Pachah is a uniquely Iraqi term of Turkish origin and it means roughly tripe and sheeps head. This dish is the most highly vlaued in Iraq and whole streets including probably the longest one in baghdad sell absolutely nothing else but this traditional dish.
It is an art form in this ancient land. The resturants open after 9:30 in a bid to cater for those coming out of pubs and the ordinary Iraqi men after they had done their nightly ritual of fingering their sisters and securing that their womenfolk have all been securely locked up for the evening.
The families who own these hallowed restaurants carry their professions as their surname and is a sign of class and power: Being called Pachachi is the epitomy of class and wealth.
The head and the tripe are served in a huge metal bath tub together with ginormous eish(bread) made in tanoor. The dish is designed to be shared.
All teh meat is just boiled with salt and nothing else at all. Iraqis are not ones for spices. There is an etiquette for consuming the meal, especially the head.
You lift it, holding its ears so it doesn't hear you and kiss it intimately, passionately sucking out its tongue in loving touch of respect and appreciation. You put the head down to give it rest and respect. You then turn over and like a man pleasuring his beauty, lick the curvy area between the jaws, slowly, easily, penetrativly with tongue slurping but not too loud, savouring the juicy, oily aromatic liquid. Again you turn it over, ensuring to invoke allah all the time(Allah kareem, allah xabiib, kheyrn min allah..etc). This time you show some roughness. You put the head on the tub, put your hand on top of the skull and hit it hard with your palm while keeping your other hand under the eye. the eye falls on your palm and you consume it with relish. You do the same with the other eye. It is now blind so you make it deaf by slicing-off each ear at a time. ...to continue...
