, Rejali admitted that capturing the flavours of home remains a challenge. “It’s hard,” she said.”
The workshop ended with laughter, conversation, and a shared sense of connection, proving once again that at SIBF’s Cookery Corner, recipes are more than instructions; they are personal histories retold through flavour and memory.
The 44th Sharjah International Book Fair runs until 16 November at Expo Centre Sharjah. For more details on this free-to-attend event, visit www.sibf.com.
