The smell of Qabli Palow, warm bread, and green tea filled the small dining room as my family gathered for dinner. Steam rose from the rice, carrying the sweet scent of raisins and carrots mixed with the richness of lamb. The windows were fogged from the warmth inside, while outside, the cold winter wind whistled through the narrow streets and rattled the metal gate. A single yellow bulb flickered overhead, casting long shadows across the cracked walls.