Encyclopedia of Jewish Food

by Gil Marks

  The seventh day of Sukkot, called Hoshanah Rabbah, is regarded as the day on which the divine verdicts of judgment decided on Yom Kippur are sealed. Therefore, as an extension of the Day of Atonement, foods traditional for the meal before the fast, such as kreplach, are served.

  At the conclusion of Sukkot falls another series of holidays, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. Shemini Atzeret is a one-day (two outside Israel) Biblical festival ending the nearly month-long holiday period.

  (See also Date, Etrog (Citron), Simchat Torah, and Water)

  Sumac

  Sumac/sumach, from the Aramaic samaq (dark red), og in the Talmud, is the tart red fruit of a tall Middle Eastern shrub from the Anacardiaceae family. In the late summer, when they turn deep red upon ripening, the clusters of berries are harvested and dried in the sun for several days. Before lemons and tamarinds arrived in the Middle East, sumac was the primary souring agent. Today, sumac is most popular in the Levant, Iran, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. The tart, citrus flavor and light red color adds a pleasant tart, acidic-fruity touch to eggplant spreads, hummus, kebabs, grilled fish and chicken, sauces, rice pilaf, red lentil soup, salads, and—in its most prominent culinary role—the spice blend za'atar. Sumac berries are dried and used whole, ground, or soaked. A little salt is generally added to facilitate the grinding of the moist berries, but pure sumac is preferable when using fresh za'atar, as salt damages the leaves.

  Sutlach

  Sutlach is a rice-flour pudding.

  Origin: Middle East

  Other names: Afghanistan: firni; Arabic: mahallebi, muhalabeeya, muhallabiyya; Farsi: firni, yakh dar behest; India: dodail, firni; Ladino: sutlag, sutlage; Turkish: sütlaç, sütlaj, süt muhallebisi.

  The cooking of rice into porridge is an ancient story. Romans added goat's milk to cooked rice, but not sweeteners, eating it savory. Perhaps the Chinese were the first to make sweetened rice, although they did not add milk. Medieval Persians cooked rice with almond milk or goat's milk, sugar, and frequently rose water or orange-blossom water, which they called shir-berenj and the Arabs referred to as riz bi haleeb. In a later variation, short-grain rice kernels were cooked for an extended time to break them down and produce a creamy texture, which was known by the Persians as shola-e shireen. A similar version in which mashed cooked rice is cooked with sugar is described in a recipe for "Rice Dissolved with Sugar" in an untitled anonymous thirteenth-century Andalusian cookbook.

  Around the thirteenth century, Persians developed a way to achieve a smooth texture from long-grain kernels by first finely grinding the rice into a flour. The texture of rice flour ranges from a fine powder (chaaval ka atta in India) produced by sifting out larger particles to a slightly grainy texture like that of fine sand (idli-rava). In puddings, the finer the flour, the smoother the texture, while larger granules result in a gritty consistency.

  Persians called rice-flour pudding by the name firni/fereni. The Persian-influenced Mughals introduced firni to northern India, substituting cow's milk or coconut milk for the almond milk. Rice-flour pudding also spread westward through the Ottoman Empire, where the Turks referred to it as süt muhallebisi or more commonly sütlaç (süt means "milk" and sütlu "with milk" in Turkish). Sephardim pronounced it sutlach.

  Unlike Western puddings, sutlach does not contain eggs. Rather, it is a balance of the two main ingredients—rice and milk. Rice-flour pudding was originally cooked atop a fire or brazier, but later a variation emerged in which the rice mixture was baked in an oven. Both types remain popular. In either case, the pudding is soft when warm, but firms when cooled or refrigerated. Middle Easterners generally prefer rice-flour pudding cool and often make it the day before it will be served so that it can properly cool and firm; the dish is widespread breakfast fare.

  The delicate sutlach is considered appropriate for the ill and others who lack an appetite. Sutlach is served in many Sephardic households on the Sabbath, on Purim, and at the meal following Yom Kippur. For Shavuot, called the "Feast of Roses," honey is usually substituted for the sugar and many Middle Eastern Jews flavor the pudding with rose water or serve it with rose preserves. Turkish Jews also serve sutlach as the first course of a wedding feast. Nondairy versions are made with pipitada (melon seed milk), almond milk, or coconut milk. For desayanu (brunch), some mothers write young children's names or initials with cinnamon on top of individual puddings.

  (See also Asabia, Malabi, and Rice Pudding)

  Turkish Rice-Flour Pudding (Sutlach)

  6 to 8 servings

  [DAIRY]

  ¾ cup rice flour or Cream of Rice, or ¼ cup rice flour and ¼ cup cornstarch)

  ½ cup sugar

  Pinch of salt

  5½ cups milk, or 4½ cups milk and 1 cup heavy cream

  2 tablespoons rose water or orange blossom water, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  Ground cinnamon and/or chopped pistachios for garnish (optional)

  1. In a large saucepan, combine the rice flour, sugar, and salt. Gradually stir in about 1 cup milk to make a smooth paste. Gradually stir in the remaining milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent lumps, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently to prevent the bottom from burning, until bubbly and thickened, about 5 minutes. The pudding thickens more as it cools.

  2. Remove from the heat and stir in the rose water. Pour into 6 to 8 bowls and, if desired, sprinkle with the cinnamon and/or pistachios. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface. Serve hot, at room temperature, or chilled. Store in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 4 days.

  Swanne

  Among traditional Jews, a bride, shortly before her wedding, immerses herself in a mikveh (ritual bath). Ashkenazim generally consider the mikveh an extremely private matter. On the other hand, many Sephardic communities hold special parties to celebrate this occasion and enhance the practice of ritual purity. These various prenuptial gatherings for the bride were once generally all-female affairs. In some areas, this event was linked to the henna ceremony.

  In the afternoon, anytime up to three days before the wedding, Syrians perform one of their most beloved premarital customs, the swanne or swehnie (Arabic for "trays," plural of seniyeh) or hamman-il-aros (Arabic for "the bride's bath"), a lavish party thrown by the groom's parents. The groom sends his bride-to-be three trays, today typically a series of elaborately decorated tables. One tray is covered with perfumes, soaps, robes, jewelry, candlesticks, and other items to be used at the mikveh and for the bride to adorn herself with. The guests place their presents on another tray. An elaborate luncheon is served, including pastries, confections, and sharbat el loz (almond drink), accompanied with much singing and dancing. Later, the mothers and a few close friends accompany the bride to the mikveh. After emerging from the mikveh, the bride is presented with a silver tray bearing lebas (Jordan almonds), kaak ib loz (a special pistachio confection), marzipan, and coffee surrounded by flowers.

  In the Balkans and Turkey, the day before the wedding is called El Dio de Bana or Banio (Day of the Bath). The mother of the groom throws a party for female relatives and friends called bogo de bana (bag for the bath). The celebrants bring gifts of soaps, perfumes, lingerie, and other items appropriate for a new bride. After she emerges from the mikveh, the mother of the bride holds a smaller party called cafe de bano (coffee of the bath) featuring fancy pastries and coffee. The groom, who according to tradition is never left alone the day before his wedding, frequently has his own party or series of parties called salidura de boda (delivering to the wedding).

  Sweetbread

  In late medieval English the word bread was also used as a term for morsel; thus the term sweetbread literally means a "sweet morsel." Sweetbread is the thymus gland (thorax sweetbreads) of a calf, lamb, or kid. It is called grashitze and kalbsmilch in Yiddish and molejas in Ladino. The thymus is rather large in young ruminants, but as they age the thymus becomes more fibrous and after about six months shrinks and disappear
s. The thymus separates into a larger, less fatty, rounder section that is easier to slice (called the "heart sweetbread" or in French la noi, "nut") and a less desirable, but similar-tasting, irregularly shaped section (throat sweetbreads). Although they are not true sweetbreads, in some places the term also includes the pancreas (stomach sweetbreads), which are rounder and have fewer membranes than the thymus. In the United States today, sweetbreads are generally from the thymus. In any case, the thymus and pancreas— both of which come in pairs—are prepared the same.

  In its discussion of the Passover Seder, the Tosefta (early rabbinic rulings omitted from the Mishnah) directed people to serve hors d'oeuvres of b'nei m'eim in salt water after the first cup of wine. Although b'nei m'eim is usually translated as "intestines," it probably meant sweetbreads—in either case, this custom is not accepted. Among the ancient dishes from Rome's ghetto are animelle d'abbacchio (lamb sweetbreads) and animelle di vitello (veal sweetbreads); these entrées were either fried (fritte) or served in a white wine sauce. Sephardim have long cherished sweetbreads, which they frequently sauté in olive oil. Middle Easterners tend to grill sweetbreads. Arguably, no community more closely embraced sweetbreads as food than Ashkenazim, for whom they followed only liver in popularity among the organs. Simply fried in schmaltz or enveloped with a sauce, they were frequently served as a Sabbath appetizer, at holiday meals, at wedding banquets, and on other special occasions.

  The first Jewish cookbook in English, The Jewish Manual (London, 1846) included three recipes for sweetbreads: "Sweetbreads Roasted," "Sweetbreads Stewed White [in béchamel sauce]," and "Sweetbreads Stewed Brown [in beef gravy]." The first American Jewish cookbook, Jewish Cookery (Philadelphia, 1871), also offered a recipe for "Sweet Breads." The recipe directed, "Blanch them and let them stand a while in cold water. Then put them in a stewpan, with a ladleful of water, some pepper, salt, onions, and mace. Stew them half and hour. Have ready two or three eggs, well beaten, with a little chopped parsley, and a few grates of nutmeg. Put in some small boiled asparagus to the other ingredients."

  Sweetbreads were sometimes mixed with pieces of cooked chicken to stretch the dish. Ashkenazim, in particular, frequently paired sweetbreads with mushrooms. In the nineteenth century, those Ashkenazim who were influenced by the Russians, who in turn imitated the French, served them in vol-au-vents or on the less fancy toasted bread. In the early twentieth century, sweetbreads were ubiquitous at Jewish delis and Catskills Jewish resorts. However, in the face of changing tastes and because they are labor-intensive to prepare, sweetbreads grew much less common. Once a relatively inexpensive item, sweetbreads are now rather costly, even in America, where they are generally unappreciated. In Israel, on the other hand, sweetbreads, m'taamei tymos in modern Hebrew, have become standard fare both in old-fashioned Ashkenazic restaurants and Middle Eastern grills, as well as at many new upscale establishments.

  T

  Tabbouleh

  Tabbouleh is a salad of chopped fresh parsley, bulgur, and other common eastern Mediterranean ingredients.

  Origin: Levant

  Other names: tabbouli, tabouli.

  Fresh herbs have long been an essential component of Middle Eastern cooking. One herb in particular, parsley, is found in numerous dishes, but usually in a supporting role and rarely as the star. Among the exceptions is the classic peasant summer salad of the Levant, tabbouleh; the name, derived from the Arabic tabbula (to spice), means "little spicy." The simple salad consists primarily of parsley and many of the region's most common ingredients, including mint, scallions, tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, and various seasonings. Arabs in the Levant added a little soaked bulgur to the chopped parsley to absorb some of the juice and impart a nutty accent. Akin to tabbouleh is kisir, a related Turkish bulgur salad containing only a little parsley and made bright red with tomato paste or red bell peppers.

  The amount of herbs in the traditional version comes as a surprise to many Americans, who are more accustomed to a bulgur salad with a smaller amount of parsley. The version with much more bulgur is actually preferred by Syrian Jews, who introduced it to Israel. In the 1970s, as American Jews increasingly incorporated Israeli foods into their culinary repertoire, the bulgur-heavy Israeli style of tabbouleh was spread through America and not the parsley-heavy Arabic style. Among Arabs, tabbouleh is typically served as part of a mezze (appetizer assortment) and eaten with scoops of romaine lettuce leaves, but Israelis more commonly use pita bread, a practice they passed on to Americans as well.

  (See also Bulgur)

  Tabil

  Tabil is a spice mixture, with an emphasis on coriander and caraway.

  Origin: Tunisia

  When the Jews and some Moors fled Andalusia in 1492, they brought their foods and seasonings to North Africa, including a spice mixture called tabil. Although tabil in Tunisia means "coriander seeds," it also refers to a particular spice blend containing coriander, caraway, chilies, and garlic. The garlic and spices were traditionally pounded in a mortar then spread out to dry in the sun, but modern cooks toast the spices in a skillet or oven and substitute garlic powder. Tabil is used to flavor meat stews, stuffings, and vegetables.

  Tunisian Spice Mixture (Tabil)

  about 3 tablespoons

  [PAREVE]

  2 tablespoons coriander seeds

  1 tablespoon caraway seeds

  2 to 3 teaspoons crushed dried chili or red chili flakes, or ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne

  4 cloves garlic or ½ teaspoon garlic powder

  1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns or ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

  In a dry large skillet, toast the coriander, caraway, and chili over medium heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool. In a mortar or spice grinder, crush together the toasted spices along with the garlic and pepper into a smooth paste. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks or, if using garlic powder, up to 3 months.

  Tabyeet

  Tabyeet is a slow-cooked Sabbath chicken and rice dish.

  Origin: Iraq

  Other names: hamin, tabit, tebeet; India: hameen.

  For much of the past three thousand years, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon were under the control of the same political and cultural forces. Thus, many similarities exist in the food of the region's Jews, whose cuisine is a blend of Persian, Byzantine, Arabic, Turkish, and Iberian influences. On special occasions, people in this region serve rice and chicken, including a dish called tabyeet based on a medieval Middle Eastern technique of stuffing chicken with meat, rice, and Middle Eastern seasonings. A cookbook from Aleppo, Syria, Kitab al-Wusla (c. 1260), included recipes for four similar Arabic stewed stuffed chicken dishes.

  Tabyeet ("shelter" in Arabic) was designed as a variation of the Sabbath stew—it slow-cooks the chicken for an extended period, while keeping it moist. Whole eggs are typically cooked in the rice in the Sephardic fashion. Chickpeas, beans, winter squash, or whole okra also may be added. The rice is typically seasoned with cardamom and perhaps also a little cumin or cinnamon. The Indian version, introduced to the country in the nineteenth century by Iraqi Jews, is more vibrantly flavored with garam masala and fresh ginger. Some cooks remove the entire skin of the chicken, stuff it with meat, and cook it alongside the chicken.

  Housewives traditionally wrapped the pot in insulating blankets, then placed it atop a flame to heat. Today, some people cook tabyeet for only a few hours over moderate heat and serve it on Friday night, but most leave it overnight over a very low flame for Sabbath lunch. The result is a chicken that is very tender and rice that, in the Persian style, is deeply flavored and fluffy in the center of the pot and crisp on the bottom. For Sabbath lunch, this style of chicken is customarily served with a mezze (appetizer assortment). The eggs are either removed early in the day for Sabbath breakfast or offered with the chicken and rice at lunch.

  Iraqi Chicken and Rice (Tabyeet)

  6 to 8 servings

  [MEAT]

  3 tablespoons vegetable oil


  1 (3½- to 4-pound) whole chicken

  1 large yellow onion, chopped

  1 teaspoon ground turmeric

  3 cups (20 ounces) basmati or other long-grain or medium-grain rice

  ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom, 6 whole cardamom pods, or ¾ teaspoon ground cumin

  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

  4 cups (2 pounds) chopped tomatoes or 6 tablespoons tomato paste

  Salt and ground black pepper to taste

  8 cups chicken broth or water

  8 ounces (1 cup) dried chickpeas or fava beans, soaked in water to cover for 8 hours and drained

  6 to 8 eggs in shell (optional)

  1. In a large ovenproof pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown, turning to brown on all sides, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken.

  2. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, and sauté until soft and translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the turmeric and the rice and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cardamom and cinnamon. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Add 6 cups broth, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and remaining 2 cups broth.

  3. Return the chicken to the pot, breast side up, pressing it into the rice. If using, bury the eggs in the rice. Tightly cover and bake in a 225°F oven for 10 hours. Or bake in a 350°F oven for 2 hours, then reduce the heat to 250°F and cook for an additional 2 to 3 hours.

  4. Mound the rice on a large serving platter, then debone the chicken and arrange it and the eggs around the rice. Place the pot in a sink with cold water and let stand for 2 minutes to loosen the crust. Scrape the crispy rice from the bottom of the pot and serve with the chicken.