Interactive: Jewish Food

Kubbeh Hamusta – the Iraqi Kitchen
Ingredients:
For the filling
3 tbsp canola oil
1 onion finely chopped
4 garlic cloves crushed
350 gr minced beef
1 tsp Baharat spice blend
½ tsp ground black pepper

For the wrapping
500 gr semolina
250 gr fine bulgur
2.5 cups warm water
Salt

For the soup
1 leek cut into rings
2 celery stalks and leaves roughly chopped
2 bunches mangold (only the green part)
4 spring onion chopped
Leaves of 4 celery stalks
3 zucchinis cut into rings
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp turmeric
Juice of 2 lemons
2 stalks of mint (leaves only) chopped
Salt, pepper

Cooking method
Heat the oil and fry the onion until golden
Add the minced beef, fry for 3 minutes until lightly browned. Make sure not to let it dry out.
Turn the heat off, add the garlic, chopped celery and spices. Let the mixture cool completely.
Preparing the wrapping
In a bowl mix the semolina, bulgur and salt. Add 2 cups of water, knead lightly, leave to rest for 20 minutes. If the dough is too dry, add water.
Preparing the soup
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pot. Add the leek and zucchinis and fry for 2 minutes. Add the chard, celery and 1 liter of water, bring to the boil.
Add spices, lemon juice and another liter of water. Lower the heat, simmer for 20 minutes.
Preparing the kubbeh
Roll 20 small balls (about 4 cm) of dough. Make a small dent in each ball and put a few teaspoons of the meat mixture inside. Close each ball and flatten it into the shape of a flying saucer.
Bring the soup to a gentle boil, add the kubbehs one at a time. Make sure they remain separated.
Cook on a low simmer for 15 minutes, lower the heat and cook for 45 minutes.
Add the chopped spring onion and mint leaves.

Gundi – the Persian Kitchen
Ingredients:
For the dumplings
650 gr minced chicken meat
3 onions grated
150 gr chickpea flour
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp turmeric
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp canola oil
2-3 tbsp water

For the soup
2 tbsp canola oil
1 onion grated
3 carrots diced
1 leek cut into rings
2 zucchinis cut into rings
3 celery stalks chopped
1 cup whole chickpeas (either soaked in advance, or canned or frozen)
Parsley
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
Water as needed

Preparing the meatballs
In a bowl, mix the grated onion, minced chicken, chickpea flour and oil. Add a bit of water and mix well. Make sure the mixture is not too wet. Season generously.
Preparing the soup
In a large pot heat the oil. Add the grated onion, carrots, leek, zucchini and chickpeas. Fry for 5 minutes.
Add 2 liters of water, bring to the boil on a high heat.
Add the parsley and season with salt and turmeric.
Preparing the Gundi
Form the meat mixture into medium sized balls and add them to the soup.
Cook for 30 minutes on a medium heat.

Bakhsh – the Bukharin Kitchen
Ingredients:
1 pot of boiling water
2 cups round rice
300 grams diced lamb meat (or beef or chicken)
2 onions finely chopped
2 batches cilantro finely chopped
1 batch dill finely chopped
5 tbsp canola oil
Tbsp salt
Tbsp pepper

Cooking method
Place the rice in the boiling water and cook until it is half cooked (7-8 min).
Drain the rice, wash with tap water for a few seconds and place in a bowl.
Add the chopped cilantro and dill to the bowl.
Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
In another pot, heat the canola oil.
Add the onion and the meat. Fry over a high heat for 2-3 minutes, until the meat browns.
Add the rice mixture, mix well.
Flatten the rice surface
Add ½ cup of water, cover the pot.
Cook over a low heat for 45 minutes or until the rice is soft.

Ma’akuda – the Moroccan Kitchen
Ingredients:
5 large potatoes peeled
2 carrots peeled
6 eggs
1 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp oil
½ batch parsley chopped
½ batch cilantro chopped
Salt
Pepper
Turmeric to taste

Preparation
Cook the potatoes and carrots in boiling water for 10 minutes.
Remove the carrots from the pot and dice. Continue to cook the potatoes until soft.
Drain the potatoes and mash them in a bowl until they are smooth.
Add the mash to the diced carrots, add parsley, chopped onion, cilantro, garlic and eggs.
Season generously and mix well.
Pour the mixture into a greased 24 cm oven dish.
Place in a preheated oven and cook at 200-220o for an hour.
Using a toothpick, check if the ma’akuda is dry. If so, remove from the oven.
Cool for 20 minutes.
Remove from the dish (it can be turned over on a plate or tray).

Stuffed Mangold Leaves – the Turkish Kitchen
Ingredients:
2 large batches of fresh mangold leaves (chard), well rinsed.
½ kg minced beef
¼ cup Persian rice well rinsed
1 medium onion
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
2 tbsp canola oil
1 large tbsp tomato puree
2 cups water
1 cup Persian rice cooked according to package instructions (for serving)

Preparing the filling
In a bowl mix the minced beef and the ¼ cup of rinsed rice. Grate the onion and add to the mixture.
Season with salt and pepper and mix.
Preparing the mangold
Put the leaves in a pot of boiling water to soften, drain and place in bowl of ice water
Cut the white stems and keep aside.
Assembly
Place a tsp of the filling in the center of the mangold leaf. Fold the edges of the leaf from the sides and then fold and roll from bottom to top.
Place the mangold leaf stems on the bottom of a wide pot.
Arrange the stuffed rolled leaves in the pot, with the edge of the rolled leaf facing upward. Make sure there are no empty spaces between them, so they do not open during cooking.
Preparing the sauce
In a bowl mix the oil, tomato puree, a cup of water and salt.
Add the sauce to the pot, bring to a boil and cook on a medium heat for 30 minutes.
Switch off the heat, wait 5 minutes and serve the stuffed leaves on a bed of white rice.

Pelmeni – the Russian Kitchen
Ingredients:
For the dough
6 cups flour (840 gr)
2 eggs
2 tbsp sunflower oil
Salt
2 cups boiling water (480 mg)

For the filling
800 gr roughly minced beef (chest or muscle)
3 onions finely chopped
Garlic
Sea salt
Ground black pepper

To Serve
Vinegar and ground black pepper

Flour for sprinkling on work surface

Preparing the dough
In a mixer with a kneading hook, mix the flour and salt on a low speed for a few seconds.
Add the eggs, one after the other, and then the oil. Mix at medium speed.
Gradually while mixing, add the boiling water. Mix for 8-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and supple.
On a floured surface, divide the dough into 5 balls, cover with a towel and leave to rest for 40 minutes.
In another bowl, put the minced meat, grated onion and chopped garlic, season with salt and pepper and mix well.
On the floured surface, flatten the dough to a 3mm thin square.
Using a cutter or a cup, make 7cm disks from the dough.
Place a tablespoon of the filling in the center of each disk.
Fold each disk into the shape of a half moon and press the edges together with your fingers.
Boil a large pot of salted water.
Gently slide the pelmeni into the pot. They are ready when they float to the surface after 7-8 minutes.
Remove the pelmeni from the water with a surrogated spoon.
Serve immediately, with vinegar and freshly ground black pepper.

Couscous – the Tripolitan Kitchen
Ingredients:
For the couscous
1 kg semolina
2 cups water
6 tbsp oil
1 tsp fine salt

For the vegetable soup
5 carrots peeled
5 zucchinis
4 potatoes
3 sweet potatoes
5 chunks pumpkin peeled
Celery stalk
3 tbsp tomato puree
2 tsp sweet paprika
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt

Preparing the couscous
In a bowl, mix the semolina, salt and oil.
Add 1 cup water, mix well and crumble the semolina lumps.
In a steaming pot, steam for 35 minutes.
Move the couscous to a large bowl, add a cup of water, mix well, return to the steaming pot for 35 minutes.
Pour the couscous into a bowl, add ½ cup of water and sift through a couscous colander.

Preparing the soup
Place all the vegetables in a pot, add water to cover, season generously.
Cook until the vegetables are soft.
The couscous can be served with the soup or in separate bowls.

Injera – the Ethiopian Kitchen
Ingredients
½ kg light teff flour
½ kg dark teff flour
3.5 cups cold water (2 cups water for 1 cup flour)

Preparing the dough
Place the 2 types of flour in a bowl. Gradually add 7 cups of water, while mixing.
Knead until the dough is smooth, soft yet not watery.
Add another cup of water without stirring.
Cover the bowl with a damp towel. Place a lid over the bowl and leave for a night.
The next day remove the lid, pour the water from the mix, add a fresh cup of cold water and knead again.
Add ¾ cups of boiling water and mix.
You should now have a thin mixture. If it is too thick, add cold water and stir until there are no lumps.
Cover and leave aside for 6 hours (preferably in the fridge), until the dough ferments and white foam forms above it.
Cooking the Injera
Oil a non-stick frying pan using kitchen paper.
Place the pan over a large flame.
Pour some of the mixture into the pan in a circular motion, until the bottom is completely covered.
When bubbles form on the dough, cover the pan with a lid. Fry for 1 minute, remove the injera and repeat with the remaining mixture.

Hamin
Ingredients:
1 large onion
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground black pepper
5 tbsp date syrup
1 tbsp paprika
2 kg beef (neck or plate)
1 kg legumes (red beans, large white beans, chickpeas) soaked for 24 hours
6 beef marrow
12 medium potatoes
12 hardboiled eggs unpeeled
Kishke (stuffed intestines)

Cooking method
-In a large pot, bring a third cup of water to a boil. Meanwhile, cut an onion and to the pot.
– Add the date honey and season with salt and pepper. Add a little water if needed.
-Add the following to the pot In this order: the different types of legumes, bones, meat, potatoes, and hard-boiled eggs.
– Add water until covered and bring to a boil for about 5 minutes
-Lower the flame and cook for 3 hours.
– Tie the quiche with string, pierce it with a toothpick along its entire length, at intervals of about 2 cm, and place in a pot.
– Seal the pot with aluminum foil and put in an oven preheated to 100 degrees for 10-14 hours.

Jahnun

Ingredients:
1 kg all-purpose flour
1 package baking powder
4 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp table salt
2 tbsp honey/date syrup
450 mg water
200 gr yellow butter
Pita bread (to cover the bottom of the jahnun pot)

Cooking method
In a mixing bowl, place the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, honey (or date syrup) and the water. Mix for 8 minutes at a low speed and for 2 minutes at a high speed.
Leave in the bowl for 1.5 hours (cover with saran wrap)
In a pan, heat the butter over a low flame. When it foams, pour through a dense sieve to get a transparent liquid.
Divide the dough into 10 balls.
Oil each ball with some butter, place on a tray, cover with saran wrap and leave to rest for 3 hours at room temperature.
Open each ball with your hands and roll into a 1mm thick square. You should have a transparent sheet of dough.
Melt the butter liquid, spread some on the sheet of dough and fold it: bring each corner to the middle, fold and roll.
Oil a jahnun pot and line it with some pita (to protect the jahnun from burning).
Place the rolled dough in the pot.
Place the pot in the oven and bake all night at a low heat.