Damira hails from Samarkand, the crossroads of East and West, and a city whose inhabitants are known for their warm and generous hospitality. You’ll appreciate this reputation as soon as Damira welcomes you into her home with a hot cup of green tea and an assortment of homemade traditional snacks, which could include pastries filled with meat and vegetables, freshly baked cinnamon or lemon cakes, and dried fruit from Uzbekistan. For Damira, food, family and culture are inseparable. She fell in love with cooking as a child on her grandmother’s farm, helping to prepare meals for her large family (including 33 grandchildren!). Damira’s love of history and storytelling will shine as she teaches you to use traditional Uzbek cooking tools and explains the origins of her rustic, flavorful dishes. A retired cardiologist, Damira will also share the health benefits of the fresh herbs, vegetables and spices that color her cooking. An occasional numerologist and tarot card enthusiast, Damira might even tell your fortune. You’ll leave Damira’s home inspired to share her stories and cook her food, which we’ll make easy with a packet of recipes and a shopping guide to her favorite markets
Mashhurda (Mung Bean and Vegetable Soup)
A comforting, home-style soup made with carrots, onions, mung beans, baldo rice, dried apricots, and freshly chopped dill and cilantro, topped with a dollop of thick yogurt.
Pumpkin Hanum (Large Steamed Dumpling)
An impressive multi-layered steamed dumpling filled with cumin-scented butternut squash and onion and served with a tomato and onion sauce.
Pumpkin Sambusa (Baked Savory Pies)
Flaky triangular pies filled with cumin-scented butternut squash and onion, brushed with egg yolk, and sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Radish Salad
A refreshing cold salad of thinly sliced radishes mixed with yogurt, garlic, and freshly chopped dill and cilantro.
Halvatar (Uzbek Custard)
A smooth and creamy cinnamon scented custard made from flour, oil, and sugar--a classic Uzbek holiday dessert.
* Food Allergies: This menu includes dairy, eggs, tree nuts, and wheat.
All Immersion workshops include a light lunch and beverage, 3 hours of hands-on cooking instruction, a full dinner, a recipe packet, and a shopping guide.
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