In a camp for the displaced in northern Syria, Nasrallah scatters mushroom spores into a bag of wet hay, hoping they will sprout and feed his family.
After the civil war erupted in Syria eight years ago, people started growing the fungi in province of Hama.
But earlier this year, increased regime bombardment on the Hama region forced some people to flee north toward the Turkish border. They found refuge in a camp in the town of Haarem in the northwestern province of Idlib, but jobs there are scarce.
Before planting the fungi, they sterilize hay by stirring it in boiling water over a wood fire. Then they layer the wet straw into a bag, sprinkling five to ten grams of mushroom spores between each coating. Sealing the bag with a tight knot, they lug it into a dark, warm room and leaves it for around 20 days. Once the bag has turned white, they transfer it to a slightly brighter room, opens it up, and mists the top regularly until mushrooms sprout out.
Mushrooms are commonly viewed as an alternative to meat in dishes, although they are different in nutritional value. They contain far less protein, but more minerals and vitamins.
