Damascus, Sept. 30 (SANA) Syrian women are turning generations-old skills in preparing mouneh, traditional food preserves, into home-based businesses, tapping growing demand for ready-made products to generate income.
Women are increasingly using social media to market homemade foods long associated with Syrian cuisine, allowing them to reach more customers while working from home.
Ahmad Shahin, a vendor at Damascus’ Bab Sreijeh market, said business fluctuates during the mouneh season, with demand typically strongest at the beginning of the month.
Makdous, eggplants stuffed with walnuts and peppers and preserved in oil, is among the most popular products, Shahin said. Some customers prefer buying boiled eggplants ready for preparation rather than making them from scratch at home.
He said preparing and selling mouneh allows women to turn their skills into a source of income while preserving culinary traditions passed down through generations.
Mouneh as a source of income
Hiba al-Masouti, who works with a group of women preparing homemade mouneh to order, said she recently set up social media pages to promote her products and reach a wider customer base, helping expand her business and increase demand.
Al-Masouti said homemade mouneh stands out for the quality and cleanliness of its ingredients, the absence of preservatives and artificial additives, and its distinctive taste, which comes from preparation methods passed down from grandmothers.
She said the business has enabled her to become financially independent and earn a sustainable income.
A tradition that brings families together
Homemaker Samar Ibrahim said preparing mouneh also remains a social tradition, bringing family members together during the season to take part in preparing and preserving food.
Changing lifestyles and current circumstances, however, have altered some of these traditions, Ibrahim said, prompting more families to buy ready-made homemade products instead.
N.J/MF
