The last 10 years have introduced the “re-Palestinization” of certain dishes and
with it the familiarization with the old-fashioned way of eating hummus from a
Although Ashkenazim (Jews of European descent) and Mizrahim (Jews of non-
bowl, either plain or with chickpeas, cowpeas, pine nuts, parsley, or even ground
European descent) ate hummus in a similar manner, the Ashkenazim were believed
meat on top. The trend was initiated by Palestinians and by Jewish entrepreneurs
to have acquired a taste for hummus, while the Mizrahim, who were in fact
who recognized an emerging curiosity for pseudo-authentic dishes, which enabled
not familiar with hummus prior to their arrival in Israel, were claimed to have
the re-entry of hummus into the Israeli culinary landscape.
an innate affiliation with hummus. Soon, and in order to make a living, many
Mizrahim opened small eateries and restaurants that catered mostly for lunch and
Although I make a point of buying hummus from Arab hummus makers, I
served hummus alongside sabih, couscous, sofrito, meatballs, stuffed vegetables,
admit that my love of hummus makes me, sometimes, bypass my principles. I
chraimeh, or even schnitzel with mashed potatoes. Ashkenazi restaurateurs did
may be an idealist, but I am not an idiot. I need my hummus once in a while.
not offer hummus as an alternative to gefilte fish, chopped liver, or chicken
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But there is another reason I avoid hummusiya joints. I love my hummus with
a freshly chopped salad seasoned to my liking or preferably tabbouleh. No pita
bread. Such a combination is almost impossible to find in a good hummusiya
because tabbouleh traditionally does not go with hummus, unless served in a
restaurant where hummus is a first course – restaurants that I avoid.
I am often asked whether it is about time that Arabs stop complaining about
Israelis monopolizing hummus, and Israelis stop apologizing for appropriating
an Arab dish. The issue has long departed from the question of ownership.
Food is the only Palestinian asset that Israel has not touched. It is a domain of
practical, mostly female knowledge that marks Palestinian distinctiveness. The
monopolization of hummus implies an Israeli penetration into terrain that,
until 10 years ago, was undisturbed. Palestinians, more often than not, have no
option but to cooperate. Maybe if more Israelis remember this whenever they
eat hummus, a new Israeli-Palestinian dialogue can emerge.
Prof. Liora Gvion is a Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the Kibbutzim College of Education in
Tel Aviv, and the Department of Clinical Nutrition at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
She is the author of the book Beyond Hummus and Falafel: Social and Cultural Aspects of
Palestinian Food in Israel.
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A H U M M U S N A R R A T I V E
Hind Tahboub
One Saturday night in 2017, I was at a Cuban-themed housewarming party
with my friend Lara. The guests were enjoying many appetizers and nibbles such
as olives, ham, cheese, nachos, and hummus, and I had brought some savory
Palestinian pastries, including kibbeh, sambusas, and fatayer. As I reheated my
pastries in the oven, I suddenly remembered I had forgotten the hummus I
made especially for the occasion. I told Lara that I would drop off the hummus
at her office the next day.
She turned her head and whispered to my ear: “It’s okay, I don’t like hummus.”
“That is what a true Palestinian would say!” I smiled and told her.
“Really?” she exclaimed.
“Yes. It’s just a f**ng dip! Our kitchen is full of delicious hearty dishes! I prefer
kofta and lamb, mujadara and maqloubeh,” I replied.
“Then why the hell does everyone make such a big fuss about it?” she responded,
with curiosity.
“Because we don’t like our shit stolen, that’s all!”
We laughed together.
Hind Tahboub is a Palestinian chef living and working in Paris, the owner of Bandora catering
service. Her family is originally from Hebron.
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C H I C K P E A S F O R T H E F I R S T - B O R N
During a Shalom Zachar, the bean commemorates the cycle of life
It is customary for practicing Ashkenazi Jews to mark the arrival of a male child by
hosting friends and family for a Shalom Zachar gathering, held on the first Friday
night following the birth, and prior to the brit milah circumcision ceremony.
The name of the custom is taken from the Talmud’s Niddah tractate that “as soon
as a male comes into the world, peace comes into the world.” In addition, there
is the belief that a male brings peace between a man and his wife (as written in
Mataamim HaChodosh by Rabbi Yitzhak Lipshutz MiShedlitz).
The celebration takes place after Friday night dinner, at the home of the newborn’s
family or at a synagogue. The guests greet the child and family, listen to words
read from the Torah, and partake in a celebration of food and drink that do not
require the washing of hands, including arbes, cooked chickpeas seasoned with
salt and pepper.
Due to its round shape, the chickpea symbolizes the cycle of the soul, and as
such it is also considered a mourning dish in addition to being served at the
birth of a boy.
One of the possible explanations for the custom of eating a dish of mourning
to celebrate a new life, is to mark the baby’s grief in having to leave his mother’s
womb. The sages believe that the fetus learns the entire Torah during his time in
the womb, and just before he enters the world an angel taps lightly on his lips,
causing the child to forget all he has learned so that he will acquire wisdom,
understanding, and knowledge during his own lifetime.
Left:
Amulet for mother and newborn child.
Zukerman Print, Jerusalem, late
nineteenth century. The Wolfson
Museum of Jewish Art, Hechal Shlomo
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A R B E S S A L T - A N D - P E P P E R C H I C K P E A S
This recipe for cooked and seasoned chickpeas originated in Poland with yellow beans,
but was replaced by the more common chickpea once it made its way to Israel. The method of boiling
the beans several times over without the use of raising agents is supposed to be good for digestion,
and makes for super-soft chickpeas.
Serves 4 to 6
1. Rinse chickpeas thoroughly. Place the chickpeas
and 1 tablespoon kosher salt in a bowl, add water to
2 cups (400 grams) dried chickpeas
cover by at least 2 inches (5 centimeters), and soak
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Drain the chickpeas
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
and rinse thoroughly.
2. Bring a large saucepan with enough water to
cover the chickpeas by three inches to boil.
Add the chickpeas and cook until a white foam
covers the surface, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the
chickpeas and set aside.
3. R
efill the saucepan with fresh water and bring to
a boil. Add the chickpeas and cook until white
foam appears on the surface, 8 to 10 minutes
more. Drain the chickpeas. Repeat as many times
as necessary until no more foam appears on the
surface, 4 to 5 times total.
4. Place the chickpeas in the saucepan, cover with
water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer
for 2 to 3 hours, until the chickpeas are soft.
5. Drain the chickpeas and place in a clean bowl.
Season with salt and pepper, shaking the bowl to
distribute the seasoning. (Do not mix the chickpeas
with a spoon, as they will get crushed.) Arbes are
best eaten at room temperature.
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L A B L A B I S P I C Y C H I C K P E A S
Q E D R E H K H A L I L I Y E H T H E H E B R O N I T E P O T
Lablabi is like Sephardic arbes. It is spicier, richer, and is commonly eaten as a drinking snack with
This traditional dish, also called mansef, combines rice, lamb, and chickpeas in a fragrant spiced stew.
arak (licorice liquor) and boukha (fruit brandy), especially on Shabbat. Feel free to play with the
Recipe by Hind Tahboub
seasonings to suit your palate, and prepare the dish in advance to let the flavors marry.
Serves 6
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the
Serves 4
1. Rinse chickpeas thoroughly. Place the chickpeas in
lamb shanks, return to a boil, then lower the heat
a bowl, add water to cover by at least 2 inches (5
2 pounds (1 kilogram) lamb shanks
and simmer until soft, about 1½ hours. Set the
2 cups (400 grams) dried chickpeas
centimeters), and soak for at least 12 hours.
2 cups (400 grams) short-grain Egyptian rice
lamb shanks aside and reserve the cooking liquid.
¼ cup (60 milliliters) olive oil
(or other short grain rice)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
2 tablespoons olive oil
2. Thoroughly rinse the rice with hot water and
1 teaspoon cumin
1 medium onion, finely chopped
set aside.
½ green chile pepper, such as serrano, chopped
3. Place the chickpeas in a large saucepan, add water
1 head of garlic, separated into cloves and peeled
Juice of 1 large lemon
to cover by at least 2 inches (5 centimeters),
1 cup (250 grams) Cooked Chickpeas for Salads
3. Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C).
2 to 3 tablespoons parsley leaves, chopped
and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer
and Stews (pages 176-7)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
for 1½ hours, until the chickpeas are soft but still
1 teaspoon cumin
4. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat.
retain their shape.
1 teaspoon turmeric
Add the onion, garlic, and cooked chickpeas, and
1 teaspoon cardamom pods
sauté until browned. Remove from the heat, add the
4. Drain the chickpeas, place in a bowl, add the
1 teaspoon cinnamon
rice and spices, and mix well.
remaining ingredients, and mix well. Season
1 teaspoon ground coriander
to taste.
Pinch of ground ginger
5. Boil the cooking liquid reserved from the
Pinch of ground nutmeg
lamb shanks.
5. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least half an
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
hour before serving.
1 teaspoon salt
6. Transfer the rice mixture to a clay, copper, or other
1 tablespoon samneh baladi, lamb fat, or ghee
oven-safe pot, add 2 cups of the boiling cooking
liquid, and place the cooked lamb shanks on top.
To Serve
Season to taste. Cover with foil and bake in the
Toasted pine nuts
oven until the meat is tender, 1 hour.
Toasted chickpeas
Finely chopped cilantro
7. Remove the foil, add the fat, and return to the oven,
Plain whole-milk yogurt
uncovered, for about 15 minutes.
8. Garnish with toasted pine nuts, toasted chickpeas,
and cilantro, and serve alongside chilled yogurt.
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L A M B - S T U F F E D F A L A F E L
Think of this lamb-stuffed fritter as a hybrid of kibbeh and falafel.
Makes 40 balls
1. To prepare the filling: Heat the oil in a large pan
over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering,
For Meat Filling
add the onion and sauté until golden brown.
3 tablespoons olive oil
Let cool.
1 medium onion, finely chopped
10²⁄₃ ounces (300 grams) ground lamb
2. Place the lamb in a medium bowl and stir in
1 teaspoon store-bought or homemade Baharat
sautéed onions, baharat, salt, and pepper.
Spice Mix (page 376)
Divide into 40 small balls and refrigerate.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3. To prepare the falafel: Drain the chickpeas
For the Falafel
and rinse thoroughly. Grind the chickpeas,
2½ cups (500 grams) dried chickpeas, soaked
onion, garlic, chile, cilantro, and mint in a meat
overnight in cold water
grinder to a chunky paste. The mixture should
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
be crumbly but hold together when squeezed.
4 garlic cloves
Add water if necessary, 1 tablespoon at a time, to
1 green chile pepper, such as serrano, seeded
achieve the desired consistency. Alternatively, in
1¼ cups cilantro, only the leaves
a food processor fixed with a steel blade, process
½ cup fresh mint, only the leaves
the chickpeas, onion, garlic, chile, cilantro, and
2 teaspoons ground coriander
mint until blended but still coarse. Add water if
1 teaspoon ground cumin
necessary, to achieve the desired consistency.
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4. Transfer the chickpea mixture to a bowl. Add the
1 teaspoon baking powder
coriander, cumin, salt, pepper, baking powder,
¼ cup (60 milliliters) water
and water; mix well. Season to taste. If the mixture
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose
is too wet, add flour.
flour (optional)
Oil, for frying
5. Roll the mixture into 40 balls the size of a walnut.
Lightly flatten each ball, place a meatball in the
center and roll well to seal.
6. Heat 2 inches (5 centimeters) of oil in a large,
deep saucepan over medium heat to 350°F (180°C).
Fry the falafel, 6 at a time, until golden brown all
over, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a colander or a
paper-towel-lined baking sheet to remove excess oil.
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B A J I A Y E M E N I T E F A L A F E L
The
Yemenite immigrants who arrived in Israel in the 1950s and opened falafel stands, seasoned their
falafel with spices such as cardamom, cloves, and chile peppers, in addition to the more typical cumin
and coriander. They placed the deep-fried nuggets inside fluffy pita pockets and drizzled plenty
of tahini and zhug (Yemenite hot sauce) on top.
Makes 40 balls
1. Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly. Place in a bowl, add
water to cover by at least 2 inches (5 centimeters),
2 cups (400 grams) dried chickpeas
and soak in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Drain the
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
chickpeas and rinse thoroughly.
4 garlic cloves, peeled
²⁄₃ cup cilantro, leaves only
2. Use a meat grinder to grind the chickpeas, onions,
²⁄₃ cup parsley, leaves only
garlic, cilantro, and parsley into a chunky paste.
2 teaspoons salt
Alternatively, use a food processor to process the
2 teaspoons ground cumin
mixture in several batches.
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
3. Transfer the chickpea mixture to a bowl, add the
1 teaspoon dried chile powder
remaining ingredients, and mix well with your
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
hands. Allow the mixture to rest for 15 minutes.
Pinch of ground cloves
4 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
4. Heat 2 inches (5 centimeters) of oil in a large, deep
or breadcrumbs
saucepan over medium heat to 350°F (180°C).
½ teaspoon baking soda or 1 teaspoon
Using wet hands, 2 tablespoons, a falafel spoon, or a
baking powder
small ice-cream scoop, divide the mixture into balls
3 tablespoons water
the size of a walnut and press lightly to flatten.
Oil, for frying
5. Fry the falafel balls, 6 at a time, until golden brown
To Serve
all over, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a colander or a
Tahini Sauce (page 281)
paper-towel-lined baking sheet to remove excess oil.
Serve immediately with tahini.
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R O A S T E D S Q U A S H W I T H T A H I N I Y O G U R T ,
Q U D S I Y E H H U M M U S W I T H F U L M E D A M E S
F R I E D C H I C K P E A S , A N D G R E E N C H I L E S A L S A
A N D C H I C K P E A S
This vegetarian main course from the innovative chef Sami Tamimi combines traditional Palestinian
Ariel Rosenthal, Orly Peli-Bronshtein, Dan Alexander Page 10