The traditions of Jewish cuisine have a very long and rich history. The main ones are the absence of pork, limited use of spices, a lot of stews, and also a lot of vegetables, legumes and fish in a wide variety of forms. Jewish dishes have become popular all over the world, and we have already collected a selection of the best recipes for you!
Eggplant babaganoush
An Israeli twist on a popular Middle Eastern snack.
You will need: 1 kg of eggplants, 3 tbsp. tahini paste, 1/2 lemon, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp. olive oil, spices.
Preparation: Make punctures in the eggplants and bake them in the oven for 35-40 minutes at 200 degrees. Then put the baked eggplants in a bag, let them cool a little there and peel them. Finely chop the pulp with a knife along with the garlic, add spices, oil, lemon juice and tahini. Mix the appetizer and serve.
Shakshuka
Shakshuka has long been one of the most famous egg breakfasts.
You will need: 5 eggs, 1 tbsp. olive oil, parsley, 1/2 onion, 1 clove of garlic, 1 bell pepper, 4 tomatoes, 2 tbsp. tomato paste, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. paprika, salt, sugar, spices.
Preparation: Chop and lightly fry the onion and garlic in oil. Add chopped bell pepper and fry for another 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with tomato paste, season to taste and simmer all together for another 5-7 minutes. Make holes in the mixture and crack the eggs into them. Cook the shakshuka for about 10 minutes, covered, and at the end, sprinkle with herbs.
Jewish hummus
Hummus can be made from a variety of legumes, but the classic recipe uses chickpeas.
You will need: 180 g chickpeas, 4 cloves of garlic, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. paprika, spices, juice of 1/4 lemon, 1.5 tbsp. tahini paste, 6 tbsp. olive oil, 150 ml of chickpea broth.
Preparation: Soak the chickpeas overnight, boil until tender and leave 150 ml of the broth. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend the hummus until smooth.
Herring forshmak
Another Jewish snack that is loved in many countries around the world.
You will need: 2 herrings, 2 onions, 1 apple, 4 eggs, 200 g loaf, 1 tbsp. vinegar, 4 tbsp. vegetable oil, spices.
Preparation: Soak the bread in water and then squeeze it out a little. Boil the eggs, peel the apple, fillet the herring. Place all ingredients in a blender and beat the mincemeat until smooth.
Classic falafel
Falafel can be served as a separate appetizer or used in homemade shawarma.
You will need: 500 g chickpeas, 50 g parsley, 20 g cilantro, 30 g mint, 7 cloves garlic, 80 g onions, 10 g paprika, 20 g cumin, 20 g coriander, 10 g soda, 25 g sesame seeds, spices.
Preparation: Soak the chickpeas overnight, rinse them thoroughly, place them in one layer on a towel and let them dry. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. With wet hands, form falafel balls or patties. Deep fry everything in small portions in plenty of oil.
Jewish tzimmes
An unusual sweet treat for tea made from carrots and dried fruits.
You will need: 1 carrot, 50 g prunes, 50 g dried apricots, 50 g raisins, 1 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tbsp. honey, cinnamon.
Preparation: Soak dried fruits in boiling water for 15 minutes, dry and cut. Cut the carrots into slices and fry them in oil until soft. Add honey and fry a little more until caramelized. Add dried fruits and a little water, and simmer everything over medium heat. Sprinkle the finished tsimmes with cinnamon.
Tahini-based honey sauce
A universal Jewish sauce for a wide variety of dishes and snacks.
You will need: 150 g tahini, juice of 2 lemons, 50 ml water, 2 cloves of garlic, 5 sprigs of parsley, salt, 2 tbsp. honey
Preparation: Chop the garlic, squeeze the juice from the lemons and place everything except the parsley into a blender. Whisk the sauce until smooth and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Zemelach cinnamon cookies
Crumbly, crispy, very aromatic – even children will be delighted.
You will need: 250 g flour, 125 g butter, 1 tbsp. milk, 1 egg, 0.5 tsp. baking powder, 120 g sugar, 1 tbsp. cinnamon.
Preparation: Grind soft butter, egg and sugar until smooth. Add milk, and then flour with baking powder. Knead the dough and place it in the refrigerator for half an hour under film. Then roll out thinly on parchment and cut into diamonds. Mix another spoonful of sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle on the dough. Bake cookies for 15-20 minutes in the oven at 180 degrees.
Sufganiot
Classic Jewish donuts made for Hanukkah.
You will need: 2 tsp. dry yeast, 120 ml water, 60 g sugar, 350 g flour, 2 eggs, 50 g butter, 0.5 tsp. nutmeg, 400 g jam, powdered sugar, vegetable oil.
Preparation: Mix yeast, a spoonful of sugar and warm water, and leave for 10 minutes. Pour the resulting dough into the sifted flour and add soft butter, eggs, nutmeg and the remaining sugar. Knead the dough until smooth and leave it warm for 1 hour.
Roll out the dough into a layer 6-7 mm thick and cut into circles. Leave them under the towel for another 20-25 minutes. Deep fry the donuts in batches in plenty of oil. Using a pastry bag, fill them with jam and then sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Stuffed fish
For example, large carp is ideal for this recipe.
You will need: 3 carp, 3 eggs, 200 g of white bread, 2 liters of water, 4 carrots, 4 onions, 1 beet, spices.
Preparation: Cut the fish into portions and remove the meat so that the whole skin remains. Remove the bones from the meat and set them aside. Pass the fish meat, onions and bread soaked in water through a meat grinder.
Season the minced meat, add the eggs and mix. Place fish bones and coarsely chopped vegetables in a large saucepan. Fill the fish skin with minced meat, but not too tightly. Place the pieces there and fill with water to the level of the fish.
Bring to a boil and simmer for about 1 hour until done – approximately until half of the broth has evaporated. Place the finished fish on a dish, cover with strained broth and place in the refrigerator overnight.
Jewish chicken noodle soup
A very hearty chicken soup made from affordable ingredients.
You will need: 1 chicken, 2 liters of water, 60 g noodles, 1 onion, 1 leek, 2 carrots, 1 turnip, 40 g celery, 10 g parsley, spices.
Preparation: Pour water over the chicken and bring to a boil. Add all the vegetables, parsley stems and spices for the broth. Cook for 1 hour over low heat, remove the chicken and remove the meat from it. Return the bones back to the broth and cook for another hour and a half. Strain the broth, bring to a boil again, add chicken and noodles to it, and simmer until the noodles are ready.
Latkes
Original Jewish pancakes are served with sour cream and red caviar.
You will need: 1 kg of potatoes, 80 g of fat sour cream, 80 g of flour, salt.
Preparation: Grate the potatoes on a medium grater, place them in a colander and leave to drain for half an hour. Add sour cream and flour. Fry the latkes like regular pancakes in a frying pan for 1-2 minutes on each side. Place them in a mold and place them in the oven at 100 degrees for 7-10 minutes.
The same
The classic roast takes an entire night to cook, so here’s a slightly simplified recipe.
You will need: 1/2 cup chickpeas, 1/2 cup red beans, 1/2 cup lentils, 1/2 cup Basmati rice, 1-1.5 kg veal, 2 turnips, 1/2 pumpkin, 4 shallots, 1 head of garlic, 30 g butter, spices.
Preparation: Soak chickpeas, beans and lentils overnight. Coarsely chop the veal and fry it in butter. Season, add a little water and simmer lightly. Cut the shallot in half and dice the pumpkin. Divide the garlic into cloves, but do not peel them, just crush them slightly. Place vegetables and legumes in a baking dish, add meat on top and another layer of legumes and vegetables. Fill with water and place in the oven at 120 degrees for 5-6 hours. Half an hour before the end of cooking, add the washed rice.
Lekah
Jewish variation of a delicious honey pie.
You will need: 200 g liquid honey, 70 g sugar, 170 g rye flour, 1 orange, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. soda, 0.5 tsp. ground ginger, 2 eggs, 2 tbsp. vegetable oil.
Preparation: Mix all dry ingredients. Separately, mix eggs with oil, honey, orange juice and zest. Combine both masses, place the dough in a mold and bake for 40 minutes in the oven at 180 degrees.
Stuffed chicken necks
A truly extraordinary dish that is worth trying.
You will need: 1 kg of chicken necks, 500 g of chicken liver, 2 tbsp. flour, 1 onion, 30 g fat, 150 ml chicken broth, spices.
Preparation: Wash the chicken necks and carefully remove the bones. Lightly fry the flour in any fat. Separately, fry finely chopped onion and chicken liver, add flour there, mix the filling, season and fill the necks with it. Sew them up on both sides and boil them in chicken broth for 30-40 minutes.