THE FOODIST / DISCOVERING KURDISH TEA IN NORTHERN IRAQ

Group of men drinking tea in Mam Khalil, a 74 year old tea house in Oaysari market, Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq.  Photo: Safin Hamid.

GUEST BLOG / By Judit Neurink, writing in the Kurdistan Chronicle-- Imagine the embers of a smoldering fire, a blackened metal tea pot in the middle, a bird singing nearby, mountains rising around you, perhaps even an orange sun setting behind one, and then a glass of tea, brewed patiently with the smoke of the fire. 

For a Dutch journalist and world traveling tea drinker like me, this is an enormous gift, one that as you can see brings fond memories. The best picnic in Kurdistan ends with a sweet, strong, and smoky tea. The Kurdistan Region of Iraq is my tea paradise. It’s the place where tea is always ready to be served, even at the front lines. 

Years earlier, when I visited the Kurdish frontlines with ISIS near Bashiqa to talk to one of the generals, there came the tea, fresh and hot. As was the case in most of the offices I visited to speak to government officials, managers, and directors. 

 Kurdistan is a place where they know how tea should be made. 

Good chai is made from the best leaves that are put in a pot with cold water, brought to a boil, and then allowed to boil for a minute. Sometimes cardamom is added to enhance the taste and the smell. A pot of hot water is placed on top of the teapot to water down the brew, so every tea drinker can have it at just the right strength. 

As for the best tea I ever had was made by Hassan, an Iraqi student from Baghdad who lived for a year in the media center I led in Sulemani. He knew exactly how I liked my tea: freshly brewed and without sugar, so not too strong. He had made it his task to provide us in the office with a fresh pot at least once every day. 

Istikan glass

This kind of tea you should drink from a glass, preferably a thin one, or istikan, that attractive little belly-shaped glass, often with gold around the rim and sometimes with the glass painted over. It stands on a small but deep saucer, which could be from matching glass but more often is made of white porcelain. The pouring of the tea starts with a couple spoons of sugar, which is when the struggle that I associate with tea in Kurdistan begins. The tea is so strong that it requires sugar, but I prefer my tea pure. Moreover, I cut sugar out of my diet years ago. So how do I get the tea boy or the host to pour me sugar-free, light tea that isn’t too light? Or a strong one with a tiny bit of sugar – and not the one heaped spoon that he or she considers as a ‘little sugar’? 

[Left], Tea boy – oh yes, in Kurdistan that really is a job, mostly for men and very often for young men or boys. Often, they are so attractive that I have been wondering if they were selected based on their looks. 

Many offices have such tea boys. For when a visitor enters there, the rules of hospitality dictate that he or she is welcomed with a freshly poured tea. 

Erbil, the Capital city of Iraqi Kurdistan region is home to 3 million persons. Pictured is the World Heritage site The Citadel with its popular Machko Chai Khana tea room.

Where the West has its cafes, Kurdistan has its chaykhanas, tea shops where the male owner pours tea from big steaming pots. Mostly, these are places for me to meet and chat over tea or hot creamy milk. Women may drink tea together at home. 

But when I go into a chaykhana with a friend, we are usually welcomed warmly, and even more so if I order another and yet another glass of tea, which I usually do as a tea addict. Perhaps that is where my love for the Kurdistan Region started. 

With the glasses of tea that always appear when I arrived for an interview or a social visit. Usually, in those offices with the long couches around the walls, a bottle of water is offered before the tea. 

 Nowadays, you may also be offered coffee depending on the hour. Coffee is a beverage I do not consume. Be it Arabic coffee, filter coffee, or instant, I like the smell but not the taste. So, when it appeared on the side table next to me during an interview, I faced a dilemma. It is impolite to refuse – and being polite is an important part of the local cultural code – yet I find it just as impolite to ignore that coffee next to me, which often has been made with just as much love as the tea. 

 The solution I found is to apologize profusely for the fact that I do not drink coffee. Usually, I am then offered the tea I was already pining for. Kurdistan is my country because it is a country for tea drinkers. 

And the locally offered tea is of a good quality, not with funny additives and tastes, not the Moroccan way with mint, and not brewed too long and made bitter like in Turkey. Although, with outside changes and the influences, ‘teabag tea’ entered Iraq long ago. Sometimes you will even be presented with the choice: chai or teabag tea. Teabag tea comes in a cup or mug of course, and the bag would suffice for a whole pot in my home country, the Netherlands. 

 FROM OTHER MEDIA SOURCES: 

Iraq isn't on many people's travel radar. Most folks believe it to be unstable and unsafe. It is true that the last few decades have been very bad for this country with the country seemingly lurching from crisis to crisis, but it is not actually true of all the country. 

Northern Iraqi Kurdistan is actually safe and very rewarding to visit. Iraq occupies the ancient lands of Mesopotamia and is the classic site of the "Cradle of Civilisation." So many empires have risen and fallen over these lands including some of the oldest known to man - like the Akkadians and Sumerians. It is the land of ancient Babylon and it is home to the all-important rivers of the Euphrates and the Tigris. Today northern Iraq is home to the Kurdish people who have the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan. 

This region has been able to maintain relative stability and has been welcoming tourists from around the world for years. People here are very hospitable and will be very glad to see you visiting their country. The following are just a few of the many things to see and do in Iraqi Kurdistan. 

It is safe and truly one of the most welcoming places on earth for visitors. But don't expect a lot of developed tourist infrastructure here. One caution though, if you visit Iraq and you are not an American or Canadian citizen, then you will no longer qualify for America's visa waiver program. Tourists to America will then need to get a visa in advance plus all people entering America are likely to be questioned by Homeland Security. 

 IRAQI KURDISTAN: The Facts Capital And Largest City: 

--Currency: Iraqi Dinar (In Practice For All Larger Transactions USD) 

--Religion: Majority Muslim 

--When To Go And What To Understand Iraq is a very hot country and in the summer it can be very sweltering. So it is advisable to go in the spring or autumn to miss the sometimes scorching heat of summer. 

--Some things to understand with etiquette is that while Iraqi Kurdistan is open and tolerant - especially by comparison to other parts of Iraq - there are some things travelers should be aware of. For men, it's ok to wear shorts here (something that is forbidden or offensive in some other parts of the Middle East). Women do not need to wear any head covering, but they should dress modestly and cover their shoulders and knees. It's fine to drink alcohol here. 

--Getting In And Getting A Visa The visa situation is a little complicated as Iraqi Kurdistan is part of Iraq and for Iraq, one needs a visa. But in practice, the Kurdish regional government controls the ports of entry and allows almost all Westerners to visit visa-free for 30 days. But you are only permitted to stay in the Kurdistan autonomous region. Visa Requirements: Iraq In General, Visa Required Visa Requirements: In Practice Autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan Only - 30 Days Visa-Free/Visa 

On Arrival Getting In Option #1: Easiest Way The Two International Airports At Erbil And Sulaymaniyah Getting In Option #2: Optional By Border With Turkey.

3 KURDISTAN CITIES WORTH THE VISIT 

ERBIL 

Erbil is the capital and most populated city in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The city is in the Erbil Governorate. Human settlement at Erbil may be dated back to the 5th millennium BC. At the heart of the city is the ancient Citadel of Erbil and Mudhafaria Minaret (left).

There is plenty to see and do in this city. In the center, you can visit the ancient citadel of one of the oldest cities in history. You can try traditional Kurdish food and shop in the impressive bazaar located in the heart of the city. Erbil is centrally located and is likely to be your central base for exploring the wider Kurdish region. Erbil is a modern city complete with modern shopping malls and everything you are likely to need. You can also find a very large ex-pat community. Population: 3 Million Visit: The Citidel Of Erbil, and The Euphrates River Walk Around: Erbil Main Square Shop At: Qaysari Bazaar (A Large Covered Bazaar Next To Erbil Main Square And The Citidel Of Erbil) Do: Chat With The Local Kurds! 

SULAYMANIYAH 

Sulaymaniyah is perhaps Iraq's most progressive city and it sits nestled amongst the Iraqi mountains and boasts some stunning driving and hiking. The variety of the Kurdish language people speak here is different from that spoken in Erbil and many can't understand each other. Sulaimani Museum: The Largest Museum in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and covers Kurdish struggles and genocide. 

LALISH 

Local architecture of ancient Lavish as of 2019

Lalish is an absolute must-see if you visit this region. Lalish is the holiest temple of the Yazidi people (the Yazidi are a unique ethnoreligious group in Iraq who are of the Yazidi religion). Visiting this site is one of the most powerful things anyone can do while in Iraq. Here you will see their unique and often untold story and their unique beliefs including that of the "Peacock Angel." Yazidis are incredibly hospitable and welcoming people - so much so that sometimes it's embarrassing. It is recommended that you hire a translator or guide, you may struggle to find people to speak English to here and it is helpful to have someone explain the etiquette of this holy site. Entrance: Free What to See: Holiest Temple Complex To The Yazidi