Talented…loving…delightful…courageous.

This is how 10-year-old Yousif Ibrahim describes his mother, Taghreed, who in 2013 was resettled by the International Rescue Committee in Seattle with her husband and two children after fleeing from the war in Iraq. 

For as long as he can remember, Yousif has shared a passion for baking with his mother, who now works as a pastry cook. The two are a dynamic duo in the kitchen, making traditional Iraqi dishes and sweets to help them savor memories of their homeland.

Yousif dreams of one day cooking a special meal, “to be at a dining table, a giant one, with our whole family.” For now, he shares his story of his love for his family, and cooking, below.

Cardamom makes me feel like I’m home

My favourite things to make are traditional Iraqi recipes. Since I wasn't born in Iraq, I don’t feel a connection to it like my family does. Making traditional Iraqi food helps me have a relationship with my homeland and my heritage. That’s really important to me because that’s where I am from, and where my family is from. I know it’s kind of a dangerous place, but it’s a place that my family really loves. Also, Iraqi food smells and tastes really good!

My favourite cookie to make is shakar lama (cardamom). It’s my grandma's recipe and I haven't seen my grandma in a very long time. I love cardamom a lot—it makes me feel like I'm home—we use it for everything... tea, food, cookies! It's like our family’s signature. It’s been passed down generation to generation. My mum and I want to share the recipe with you:

Shakar Lama Cookies

By Taghreed Ibrahim
Serving Size: 25 cookies
40 minutes

Ingredients

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix the vegetable shortening/butter and sugar in a small bowl, using an electric mixer, until light and fluffy (2 minutes). Blend in the dry ingredients, mixing carefully to incorporate.

Using a spoon, form the batter into 25 or so small, walnut-size balls. Place each ball onto a cookie sheet and use the palm of your hand to flatten each into a round cookie and garnish with a single nut (if desired). Bake 10–15 minutes. Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before removing to a plate.

Taghreed and her 10-year-old son Yousif hold a tray of cardamom cookies they baked.
Taghreed enjoys baking traditional Iraqi cardamom cookies with her 10-year-old son, Yousif. "It's like our family’s signature," Yousif says. "It’s been passed down generation to generation."
Photo: Andrew Oberstadt/IRC

The most important thing is to love each other

My mum has taught me a lot of things, like hard work. “It’s who we are and our story,” she tells me. “We left everything, left our country and started a new life just for you, so you have to appreciate it and also work hard. We had a long journey and we still have a lot to do.” She tells me, “Remember, you have to stay strong.”

But the most important thing is to love each other and accept people for who they are. Love is very important.

I wish for my mum to have a good career and life. The one thing I really want is one night to be at a dining table, a giant one, with our whole family. I love my family, they are my life. And I want my entire family to be together again—and I’ll cook for us all.