"Just add spices"

Ok, my eternal issue in Gaza is that conversations about food usually go like this:

Me: Oh my gosh, this food is DIVINE, this is the most delicious thing I've ever tasted. HOW did you make this?

Palestinian woman: Oh it's SO easy.

Me: How? What did you put in it??

Palestinian woman: Chicken, rice

Me: AND?

Palestinian woman: And spices

Me: What spices?

Palestinian woman: Chicken spices

Or "maklouba spices" or "fish spices" or "maftoule spices"-- Maftoule is CousCous in Palestine. Usually my response is "but, but, how do I get the Maftoule spices"--the answer is "go to the spice shop and just tell the guy you want Maftoule spices"-- I then have to explain, look once I leave here-- there isn't going to be a spice man!

It's usually a nightmare trying to figure out what the heck these magical mixes have in them. My friend Dawne even joked about taking them to a laboratory and getting the spices identified. It's not a far-fetched idea.

This pattern happened again when I went to get some roasted chicken, this chicken is from Jerjawi, the best chicken place in town. These succulent chickens are stuffed with divine rice covered in "spices"- they also put lots of lemons on top of it and a final magic 'spice'--

I asked everyone, what's this spice, WHAT is this spice? "Chicken spice" everyone responded.