Aisha Abdel Gawad Journalist Profile

Articles

What to Read Next: Arab American Heritage Month Edition

Apr 15, 2024 | barnesandnoble.com | Isabelle McConville |Aisha Abdel Gawad |Susan Muaddi Darraj |Hadeer Elsbai

What to Read Next: Arab American Heritage Month EditionOne of the reasons we love to read fiction is finding ways to connect with other people’s experiences. Here are some books you should should add to your TBR, from coming-of-age narratives to fantasy and magic, from family sagas to fresh takes on immigrant tales — written by Arab American writers that speak to the human experience. Please enable javascript to add items to the cart.
No Safe Place to Grieve: The Trauma of Muslim Americans Living Under Surveillance

Jan 29, 2024 | lithub.com | Aisha Abdel Gawad

I’ve spent the last few months promoting a novel about young Muslim Americans coming of age in a post-9/11 Brooklyn. At every bookstore, radio interview, or university lecture hall, someone will ask me about the research I had to do for the book. I tell them about the NYPD police reports I read—these bizarre, chilling records of a massive law enforcement surveillance program targeting Arabs and Muslims in New York City.
Sounds of the Season: Audiobooks to Match Your Summer Anthem

Jul 6, 2023 | penguinrandomhouseaudio.com | Elise Hu |Pico Iyer |Aisha Abdel Gawad |Parini Shroff

Sounds of the Season: Audiobooks to Match Your Summer Anthem by Olivia Langen, Associate ProducerAfter one of the gloomiest winters on record here in LA, things are starting to look up. The Jacaranda trees are finally blooming, dropping purple flowers on every sidewalk.
The World’s Largest Independent Bookstore

Jun 9, 2023 | powells.com | Claire Fuller |Aisha Abdel Gawad |Randall Sullivan |Katharine Beutner

Think about the last good book you read. Did it make you feel more connected to others? Maybe it served as a welcome escape. Maybe it helped you rediscover the beauty in life. Did it surprise you? As an independent bookstore, we strive to offer the same variety and richness of experience as the books on our shelves.
Living My Life as the “Muslim Ron Swanson” in the Age of Digital Surveillance

Jun 9, 2023 | lithub.com | Aisha Abdel Gawad

I like to write in the very early hours of the morning, before the sun has risen, when the house and the streets are quiet and it feels like maybe I’m the only one awake for miles. I enjoy the feeling of being very alone. But sometimes, as my fingers hover over the keyboard, about to type something into a search engine, I’m overwhelmed by the feeling of being watched. I write a lot about Muslims in a post-9/11 world. Of course I’m nervous.
A Breathtaking Novel About Growing Up Muslim in Post-9/11 New York

Jun 6, 2023 | nytimes.com | Nina LaCour |Aisha Abdel Gawad

FictionIn Aisha Abdel Gawad’s book, “Between Two Moons,” a pair of Muslim sisters navigate life, love and family in a world that is relentlessly suspicious of them. Send any friend a storyAs a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share.
Vegetarian Moussaka (Musaqa'a) Recipe

May 23, 2023 | bonappetit.com | Aisha Abdel Gawad

2lb. Italian eggplants (5–6 medium), cut into ¾"-thickrounds¼cup plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil; plus more for drizzling2tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus moreFreshly ground pepper1medium onion, finely chopped2medium green bell peppers, ribs and seeds removed, finelychopped5garlic cloves, finely chopped1tsp. ground cumin½tsp. crushed red pepper flakes½tsp. ground cinnamon½tsp. ground coriander114.5-oz.
My Egyptian Family Was Eager to Meet My American Husband-but What Would They Feed Him?

May 23, 2023 | bonappetit.com | Aisha Abdel Gawad

Eager aunties, uncles, and cousins kept asking him the same question: How do you find Egypt? They’d smile, waiting for him to tell them how much he loved it. Chris kept responding, “We just got here, so I haven’t seen anything yet.” I watched their hopeful faces fall until I couldn’t take it anymore. “You have to stop saying that,” I hissed.
Lentil Musaqa'a

May 23, 2023 | epicurious.com | Aisha Abdel Gawad |Anna Stockwell |Andrea Nguyen |Thomas Keller

Musaqa'a, traditionally made with ground beef and eggplant, is one of Aisha Abdel Gawad's father's favorite Egyptian dishes. Her husband, on the other hand, is vegetarian-and isn't a fan of eggplant. Gawad created this version of musaqa'a to appeal to meat eaters and vegetarians alike. ( Read her essay about it here.) Her solution is to trade meat for lentils in the richly spiced tomato sauce that gets layered between eggplant slices.