By Jiye Back

KUWAIT: In a world where modernity often overshadows tradition, today’s generation connects to their rich culture through Kuwaiti food. The bite of machboos or tashreeb represents heritage, familial bonds, and cultural identity. This food is more than just a plate; it fills the very soul, reminding young Kuwaitis of who they are and where they come from. The expression “soul food” originates in the cooking of enslaved people in the Southern United States. The term “soul” symbolized African American pride and identity. Nowadays, soul food describes any cuisine that is deeply connected to one’s roots and evokes a sense of comfort, nourishing both the body and the spirit.

In Kuwait, food is tied to family. Nasser Bouarki, a 17-year-old Kuwaiti, said that “people have memories of their parents or grandparents cooking specific meals.” Traditional food is not sought at restaurants but at home. Although every family has their own take — or even version — of machboos, they share a way of eating the food. On Fridays, families get together at their parents’ homes for lunch and tea, known in the Kuwaiti dialect as “zwara.”

Most families eat on the floor; “they would put a plastic wrap on the floor, have a big dish of food, and each person would just grab with their hands,” Nasser says. By sharing the food that they’ve made in this way, Kuwaiti people cherish this moment. Athbah Almutawa, 19 years old, feels “a sense of familiarity through the love we share for the food.”

Perhaps, because these young people have grown with the food, they put a high value on both its cultural and personal effects. “Soul food in Kuwait applies to the food that their ancestors ate. It is what people ate in the ’70s or ’80s, what parents would make for their children and what people consider as theirs. It is something our culture has developed, created, and wants to preserve,” Bouarki added.

Almutawa eats Kuwaiti soul food often because it fosters community and connection with her ancestors, emphasizing how they adapted to the various conditions, including climate. For instance, Kuwaitis have traditionally consumed rice as part of their diet not only due to its historical trade connections with India and Persia but also its versatility and freshness for long periods, which is ideal for the region’s desert climate.

Additionally, Kuwaiti soul food is tied to its religious practices, such as Ramadan. Dishes like harees and saffron-infused rice are integral to the communal breaking of the fast. These meals, prepared with care among family and friends, reinforce the Kuwaiti identity. From a different perspective, it brings people together. By offering to have lunch or dinner, families get together, invite people over, and spread the warm hospitality that food offers. Bouarki reminisces about the past through these memories. Also, they serve as a space to transmit folktales, family stories, and every other table talk.

As food takes a meaningful portion in the daily lives of Kuwaiti youth, its place will always exist — whether it is the lamb machboos next to a Western buffet at weddings or luqaimats at ghabgas. These small and big dishes will be passed on through generations and become a long-lasting legacy.