Why not try it this way? said Yitro when he saw his son in law working himself to an early grave.
Later events (the next 3 books of the bible) proved that Yitro did not speak nearly as strongly as he should have. True, Moshe took his father in law's advice and created an impressively detailed judicial system, which made his daily life simpler and easier, but that took care of only one aspect of dealing with his people.
What Yitro should have said was "Run, my son. Run while you still can. These people will never be anything but a bunch of complainers who will make your life bitter and make you old before your time. Run."
Of course, Moshe, being Moshe, would not dream of abandoning his charges in the middle of the desert. First of all, he apparently loved them very much, as demonstrated by the many times he appealed to G-d on their behalf. Second, he was under direct orders from a much higher authority than Yitro. One does not abandon one's job when one has been given said job by G-d Himself. At least we should hope not. And third, luckily for all involved, he had no idea just how difficult the Israelites will prove to be. They gave him a few samples before: the incidents of the sea, the water (twice!) and the food. But he probably assumed these were legitimate complaints (of course people will be upset when there's no water or food, it's only natural) and they will behave as planned from now on. After all, they were headed for grand things, weren't they?
Oy, the naivete of the poor man. They sure set him straight in no time, didn't they? Yet he still loved them, took care of them, fought for them and, even in his last days, worried about their welfare. Well, he was Moshe, the one and only.
Still, I can't help wondering what would have happened if Yitro had added another "why not try it this way" to his original advice. Luckily he did not.
Sometimes it's not so good to try to do things differently. Sometimes it's a great idea. Like in the case of this week's parasha. And in the case of the following recipe, which I found online and which strikes me as genius. Thank you Ruthy Keinan for this recipe.
Ptitim with lentils
(Ptitim - is the Israeli name for what is called "Israeli couscous". It's a type of tiny pebbles of baked pasta that are very quick to cook and adapt itself to almost anything. You can use it as pasta or as you would use rice. You can find it in many stores. They are usually served alone as a side dish. Here they are combined with lentils for a vegetarian main course. And you can easily mix in some cooked meat or chicken and make it carnivore-friendly.)
1 Lb lentils, cooked in water for 20-30 minutes, until tender, then drained.
2 onions, chopped
2 Tbs vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, cubed (small cubes)
5 cups broth (vegetables or chicken)
1 Lb. Ptitim (Israeli couscous)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs spice mix (you can use any mixture of spices you want, for example: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, coriander, curry. Mix small amounts of these together and then measure out 1 Tbs of the mixture. Or use one of those ready made mixtures for chicken or steak or meatballs or whatever.)
2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
Saute onions in oil until slightly golden. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
Add carrots and cook for a few minutes until slightly soft.
Add broth and bring to a boil.
Add cooked lentils and return to a boil.
Add ptitim, salt, pepper and spice mix. Return to a boil.
Cook, covered, over low heat, for 7 minutes.
Remove from heat, stir in parsley. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
serves 6-8
Every once in a while, it's good to step back and get a different perspective on what we do. Sometimes it will make our lives more comfortable. Sometimes it will reinforce our faith in our own genius. Sometimes it will show us how to better follow the path we've been assigned.
Showing posts with label vegetarian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vegetarian. Show all posts
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Does it have to be so complicated?
Every time I teach the exodus, students have the same question. Every. Single. Time. Why didn't the Israelites travel north along the shore to the land of Israel? It's a fair question. Looking at the map, it is difficult to understand the logic behind choosing to travel through the desert. The shore road was closer, shorter, richer in water and food and easier to pass through. Except for the Philistines, of course.
Even today, if one will try to get from Egypt to Israel, one will be wise to risk the scorpions, thirst and heat exhaustion of the desert, rather than face the (modern-day) Philistines.
But, ask the students, did not the Israelites enjoy the protection of G-d? And were they not armed (Exodus, 13:18)? And, in any case, it's not as if the desert, in addition to all the other dangers and inconveniences it presented, was free of attacking marauders. See: "Amalek."
So why make things unnecessarily complicated?
Let's take this one by one. Yes, the Israelites were armed. How much good will that do to a bunch of former slaves who, in all probability were holding a sword for the first time in 400 years? They needed some practice first. Yes, the Amalekites were waiting in the desert. But, as mean as the Amalekites were, they were nothing but high way bandits with a hot temper and cowardly behavior, unlike the Philistines who would be fighting to protect their land and thus less likely to give up easily enough to not overwhelm the escaped slaves. And yes, they had G-d's protection, but they have not yet learned to trust in it. All of which will add up to them losing heart at the first hurdle and wishing to go back to Egypt, where everything was, if not good, at least familiar. And, if they take the sea highway, it would be very easy to go back, as it is a much more comfortable road.
And guess what? that's exactly what happened. At the very first sign of trouble, they immediately said "Let's go back to Egypt where we were safe." So what looks like an unnecessary complication, now makes perfect sense.
It's the same with the following recipe. It seems totally unnecessary to use whole spices only to grind them by hand. Why not use ground ones? Well, try it both ways and find out for yourself. Meanwhile, this is awesome. There's the pillar of fire (hot peppers) and the pillar of dust (that rises up from your mortar and pestle), and the long list of ingredients (like the large number of Israelites which made it even more complicated to travel anywhere) and the exotic spices to remember the route they took was probably part of the ancient spice road, not to mention the singing that will burst forth when you taste this.....
This is an original recipe from my kitchen. It has about a million ingredients and some are more confusing than others. You don't have to actually make it. You can just read it in awe.
Roasted root vegetables and chickpeas stew
4 cups turnips, cubed (1 inch)
1 1/2 cups parsnips, cubed (1/2 inch)
2 cups carrots, cubed (1/2 inch)
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 branch (1 foot long) of fresh tarragon, leaves stripped off (branch and leaves will be used), measure 1 tsp of leaves and set aside for later. (Or substitute the whole thing with 1-2 tsp dried rubbed sage)
6 Tbs vegetable oil
2 cups diced onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp saved tarragon leaves (see above) or substitute 1/4 tsp dried rubbed sage
1 tsp whole coriander seeds + 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds + 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes; these are to be crushed in a mortar and pestle to a coarse powder (about the size of kosher salt). Or just run them through a coffee grinder, and how come you don't have a mortar and pestle?
1 tsp ground coriander (yes, this recipe uses both whole and ground)
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1/4 tsp each: mustard powder, black pepper, curry powder.
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (13 1/2 oz) coconut milk (do not use 'lite' unless it's an emergency)
1/3 cup water
2 cans, (15 oz each) chickpeas, rinsed and drained.
1-2 heaping tsp kosher salt (to taste)
Mix the first 7 ingredients (including the fresh tarragon's branch, if using fresh tarragon). Spread in one layer on a large baking sheet and roast at 425F for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until veggies are soft and just starting to brown a bit. Remove tarragon branch and discard. Also discard any veggies that are too well roasted (i.e. black.)
Over medium high heat, cook onions in vegetable oil for 10-15 minutes until onions are soft and yellow (you might have to cover the pot during some of the time if the mixture starts to dry.)
Add garlic and reserved 1 tsp tarragon leaves (or the sage.) Cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
Add the spices you crushed by hand , stir and cook 1 minute.
Add the other spices, (ground coriander through curry powder.) Stir and cook 30 seconds.
Lower heat to medium-low, add tomatoes (with liquids), stir and cook for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes soften and start to fall apart slightly.
Add coconut milk and water, bring to a gentle boil.
Add chickpeas, cover and cook over low-medium heat for 10 minutes.
Add roasted root vegetables (including the herbs and oil in the baking sheet. Scrape the sheet if necessary, to get all the yummy pieces from the bottom.)
Stir and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes while watching the pot so it doesn't burn or dry out or be kidnapped by aliens.
Add salt to taste (You will need more salt than you think. Make sure to taste it before you declare it ready.)
Serve over rice. Makes 6-8 servings (I think. In my family it's hard to gauge these things correctly.)
Yes, sometimes things sound or look too complicated to be sensible. You read it and think "Oh, for crying out loud, is this absolutely necessary?"
Yes. Apparently it is. Unless you'd rather go back to Egypt?
Even today, if one will try to get from Egypt to Israel, one will be wise to risk the scorpions, thirst and heat exhaustion of the desert, rather than face the (modern-day) Philistines.
But, ask the students, did not the Israelites enjoy the protection of G-d? And were they not armed (Exodus, 13:18)? And, in any case, it's not as if the desert, in addition to all the other dangers and inconveniences it presented, was free of attacking marauders. See: "Amalek."
So why make things unnecessarily complicated?
Let's take this one by one. Yes, the Israelites were armed. How much good will that do to a bunch of former slaves who, in all probability were holding a sword for the first time in 400 years? They needed some practice first. Yes, the Amalekites were waiting in the desert. But, as mean as the Amalekites were, they were nothing but high way bandits with a hot temper and cowardly behavior, unlike the Philistines who would be fighting to protect their land and thus less likely to give up easily enough to not overwhelm the escaped slaves. And yes, they had G-d's protection, but they have not yet learned to trust in it. All of which will add up to them losing heart at the first hurdle and wishing to go back to Egypt, where everything was, if not good, at least familiar. And, if they take the sea highway, it would be very easy to go back, as it is a much more comfortable road.
And guess what? that's exactly what happened. At the very first sign of trouble, they immediately said "Let's go back to Egypt where we were safe." So what looks like an unnecessary complication, now makes perfect sense.
It's the same with the following recipe. It seems totally unnecessary to use whole spices only to grind them by hand. Why not use ground ones? Well, try it both ways and find out for yourself. Meanwhile, this is awesome. There's the pillar of fire (hot peppers) and the pillar of dust (that rises up from your mortar and pestle), and the long list of ingredients (like the large number of Israelites which made it even more complicated to travel anywhere) and the exotic spices to remember the route they took was probably part of the ancient spice road, not to mention the singing that will burst forth when you taste this.....
This is an original recipe from my kitchen. It has about a million ingredients and some are more confusing than others. You don't have to actually make it. You can just read it in awe.
Roasted root vegetables and chickpeas stew
4 cups turnips, cubed (1 inch)
1 1/2 cups parsnips, cubed (1/2 inch)
2 cups carrots, cubed (1/2 inch)
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 branch (1 foot long) of fresh tarragon, leaves stripped off (branch and leaves will be used), measure 1 tsp of leaves and set aside for later. (Or substitute the whole thing with 1-2 tsp dried rubbed sage)
6 Tbs vegetable oil
2 cups diced onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp saved tarragon leaves (see above) or substitute 1/4 tsp dried rubbed sage
1 tsp whole coriander seeds + 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds + 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes; these are to be crushed in a mortar and pestle to a coarse powder (about the size of kosher salt). Or just run them through a coffee grinder, and how come you don't have a mortar and pestle?
1 tsp ground coriander (yes, this recipe uses both whole and ground)
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1/4 tsp each: mustard powder, black pepper, curry powder.
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (13 1/2 oz) coconut milk (do not use 'lite' unless it's an emergency)
1/3 cup water
2 cans, (15 oz each) chickpeas, rinsed and drained.
1-2 heaping tsp kosher salt (to taste)
Mix the first 7 ingredients (including the fresh tarragon's branch, if using fresh tarragon). Spread in one layer on a large baking sheet and roast at 425F for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until veggies are soft and just starting to brown a bit. Remove tarragon branch and discard. Also discard any veggies that are too well roasted (i.e. black.)
Over medium high heat, cook onions in vegetable oil for 10-15 minutes until onions are soft and yellow (you might have to cover the pot during some of the time if the mixture starts to dry.)
Add garlic and reserved 1 tsp tarragon leaves (or the sage.) Cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
Add the spices you crushed by hand , stir and cook 1 minute.
Add the other spices, (ground coriander through curry powder.) Stir and cook 30 seconds.
Lower heat to medium-low, add tomatoes (with liquids), stir and cook for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes soften and start to fall apart slightly.
Add coconut milk and water, bring to a gentle boil.
Add chickpeas, cover and cook over low-medium heat for 10 minutes.
Add roasted root vegetables (including the herbs and oil in the baking sheet. Scrape the sheet if necessary, to get all the yummy pieces from the bottom.)
Stir and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes while watching the pot so it doesn't burn or dry out or be kidnapped by aliens.
Add salt to taste (You will need more salt than you think. Make sure to taste it before you declare it ready.)
Serve over rice. Makes 6-8 servings (I think. In my family it's hard to gauge these things correctly.)
Yes, sometimes things sound or look too complicated to be sensible. You read it and think "Oh, for crying out loud, is this absolutely necessary?"
Yes. Apparently it is. Unless you'd rather go back to Egypt?
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Personalized education
I love Pesach. And I love reading the Hagddah. And I like the idea of the four sons. Being a teacher, I find it very appealing that Judaism acknowledges the need to teach according to the student and not have a 'one size fits all' education. So what does the Hagaddah say? When your wicked son scoffs "What is this work for you?" you're supposed to answer "Thus did G-d do for me when I left Egypt" so as to emphasize that if he separates himself from everyone else, he will not be counted among the saved. Interesting approach.
Yet, this week, when you read the parasha, you will find out that the famous "Mah ha'avoda ha'zot lachem" is a question G-d anticipates will be asked and the answer He tells you to use is totally different than the one the Hagaddah suggests (Exodus 12:26-27.) And the question of the simple son ("What's that?") is presented as being asked about something that is not a part of the holiday itself. (Exodus 13:11-15.)
Now, I have no problem with either the Torah text or the Hagaddah text. I would just like to point out that apparently the sages who designed the Hagaddah used a bit of creative re-arrangement of the Torah text and we might want to remember that in a few months when we read the Hagaddah. It will expand and enhance our Seder, I'm sure. When you get to the four sons, open the chumash and read the original text. Debate that text directly from the source and then compare it to the Talmudic discussion in the Hagaddah and see where it leads. After all, the more we discuss the exodus, the better, no?
For a Jewish cook, it is second nature to re-arrange ingredients to better suit the kashrut laws. When you read a recipe, you immediately think about how you can make it kosher, or parve, or Pesach-compatible. Sometimes, though, you get lucky and the recipe does it for you. As you know, my other favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. When I first set out to celebrate it at home, I did extended research at the library (which shows you how long ago that was, since I did not use the internet.) I've put together a menu that, with small changes, I still use today. One of the dishes that appeared in practically every book, article or newspaper I read for the project was 'pearl onions in cream sauce'. Seeing that not only I couldn't use cream sauce with the turkey, I did not even know what pearl onions were, I was sure I had to give it up. That was very sad because it seemed to be a very common dish for the holiday.
A few (very few) years after my first Thanksgiving (no, kids, it was not the first Thanksgiving,) I read yet another article which offered a recipe for pearl onions that had no dairy in it at all. It was not a Jewish magazine or even a recipe for those keeping kosher. It wasn't even about 'lactose-intolerance'. It was simply offered as a "lighter" version of the original. I pounced on it. And I've been serving it on Thanksgiving every year since (and that's a lot of pearl onions.)
Since not having cream sauce with the turkey is not a unique experience in my house, I never had to explain why I make the "lighter" version. I won't bore you with the many (many, many) times I did have to explain why my kids must clean their rooms for Pesach even though "Dirt is not chametz, Imma." I finally aced that argument the year I found a fossilized half bagel in my older daughter's closet.
Pearl onions that are kosher, parve and fit for Pesach, too
1 bag of frozen pearl onions (16 oz), thawed in a colander, rinsed and drained well.
3 Tbs pine nuts, lightly toasted (you can substitute slivered almonds but it won't be as good)
2 Tbs margarine
3 Tbs dark brown sugar
3 Tbs red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
Pinch of black pepper
1 Tbs finely chopped fresh parsley
Melt margarine in a wide saute pan over medium heat.
Add onions, increase heat to high. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions turn brown (5-7 minutes)
Lower heat to medium. Add sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper.Stir well.
Cook, stirring constantly for another 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
Remove from heat and stir in parsley.
Serve warm.
4-6 servings.
I am positive that, had our ancestors had these with their matzah and BBQ-ed lamb, they would have held off their complaints for a little while longer. Or maybe not. These people were born to complain and they took their destiny very seriously. Still do.
Yet, this week, when you read the parasha, you will find out that the famous "Mah ha'avoda ha'zot lachem" is a question G-d anticipates will be asked and the answer He tells you to use is totally different than the one the Hagaddah suggests (Exodus 12:26-27.) And the question of the simple son ("What's that?") is presented as being asked about something that is not a part of the holiday itself. (Exodus 13:11-15.)
Now, I have no problem with either the Torah text or the Hagaddah text. I would just like to point out that apparently the sages who designed the Hagaddah used a bit of creative re-arrangement of the Torah text and we might want to remember that in a few months when we read the Hagaddah. It will expand and enhance our Seder, I'm sure. When you get to the four sons, open the chumash and read the original text. Debate that text directly from the source and then compare it to the Talmudic discussion in the Hagaddah and see where it leads. After all, the more we discuss the exodus, the better, no?
For a Jewish cook, it is second nature to re-arrange ingredients to better suit the kashrut laws. When you read a recipe, you immediately think about how you can make it kosher, or parve, or Pesach-compatible. Sometimes, though, you get lucky and the recipe does it for you. As you know, my other favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. When I first set out to celebrate it at home, I did extended research at the library (which shows you how long ago that was, since I did not use the internet.) I've put together a menu that, with small changes, I still use today. One of the dishes that appeared in practically every book, article or newspaper I read for the project was 'pearl onions in cream sauce'. Seeing that not only I couldn't use cream sauce with the turkey, I did not even know what pearl onions were, I was sure I had to give it up. That was very sad because it seemed to be a very common dish for the holiday.
A few (very few) years after my first Thanksgiving (no, kids, it was not the first Thanksgiving,) I read yet another article which offered a recipe for pearl onions that had no dairy in it at all. It was not a Jewish magazine or even a recipe for those keeping kosher. It wasn't even about 'lactose-intolerance'. It was simply offered as a "lighter" version of the original. I pounced on it. And I've been serving it on Thanksgiving every year since (and that's a lot of pearl onions.)
Since not having cream sauce with the turkey is not a unique experience in my house, I never had to explain why I make the "lighter" version. I won't bore you with the many (many, many) times I did have to explain why my kids must clean their rooms for Pesach even though "Dirt is not chametz, Imma." I finally aced that argument the year I found a fossilized half bagel in my older daughter's closet.
Pearl onions that are kosher, parve and fit for Pesach, too
1 bag of frozen pearl onions (16 oz), thawed in a colander, rinsed and drained well.
3 Tbs pine nuts, lightly toasted (you can substitute slivered almonds but it won't be as good)
2 Tbs margarine
3 Tbs dark brown sugar
3 Tbs red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
Pinch of black pepper
1 Tbs finely chopped fresh parsley
Melt margarine in a wide saute pan over medium heat.
Add onions, increase heat to high. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions turn brown (5-7 minutes)
Lower heat to medium. Add sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper.Stir well.
Cook, stirring constantly for another 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
Remove from heat and stir in parsley.
Serve warm.
4-6 servings.
I am positive that, had our ancestors had these with their matzah and BBQ-ed lamb, they would have held off their complaints for a little while longer. Or maybe not. These people were born to complain and they took their destiny very seriously. Still do.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Two for the price of one
Isn't that the sweetest deal? Whenever I see this in any store's circular or advertisement, I can't help but check it out. Even when it is obviously not something I will ever consider buying (Jewelery, pork chops, fur coats, ready made meals, etc.) Why are we so fascinated by it? And don't pretend you're innocent here. Everyone loves a freebie.
Except that was soooo not the deal Ya'akov was offered. Or wanted. Which sort of sucks. Unfortunately, he dealt with Lavan, who was a crook. How do I know? Because later in the parasha, when Ya'akov wants to go back home and discusses it with his wives (two-for-one, remember?) they both say the same thing: "Hello? Why should we care about Dad? He treated us like property and has been getting fat and rich on the fruits of our labor." And let that be a lesson to all Dads anywhere re:You may get away with treating your sons like cheap labor, but woe be to the father who mistreats his daughters. Just ask hubby. The poor guy has to walk on eggshells around his womenfolk. The girls make fun of him, get angry with him, roll their eyes every time he tries to talk and in general treat him as a relic from another era. True, they treat me the same way, but I am sort of immune to it because, unlike fathers, most mothers not only accept the fact that children grow up and become disillusioned with their parents' supposed wisdom and omnipotence, they actually welcome it. I know I feel endless relief every time my girls prepare dinner while I take a nap. It's the reward for all the years of hard work I have put into raising them. Men, on the other hand, have huge trouble with the concept of their little princess growing up. And no wonder. Suddenly they lose the only female in the household who thinks they're smart, strong and capable. It's tough.
But! That does not justify what Lavan did to his girls. Which was, as they said, treating them like property. If he really cared about Leah's feelings, he should have found her another husband. Or, at the very least, discussed it with all parties involved. Because think how everyone felt the next morning:
Ya'akov, understandably, was angry.
Leah was probably beyond humiliated. Your brand new husband stomps through the camp, screaming that he was burdened with a woman he did not want.Ouch.
Rachel must have been heartbroken. She wanted to marry Ya'akov and had to suffer through seven more years. Not fun.
The only happy campers that day were Lavan, who felt he got rid of Leah (the, apparently, unmarriageable one) and is about to get seven extra years of free labor from the gullible yahoo from Kna'an, and, of course, the servants and neighbors, who were supplied with years' worth of gossip material.
The moral of the story is: when a deal looks too good to be true, you better check and double check the small print. Also, don't do business with corrupted uncles.
Still, two for the price of one is a good deal. Especially when it is only offered once every 40,000 years or so. I am speaking, of course about Thanksgivukkah. The rare holiday when Chanukah and Thanksgiving happen on the same day.
This, of course, is a huge day for cooks. Just think of all the possibilities. Deep fried turkey, latkes with apple-cranberry sauce, challah based stuffing, pumpkin sufganiyot. The mind boggles.
Now, as you know if you've been following this blog for a while, there is no way that I will ever do what is expected of me like a good little woman. Nuh-Ah. So I will not discuss Thanksgivukkah other than to recommend that you surf the net about it and incorporate whatever ideas you find into your holiday/s. Because it's fun and creative and, well, why not?
I will, however, give you a whole bunch of proper fall/Thanksgiving/ Chanukah recipes over the next few weeks and you can do whatever you want with them.
For example:
Pumpkin soup
1 Tbs oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp chopped garlic (about 1 large clove)
1 tsp fresh, chopped ginger root
1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 Lb pumpkin, peeled and cubed
3 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth
1 tsp dried chilli flakes (the kind you sometimes put on pizza)
3/4 cup coconut milk (or coconut cream if you want it extra rich)
Chopped cilantro and croutons, for serving.
Heat oil over medium heat and add onion, garlic, ginger and cumin. Cook until onion is soft but not brown (5-10 minutes), stirring occasionally.
Add pumpkin and mix well. Continue cooking 5 minutes until the edges of the pumpkin cubes start to soften a bit.
Add broth, increase heat to high and cook until the pumpkin is very soft and the liquids are reduced to the point where the pumpkin is barely covered by them (20-30 minutes.)
Add chilli flakes and coconut milk and re-heat.
Puree soup in blender or with an immersion blender.
Serve with fresh chopped cilantro and croutons.
serves 4.
Don't sell your daughters short. And don't expect them to meekly accept the fate you choose for them. Times have changed. You no longer have to marry the older one off before the younger. You can no longer marry both off to the same man. You can no longer cheat your kids and their future spouses and get away with it. And you can no longer expect to live off the fruits of their labor. Actually, that part was probably true even back then, as Lavan eventually found out.
Except that was soooo not the deal Ya'akov was offered. Or wanted. Which sort of sucks. Unfortunately, he dealt with Lavan, who was a crook. How do I know? Because later in the parasha, when Ya'akov wants to go back home and discusses it with his wives (two-for-one, remember?) they both say the same thing: "Hello? Why should we care about Dad? He treated us like property and has been getting fat and rich on the fruits of our labor." And let that be a lesson to all Dads anywhere re:You may get away with treating your sons like cheap labor, but woe be to the father who mistreats his daughters. Just ask hubby. The poor guy has to walk on eggshells around his womenfolk. The girls make fun of him, get angry with him, roll their eyes every time he tries to talk and in general treat him as a relic from another era. True, they treat me the same way, but I am sort of immune to it because, unlike fathers, most mothers not only accept the fact that children grow up and become disillusioned with their parents' supposed wisdom and omnipotence, they actually welcome it. I know I feel endless relief every time my girls prepare dinner while I take a nap. It's the reward for all the years of hard work I have put into raising them. Men, on the other hand, have huge trouble with the concept of their little princess growing up. And no wonder. Suddenly they lose the only female in the household who thinks they're smart, strong and capable. It's tough.
But! That does not justify what Lavan did to his girls. Which was, as they said, treating them like property. If he really cared about Leah's feelings, he should have found her another husband. Or, at the very least, discussed it with all parties involved. Because think how everyone felt the next morning:
Ya'akov, understandably, was angry.
Leah was probably beyond humiliated. Your brand new husband stomps through the camp, screaming that he was burdened with a woman he did not want.Ouch.
Rachel must have been heartbroken. She wanted to marry Ya'akov and had to suffer through seven more years. Not fun.
The only happy campers that day were Lavan, who felt he got rid of Leah (the, apparently, unmarriageable one) and is about to get seven extra years of free labor from the gullible yahoo from Kna'an, and, of course, the servants and neighbors, who were supplied with years' worth of gossip material.
The moral of the story is: when a deal looks too good to be true, you better check and double check the small print. Also, don't do business with corrupted uncles.
Still, two for the price of one is a good deal. Especially when it is only offered once every 40,000 years or so. I am speaking, of course about Thanksgivukkah. The rare holiday when Chanukah and Thanksgiving happen on the same day.
This, of course, is a huge day for cooks. Just think of all the possibilities. Deep fried turkey, latkes with apple-cranberry sauce, challah based stuffing, pumpkin sufganiyot. The mind boggles.
Now, as you know if you've been following this blog for a while, there is no way that I will ever do what is expected of me like a good little woman. Nuh-Ah. So I will not discuss Thanksgivukkah other than to recommend that you surf the net about it and incorporate whatever ideas you find into your holiday/s. Because it's fun and creative and, well, why not?
I will, however, give you a whole bunch of proper fall/Thanksgiving/ Chanukah recipes over the next few weeks and you can do whatever you want with them.
For example:
Pumpkin soup
1 Tbs oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp chopped garlic (about 1 large clove)
1 tsp fresh, chopped ginger root
1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 Lb pumpkin, peeled and cubed
3 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth
1 tsp dried chilli flakes (the kind you sometimes put on pizza)
3/4 cup coconut milk (or coconut cream if you want it extra rich)
Chopped cilantro and croutons, for serving.
Heat oil over medium heat and add onion, garlic, ginger and cumin. Cook until onion is soft but not brown (5-10 minutes), stirring occasionally.
Add pumpkin and mix well. Continue cooking 5 minutes until the edges of the pumpkin cubes start to soften a bit.
Add broth, increase heat to high and cook until the pumpkin is very soft and the liquids are reduced to the point where the pumpkin is barely covered by them (20-30 minutes.)
Add chilli flakes and coconut milk and re-heat.
Puree soup in blender or with an immersion blender.
Serve with fresh chopped cilantro and croutons.
serves 4.
Don't sell your daughters short. And don't expect them to meekly accept the fate you choose for them. Times have changed. You no longer have to marry the older one off before the younger. You can no longer marry both off to the same man. You can no longer cheat your kids and their future spouses and get away with it. And you can no longer expect to live off the fruits of their labor. Actually, that part was probably true even back then, as Lavan eventually found out.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
With pleasure
A few years ago, on Rosh Hashana, we entered my mother-in-law's house, dressed to the nines, glowing with holiday good will and ready for an evening of food, family and festivities. I wished my brother in law "Joyful holiday" (in Hebrew, but I don't like how it's spelled when written in "Hebrish"), to which he responded "If you truly understood the meaning of Rosh Hashana, you wouldn't call it 'joyful'." I had spoken here before about the plague of younger siblings, haven't I?
This week's parasha is down right scary. The list of bad things that will happen to those who will not follow G-d's rules is enough to make you lose sleep, worrying if you missed something so important that it will bring these awful things upon your head. Plagues of body and soul, hunger, disease, exile, death, loss, terror and more (and they don't even count younger siblings; clearly an oversight.) You feel like cowering down and shouting "OK, OK, I'll do whatever you want, just tell me what it is." Which, of course, we've already been told, in detail, for the last three and a half books of the Torah. My friend Debbie would probably say that one should just do what G-d wants us to do and then none of those awful things will come to pass. And she's right, too, except who is so perfect that they manage to follow ALL the rules, ALL the time?
This is an excellent parasha to read before the high holidays. It reminds us to take stock of the many ways we might have missed the point this year and to make a list of things we need to ask forgiveness for. One thing I regret not doing enough of this year is reading the bible. I mean, I do read it. Just not as much as I need to. Luckily, I have managed to escape some of the punishments listed in the parasha (I have certainly not suffered any hunger. Au contraire.) The reason for more reading is that when one reads the Torah repeatedly, one may happen upon the little tidbits that are easily overlooked during casual readings. Like D'varim 28, verse 47: "because you have not served G-d amid gladness and goodness of heart, when everything was abundant."
Correct me if I'm wrong here, but doesn't this mean that G-d's commandments should be followed with joy? And doesn't the Talmud say that Yom Kippur (of all days) was one of the best days for Jews? Isn't it obvious that when one is growing closer to G-d (through fulfilling His mitzvot) one will also grow happier? Even joyfuller? And on the eve of Rosh Hashana, with the abundance of food on the laden table, the beautifully dressed, healthy and happy children and the two days ahead with nothing to do but get closer and closer to G-d, shouldn't one be joyful?
Sure the mitzvot are important, says Moshe, but don't forget (he tucks in the middle of the list) that your joy in following them is an expression of your gratitude to G-d for giving you all that you have, including mitzvot.
My oldest daughter, for example, is rejoicing in her return to the land of always-available-reasonably-priced-avocados. Apparently we were in Israel during the wrong season (you're telling me??) for avocados and she suffered severe withdrawal symptoms. Now that she again has access to a decent supply of the "food of the gods", she can make the following dish, which is way better than it sounds. I was skeptical too, until I tasted it.
Pasta with avocado sauce
1/2 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
Juice from 1/4-1/2 a lemon
5 leaves of fresh basil
1/2 Tbs olive oil
1/4 Tbs granulated garlic
1/4 Tbs salt
1/2 Tbs black pepper
2 cups cooked pasta
(The amounts of spices and lemon juice are suggestions. Add according to taste)
In a food processor, process avocado, lemon juice, basil and olive oil until creamy.
Mix in spices (salt, garlic, pepper and the rest of the lemon juice) according to you liking.
Add the sauce to the cooked (hot) pasta, little by little, mixing well between additions. You may end up not using the whole amount of sauce or needing more sauce (in which case, just start the food processor again with more avocado etc.). The pasta should be nicely coated in light green sauce.
This can be eaten hot or cold and will serve 2.
And remember: Do mitzvot joyfully. Even on Rosh Hashana.....
This week's parasha is down right scary. The list of bad things that will happen to those who will not follow G-d's rules is enough to make you lose sleep, worrying if you missed something so important that it will bring these awful things upon your head. Plagues of body and soul, hunger, disease, exile, death, loss, terror and more (and they don't even count younger siblings; clearly an oversight.) You feel like cowering down and shouting "OK, OK, I'll do whatever you want, just tell me what it is." Which, of course, we've already been told, in detail, for the last three and a half books of the Torah. My friend Debbie would probably say that one should just do what G-d wants us to do and then none of those awful things will come to pass. And she's right, too, except who is so perfect that they manage to follow ALL the rules, ALL the time?
This is an excellent parasha to read before the high holidays. It reminds us to take stock of the many ways we might have missed the point this year and to make a list of things we need to ask forgiveness for. One thing I regret not doing enough of this year is reading the bible. I mean, I do read it. Just not as much as I need to. Luckily, I have managed to escape some of the punishments listed in the parasha (I have certainly not suffered any hunger. Au contraire.) The reason for more reading is that when one reads the Torah repeatedly, one may happen upon the little tidbits that are easily overlooked during casual readings. Like D'varim 28, verse 47: "because you have not served G-d amid gladness and goodness of heart, when everything was abundant."
Correct me if I'm wrong here, but doesn't this mean that G-d's commandments should be followed with joy? And doesn't the Talmud say that Yom Kippur (of all days) was one of the best days for Jews? Isn't it obvious that when one is growing closer to G-d (through fulfilling His mitzvot) one will also grow happier? Even joyfuller? And on the eve of Rosh Hashana, with the abundance of food on the laden table, the beautifully dressed, healthy and happy children and the two days ahead with nothing to do but get closer and closer to G-d, shouldn't one be joyful?
Sure the mitzvot are important, says Moshe, but don't forget (he tucks in the middle of the list) that your joy in following them is an expression of your gratitude to G-d for giving you all that you have, including mitzvot.
My oldest daughter, for example, is rejoicing in her return to the land of always-available-reasonably-priced-avocados. Apparently we were in Israel during the wrong season (you're telling me??) for avocados and she suffered severe withdrawal symptoms. Now that she again has access to a decent supply of the "food of the gods", she can make the following dish, which is way better than it sounds. I was skeptical too, until I tasted it.
Pasta with avocado sauce
1/2 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
Juice from 1/4-1/2 a lemon
5 leaves of fresh basil
1/2 Tbs olive oil
1/4 Tbs granulated garlic
1/4 Tbs salt
1/2 Tbs black pepper
2 cups cooked pasta
(The amounts of spices and lemon juice are suggestions. Add according to taste)
In a food processor, process avocado, lemon juice, basil and olive oil until creamy.
Mix in spices (salt, garlic, pepper and the rest of the lemon juice) according to you liking.
Add the sauce to the cooked (hot) pasta, little by little, mixing well between additions. You may end up not using the whole amount of sauce or needing more sauce (in which case, just start the food processor again with more avocado etc.). The pasta should be nicely coated in light green sauce.
This can be eaten hot or cold and will serve 2.
And remember: Do mitzvot joyfully. Even on Rosh Hashana.....
Thursday, August 15, 2013
"We haven't learned anything yet, it seems"
40 years ago, when they have just left Egypt, the Israelites received a long list of basic human community rules. How well they followed them I don't know, but they were not very exemplary in most of their behavior. Hence, the 40 years.
Now the journey is almost over and here comes a "new" list of basic behavior for a human society. The lists are surprisingly alike with the new one mostly containing elaborations on and extensions of the original one. Didn't they learn anything in the last 40 years?
We are leaving Israel this week. It's been an eye opening trip and my kids learned a lot (mostly about dirt.) The majority of Israelis that we met fell into 2 categories: unbearably rude and crass or overly familiar and helpful. Israelis are very proud of their rudeness. They view other nations as cold, uncaring and phoney. There is charm in the rudeness sometimes but mostly it creates a sense of stress and danger. Not surprising. Israelis live under constant danger and with endless stress. The question I ask myself as I am headed to the airport is: "Did the danger and stress create the impatience, unruliness and rudeness, or did the behavior cause a feeling of constant stress and danger?"
I have no answer. I am leaving with more questions than what I have arrived with.
Looking at the parasha, the Israelis are big on helping each other. We always found help when we really needed it. Sometimes more than we expected (We fondly recall a site guard in Ramla who entertained us with stories, waited an extra hour before leaving the site on a Friday afternoon so we can finish our picnic, changed some bills for us and offered cold water and the use of his home for the night. Typical Israeli.) So it seems the Israelis have remembered the laws about communal responsibility.
But in between the lines of the parasha, there are additional rules that are a step beyond the basics. Rules about politeness, gentleness and kindness. These are rare in Israel. Especially the first. I have not heard the words "please", "thank you" or "sorry" except on very rare occasions and practically never from kids speaking to adults. Pushing ahead of others is a way of life and people simply expect violence (verbal and even physical) from others.
Almost everywhere we went this week, we heard the sound of the shofar, reminding us that the high holidays are upon us. Time for taking stock and making some changes. I appeal to my Israeli brethren: "Chevreh, please consider being a little nicer to each other. Or at least to strangers."
We stayed this week with Galit and her family. Galit is one of hubby's many (many, many) cousins and she had introduced me, way back at the beginning of our visit to the following dish. It immediately captured my heart because it tastes like it has cheese in it, but it doesn't. Perfect for either dairy or meat meal (a separation that no Israeli I met seems to make or care about, alas.) Parve dishes are the most polite and considerate of all dishes. They are nice for everything and nice to everybody. Especially this one:
Cousin Galit's onion pie with no cheese
4 large onions, thinly sliced
Optional - 2 cups of thinly sliced mushrooms
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
3/4 cup self rising flour
1/2 cup water
1 Tbs onion soup mix (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 tsp oil for oiling the pan
1/4-1/3 cup breadcrumbs
You can saute the onions in a little oil (besides the oil mentioned here) until golden or use it raw (it will have a different flavor. I prefer to cook it first). You can also saute 2 cups of sliced mushrooms along with it, if you wish.
Add eggs, oil, flour, water, onion soup mix (if using), salt and pepper.
Oil a 9x13 pan and sprinkle a nice layer of breadcrumbs on top of the oil (sort of like "flouring" a pan for a cake.) Make sure to oil and breadcrumb the bottom and the walls of the pan.
Pour onion mixture in and sprinkle more breadcrumbs on top.
Bake at 385F for about 40 minutes (check after 30minutes, though) or until pie is golden-brown.
Thank you to all the Israelis who were kind, nice and helpful above and beyond the call of duty (and sometimes without any duty, just for the joy of helping a fellow Israeli.) Here is my b'racha to you as I leave: "May you soon find yourselves without an outside reason for being stressed, so that you'll be able to at least consider becoming calm, patient and polite."
Peace be unto you.
Now the journey is almost over and here comes a "new" list of basic behavior for a human society. The lists are surprisingly alike with the new one mostly containing elaborations on and extensions of the original one. Didn't they learn anything in the last 40 years?
We are leaving Israel this week. It's been an eye opening trip and my kids learned a lot (mostly about dirt.) The majority of Israelis that we met fell into 2 categories: unbearably rude and crass or overly familiar and helpful. Israelis are very proud of their rudeness. They view other nations as cold, uncaring and phoney. There is charm in the rudeness sometimes but mostly it creates a sense of stress and danger. Not surprising. Israelis live under constant danger and with endless stress. The question I ask myself as I am headed to the airport is: "Did the danger and stress create the impatience, unruliness and rudeness, or did the behavior cause a feeling of constant stress and danger?"
I have no answer. I am leaving with more questions than what I have arrived with.
Looking at the parasha, the Israelis are big on helping each other. We always found help when we really needed it. Sometimes more than we expected (We fondly recall a site guard in Ramla who entertained us with stories, waited an extra hour before leaving the site on a Friday afternoon so we can finish our picnic, changed some bills for us and offered cold water and the use of his home for the night. Typical Israeli.) So it seems the Israelis have remembered the laws about communal responsibility.
But in between the lines of the parasha, there are additional rules that are a step beyond the basics. Rules about politeness, gentleness and kindness. These are rare in Israel. Especially the first. I have not heard the words "please", "thank you" or "sorry" except on very rare occasions and practically never from kids speaking to adults. Pushing ahead of others is a way of life and people simply expect violence (verbal and even physical) from others.
Almost everywhere we went this week, we heard the sound of the shofar, reminding us that the high holidays are upon us. Time for taking stock and making some changes. I appeal to my Israeli brethren: "Chevreh, please consider being a little nicer to each other. Or at least to strangers."
We stayed this week with Galit and her family. Galit is one of hubby's many (many, many) cousins and she had introduced me, way back at the beginning of our visit to the following dish. It immediately captured my heart because it tastes like it has cheese in it, but it doesn't. Perfect for either dairy or meat meal (a separation that no Israeli I met seems to make or care about, alas.) Parve dishes are the most polite and considerate of all dishes. They are nice for everything and nice to everybody. Especially this one:
Cousin Galit's onion pie with no cheese
4 large onions, thinly sliced
Optional - 2 cups of thinly sliced mushrooms
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
3/4 cup self rising flour
1/2 cup water
1 Tbs onion soup mix (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 tsp oil for oiling the pan
1/4-1/3 cup breadcrumbs
You can saute the onions in a little oil (besides the oil mentioned here) until golden or use it raw (it will have a different flavor. I prefer to cook it first). You can also saute 2 cups of sliced mushrooms along with it, if you wish.
Add eggs, oil, flour, water, onion soup mix (if using), salt and pepper.
Oil a 9x13 pan and sprinkle a nice layer of breadcrumbs on top of the oil (sort of like "flouring" a pan for a cake.) Make sure to oil and breadcrumb the bottom and the walls of the pan.
Pour onion mixture in and sprinkle more breadcrumbs on top.
Bake at 385F for about 40 minutes (check after 30minutes, though) or until pie is golden-brown.
Thank you to all the Israelis who were kind, nice and helpful above and beyond the call of duty (and sometimes without any duty, just for the joy of helping a fellow Israeli.) Here is my b'racha to you as I leave: "May you soon find yourselves without an outside reason for being stressed, so that you'll be able to at least consider becoming calm, patient and polite."
Peace be unto you.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Asking for peace
If I forget thee....
But we did not forget, did we? This week, we are in Jerusalem, and let me tell you, no one here forgets anything. From the Arab cab driver who remembers every little insult hurled his way by passing Jews, to the pilgrims standing in line to touch the rock upon which Jesus was crucified, to the Jewish women who sit and cry in front of the one spot at the Kotel tunnels that the archaeologists had determined is located directly in front of the holy-of-hollies. People here have long memories. Thousands of years long.
But the ones who touched our hearts this week were the guides. Young men and women who take people from all over the world around their beloved city and tell about its history with pride, passion and conviction. The guide who took us through the Kotel tunnels had tears in his eyes when he talked about being so close to the holy-of-hollies, yet so impossibly far away from it, since it is located under the dome of the rock mosque. The guide who led us around the city of David must have told the story many, many times and still there was awe in her voice when she told of finding seals inscribed with names of people who are actually mentioned in the bible. And their excitement was contagious. My youngest daughter told me, as we strolled past the Kotel (for the third time this week), after visiting the city of David : "Can you imagine how amazing it would be if Beit HaMikdash was standing?" Can you imagine what a heartbreak it was to explain that the chances for it happening without divine intervention are between zero and nothing? That as long as the mosque is there, we can't even build a succah at the holiest place for Judaism?
In this week's parasha, in D'varim chapter 20, verses 10-13, the Israelites are commanded to always ask for peace before attacking an enemy. If the enemy agrees to peace, OK. But if not; if they make war with you - then, go for it, baby, smite this enemy, mwahaha. But first you must try the "peace talks" route.
Which the Israelis did. Many, many times. Over many, many years. At the cost of many, many lives. The "enemy" keeps resisting. These, btw, are facts; not opinions. Check history if you don't believe me. No matter what accusations the Palestinians put at the feet (or rather, 'hurl at the head') of Israel, the fact remains that Israel always tries for peace and they always refuse. So it seems the time has come for activating some of the Jerusalemite memory and move to the next phase, as described in the bible. This, btw, is an opinion.
Meanwhile, the "simple people" here, try their best to live as normal a life as it is possible to live in a place where every stone is loaded with historical meaning. People like the above mentioned cab driver, the stall merchants in the old city, the tour guides and the cooks and waiters in the city's eateries. Everyone is simply trying to make a living. And in the evenings, when the harsh heat abates, they spill into the streets and sit in the many cafes, little restaurants and bars; most of them outdoors, enjoying the refreshing breeze and the night life; just trying to live as if it is perfectly normal to have signs everywhere directing you to the nearest bomb shelter, soldiers patrolling holy places and guards asking you to open your bags when you enter a store, so you can prove you carry no weapons. Too bad they don't check people's mouths. I know some teenage girls who should register theirs as lethal.
Naturally, we ate a lot in restaurants this week, which is how we were introduced to our new favorite dish: Eggplant "Baladi". Now, when I was a young girl, back in the olden days, the word 'baladi' meant 'homegrown' or 'organic'. Sort of "this was raised by simple farmers on a small farm using no sophisticated modern methods". Nowadays, apparently, it means "smothered in Tahini". It's a dish that represents very well what can happen when Israelis and Palestinians actually cooperate. I'm sure they did not mean to, and it's only in the kitchen, but hey, whatever works, right?
I, being on vacation, and having zero access to a proper kitchen this week, am not a 100% sure how this dish is made. But, I can sort of tell you the 'storyline' of the dish, with ideas and hints, and let you work from there. OK?
So, first of all, you need the type of eggplant that is fat and chunky. It's not exactly black and not exactly purple but a mixture of both. It's also not smooth like the regular eggplants but has some sort of vertical, not very large ridges. You may be able to do this with a regular eggplant that is very fat around but it will have plenty of seeds and taste not so great.
OK. You've got the right eggplant. You will need one per person. You need to get the flesh super soft without charring the skin too badly. This can be done by baking it thoroughly and then peeling carefully. So, put the eggplant in a pan (it's a good idea to spray it first). Make one or two small slits in it. Cover with foil (see if you can make sure the foil does not touch the eggplant.) Bake at 450F for about 20-30 minutes or until a fork can get in easily. Check after the first 20 minutes and every 10 minutes after, until you get a consistency you can imagine eating without any real chewing.
Take it out and let it cool a little. Peel it very carefully, leaving it as whole as you can, leaving the stem intact. You should have a peeled, cooked, whole eggplant, with the stem holding it all together.
Prepare some Tahini (mix sesame paste with enough water to the consistency of stirred yogurt; this requires patient stirring and plenty of faith; add the water slowly.) Spice it up to your liking with salt, pepper, crushed garlic, lemon juice and (optional) chopped parsley.
Next, prepare a tomato sauce. We had this with either a freshly made tomato salsa (quite spicy) or a cooked sauce a little like creamy tomato sauce for pasta, very mild and sweet-like. Both versions are excellent.
Reheat the eggplant a little (microwave, maybe?) The dish is supposed to be served warm. Put the whole eggplant on a plate, pour some tahini on and around it on one side and the tomato sauce on the other side (the tomato sauce was never served on the eggplant, although they are eaten together.) The way this is eaten is by forking a piece of eggplant, dragging it through both sauces, putting the whole thing in your mouth and moaning with pleasure.
This will, hopefully, put you in a mellow mood which will help you ask for peace in Jerusalem. This time, however, I recommend asking G-d. The people we keep asking for peace have made their answer very clear. Ask G-d. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. It's a hauntingly beautiful place that desperately needs some peace and quiet. Sha-aloo Sh'lom Yerushalayim.
But we did not forget, did we? This week, we are in Jerusalem, and let me tell you, no one here forgets anything. From the Arab cab driver who remembers every little insult hurled his way by passing Jews, to the pilgrims standing in line to touch the rock upon which Jesus was crucified, to the Jewish women who sit and cry in front of the one spot at the Kotel tunnels that the archaeologists had determined is located directly in front of the holy-of-hollies. People here have long memories. Thousands of years long.
But the ones who touched our hearts this week were the guides. Young men and women who take people from all over the world around their beloved city and tell about its history with pride, passion and conviction. The guide who took us through the Kotel tunnels had tears in his eyes when he talked about being so close to the holy-of-hollies, yet so impossibly far away from it, since it is located under the dome of the rock mosque. The guide who led us around the city of David must have told the story many, many times and still there was awe in her voice when she told of finding seals inscribed with names of people who are actually mentioned in the bible. And their excitement was contagious. My youngest daughter told me, as we strolled past the Kotel (for the third time this week), after visiting the city of David : "Can you imagine how amazing it would be if Beit HaMikdash was standing?" Can you imagine what a heartbreak it was to explain that the chances for it happening without divine intervention are between zero and nothing? That as long as the mosque is there, we can't even build a succah at the holiest place for Judaism?
In this week's parasha, in D'varim chapter 20, verses 10-13, the Israelites are commanded to always ask for peace before attacking an enemy. If the enemy agrees to peace, OK. But if not; if they make war with you - then, go for it, baby, smite this enemy, mwahaha. But first you must try the "peace talks" route.
Which the Israelis did. Many, many times. Over many, many years. At the cost of many, many lives. The "enemy" keeps resisting. These, btw, are facts; not opinions. Check history if you don't believe me. No matter what accusations the Palestinians put at the feet (or rather, 'hurl at the head') of Israel, the fact remains that Israel always tries for peace and they always refuse. So it seems the time has come for activating some of the Jerusalemite memory and move to the next phase, as described in the bible. This, btw, is an opinion.
Meanwhile, the "simple people" here, try their best to live as normal a life as it is possible to live in a place where every stone is loaded with historical meaning. People like the above mentioned cab driver, the stall merchants in the old city, the tour guides and the cooks and waiters in the city's eateries. Everyone is simply trying to make a living. And in the evenings, when the harsh heat abates, they spill into the streets and sit in the many cafes, little restaurants and bars; most of them outdoors, enjoying the refreshing breeze and the night life; just trying to live as if it is perfectly normal to have signs everywhere directing you to the nearest bomb shelter, soldiers patrolling holy places and guards asking you to open your bags when you enter a store, so you can prove you carry no weapons. Too bad they don't check people's mouths. I know some teenage girls who should register theirs as lethal.
Naturally, we ate a lot in restaurants this week, which is how we were introduced to our new favorite dish: Eggplant "Baladi". Now, when I was a young girl, back in the olden days, the word 'baladi' meant 'homegrown' or 'organic'. Sort of "this was raised by simple farmers on a small farm using no sophisticated modern methods". Nowadays, apparently, it means "smothered in Tahini". It's a dish that represents very well what can happen when Israelis and Palestinians actually cooperate. I'm sure they did not mean to, and it's only in the kitchen, but hey, whatever works, right?
I, being on vacation, and having zero access to a proper kitchen this week, am not a 100% sure how this dish is made. But, I can sort of tell you the 'storyline' of the dish, with ideas and hints, and let you work from there. OK?
Eggplant with Tahini and tomato sauces
So, first of all, you need the type of eggplant that is fat and chunky. It's not exactly black and not exactly purple but a mixture of both. It's also not smooth like the regular eggplants but has some sort of vertical, not very large ridges. You may be able to do this with a regular eggplant that is very fat around but it will have plenty of seeds and taste not so great.
OK. You've got the right eggplant. You will need one per person. You need to get the flesh super soft without charring the skin too badly. This can be done by baking it thoroughly and then peeling carefully. So, put the eggplant in a pan (it's a good idea to spray it first). Make one or two small slits in it. Cover with foil (see if you can make sure the foil does not touch the eggplant.) Bake at 450F for about 20-30 minutes or until a fork can get in easily. Check after the first 20 minutes and every 10 minutes after, until you get a consistency you can imagine eating without any real chewing.
Take it out and let it cool a little. Peel it very carefully, leaving it as whole as you can, leaving the stem intact. You should have a peeled, cooked, whole eggplant, with the stem holding it all together.
Prepare some Tahini (mix sesame paste with enough water to the consistency of stirred yogurt; this requires patient stirring and plenty of faith; add the water slowly.) Spice it up to your liking with salt, pepper, crushed garlic, lemon juice and (optional) chopped parsley.
Next, prepare a tomato sauce. We had this with either a freshly made tomato salsa (quite spicy) or a cooked sauce a little like creamy tomato sauce for pasta, very mild and sweet-like. Both versions are excellent.
Reheat the eggplant a little (microwave, maybe?) The dish is supposed to be served warm. Put the whole eggplant on a plate, pour some tahini on and around it on one side and the tomato sauce on the other side (the tomato sauce was never served on the eggplant, although they are eaten together.) The way this is eaten is by forking a piece of eggplant, dragging it through both sauces, putting the whole thing in your mouth and moaning with pleasure.
This will, hopefully, put you in a mellow mood which will help you ask for peace in Jerusalem. This time, however, I recommend asking G-d. The people we keep asking for peace have made their answer very clear. Ask G-d. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. It's a hauntingly beautiful place that desperately needs some peace and quiet. Sha-aloo Sh'lom Yerushalayim.
Friday, May 10, 2013
All accounted for
When my daughter went to Europe two summers ago with a group of teenagers, their leaders kept counting them. It became very annoying. Every time they moved, they had to "Do the count". It doesn't take too long. Every kid was assigned a number and had to announce it in the proper order. The kids grumbled and whined (teenagers, you know) but the leaders were very strict about it. Because, as you can imagine, the leaders knew that if anything happened to any one of those kids, we, the parents, will kill them in very painful ways.
When you are in charge of a large group of people, when you are responsible for their safety and well being, one of the things you want to be very diligent about is making sure that you haven't lost any of them along the way.
The Israelites were wandering in a desert. Not the safest place in the world. So, of course, G-d, who was responsible for their safety and well being, was concerned about every aspect of their daily life. And the most basic thing is the answer to the question: "Is everyone present and accounted for?" So G-d made them "Do the count". Because what if someone got lost, or was left behind at the last oasis, or just slipped and fell and is now 3 miles back and can't find the way?
Incidentally, the "Count" was proved to be essential. In a rest stop somewhere in Italy, my daughter came out of the restroom to find that the bus left without her. Luckily, they were doing the count as they drove away and realized she was missing before the bus was too far down the highway. Aren't we glad now that G-d counted the Israelites? According to Ramban, every Jew is important to G-d. So He doesn't want any of us to get lost. I sure hope that this is still true. Sometimes we get lost, don't we? Isn't it nice to think that G-d is always counting us and will come looking for us if we are lost?
My cooking style is not very rigid. I sort of wing it most of the time. But here is a recipe where the most difficult part is to follow the instructions precisely, especially the counting (of minutes, and amounts.)
Majadra
3 cups lentils (use the regular ones you buy at the supermarket)
12 cups water
3 cups rice (I use Basmati but any long grain will do. You can use brown but the texture is different)
1 cup oil plus more for frying
3 tsp coarse (kosher) salt
4-5 large onions, chopped
Start the night before: Soak the lentils in the water and leave for 8-12 hours.
Drain the lentils, reserving 5 and 1/2 cups of the soaking water.
In a very large pot put: lentils, rice, oil, salt and the water you reserved.
Bring to a boil over high heat.
Turn heat to the lowest you can, cover the pot well and cook for exactly 20 minutes. Do not open the lid.
Turn the heat off and leave the pot alone for exactly 20 minutes. Do not open the lid!!!
Meanwhile, fry the chopped onions in a good amount of oil (like you would for frying latkes) until they start to brown.
Using a slotted spoon, scoop the onions out of the oil (do not drain them too well) and transfer to the large pot.
Mix really well. It's not easy to mix so be patient. I usually put the pot on the kitchen floor and kneel next to it to stir. It gives me better leverage and saves some aches and pains in my arms and shoulders.
Serves a LOT. Seriously. This recipe makes enough for at least 20 servings. But don't worry. It keeps very well in the fridge for at least a week. It freezes beautifully and thaws easily. It is great warm, hot or cold. It is vegan (and so parve). It is wonderful as a topping for salad, a side dish or a main course (try topping it with plain yogurt.)
And if you get lost - trust that G-d will come looking for you once He does "The Count".
When you are in charge of a large group of people, when you are responsible for their safety and well being, one of the things you want to be very diligent about is making sure that you haven't lost any of them along the way.
The Israelites were wandering in a desert. Not the safest place in the world. So, of course, G-d, who was responsible for their safety and well being, was concerned about every aspect of their daily life. And the most basic thing is the answer to the question: "Is everyone present and accounted for?" So G-d made them "Do the count". Because what if someone got lost, or was left behind at the last oasis, or just slipped and fell and is now 3 miles back and can't find the way?
Incidentally, the "Count" was proved to be essential. In a rest stop somewhere in Italy, my daughter came out of the restroom to find that the bus left without her. Luckily, they were doing the count as they drove away and realized she was missing before the bus was too far down the highway. Aren't we glad now that G-d counted the Israelites? According to Ramban, every Jew is important to G-d. So He doesn't want any of us to get lost. I sure hope that this is still true. Sometimes we get lost, don't we? Isn't it nice to think that G-d is always counting us and will come looking for us if we are lost?
My cooking style is not very rigid. I sort of wing it most of the time. But here is a recipe where the most difficult part is to follow the instructions precisely, especially the counting (of minutes, and amounts.)
Majadra
3 cups lentils (use the regular ones you buy at the supermarket)
12 cups water
3 cups rice (I use Basmati but any long grain will do. You can use brown but the texture is different)
1 cup oil plus more for frying
3 tsp coarse (kosher) salt
4-5 large onions, chopped
Start the night before: Soak the lentils in the water and leave for 8-12 hours.
Drain the lentils, reserving 5 and 1/2 cups of the soaking water.
In a very large pot put: lentils, rice, oil, salt and the water you reserved.
Bring to a boil over high heat.
Turn heat to the lowest you can, cover the pot well and cook for exactly 20 minutes. Do not open the lid.
Turn the heat off and leave the pot alone for exactly 20 minutes. Do not open the lid!!!
Meanwhile, fry the chopped onions in a good amount of oil (like you would for frying latkes) until they start to brown.
Using a slotted spoon, scoop the onions out of the oil (do not drain them too well) and transfer to the large pot.
Mix really well. It's not easy to mix so be patient. I usually put the pot on the kitchen floor and kneel next to it to stir. It gives me better leverage and saves some aches and pains in my arms and shoulders.
Serves a LOT. Seriously. This recipe makes enough for at least 20 servings. But don't worry. It keeps very well in the fridge for at least a week. It freezes beautifully and thaws easily. It is great warm, hot or cold. It is vegan (and so parve). It is wonderful as a topping for salad, a side dish or a main course (try topping it with plain yogurt.)
And if you get lost - trust that G-d will come looking for you once He does "The Count".
Friday, April 26, 2013
We interrupt this program
Sometimes the Torah is very confusing. This week's parasha is progressing along nicely; discussing at length and great detail the care and feeding of priests; moving on to special holy days and then touching on specific items that we still use on Shabbat (lights and challah). Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, the Torah turns aside and tells us about this guy whose mom was Jewish but his father was not and he had a fight with another Jew and used G-d's name in a bad way.
What in the world? I'm not saying the story is not worth telling. And certainly the verdict and the lesson learned about using G-d's name are valuable, but what is this doing here? In the middle of discussions about holiness, purity and priests?
As a teacher, I have encountered many (too many) times when I am in the middle of an exciting and important lesson and the class' current imp (and there is always one, isn't there?) pipes up with some irrelevant or, worse, inappropriate, comment or action. And then you have to stop mid-sentence, losing your momentum and the class' rapt attention to give the little upstart a piece of your mind. And sometimes, when you're done, you sort of temporarily abandon the previous topic to go on a rant regarding proper behavior in this and other matters, addressing general rules and what happens to those who break them.
It seems the same thing happened here. G-d was in the middle of talking about VERY IMPORTANT STUFF when this pipsqueak starts a fight. Now, normally, G-d can ignore fights the way parents ignore siblings squabbling. But in this case, somebody mentioned G-d's name and cursed it. W-e-l-l!!! This cannot be ignored. No sirree-bob. So G-d paused His lesson and dealt with the offender and then used the opportunity to explain that A. If you curse G-d - you die and B. As long as we're on the subject here's a bunch of other things that have to do with general violence. I.e. - don't.
It's interesting what new directions we take when something unexpected is inserted into our path. I went to the green grocer's this week and they had those beautiful leeks. Now, leeks come in many shapes and sizes: thin, thick, lots of white part, too much of the green, with or without brownish spots. Whatever. These were excellent. Thick, clean and with more creamy white part than dark green (less useful) one. So I bought a few. I wasn't planning on buying any and I had no idea what I will be doing with them. Then I got home and my daughter said: "You know how I did not want any soup yesterday because my stomach was bothering me? Can I have some soup now?"
She ended up eating some mushroom broth because she (or rather her tummy) rejected the idea of a leek and potato soup. But the seed was already planted.
Leek and Potato soup
4 thick, long leeks, white parts only, thoroughly washed, thinly sliced
4 Tbs butter (or olive oil)
4-5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
Water or vegetable broth (enough to cover the veggies)
Salt and pepper to taste
Over low-medium heat, cook leeks in butter or oil, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to brown a bit.
Add potatoes and cover with broth or water (if you use water, you might have to spice it up a bit and the flavor will be slightly different. I really recommend using broth, even if canned or from powder, just use quality brands).
Bring to a boil, lower heat to low, cover and cook for 30-45 minutes until potatoes are totally soft.
Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in a food processor (let it cool a bit first if using a food processor).
Season to taste.
Optional - you can stir a little cream in if you want it to be richer, and gently re-heat. But really, there's no need.
This will serve 5-6
And, speaking of G-d's name, I must quote our Christian friends "G-d's last name is not 'damn' " If you think about it, using this particular expletive is like blaming G-d for whatever got you riled up. Is it G-d's fault that you banged your finger in the door? Or that there is traffic? Or that someone annoyed you? Be fair.
What in the world? I'm not saying the story is not worth telling. And certainly the verdict and the lesson learned about using G-d's name are valuable, but what is this doing here? In the middle of discussions about holiness, purity and priests?
As a teacher, I have encountered many (too many) times when I am in the middle of an exciting and important lesson and the class' current imp (and there is always one, isn't there?) pipes up with some irrelevant or, worse, inappropriate, comment or action. And then you have to stop mid-sentence, losing your momentum and the class' rapt attention to give the little upstart a piece of your mind. And sometimes, when you're done, you sort of temporarily abandon the previous topic to go on a rant regarding proper behavior in this and other matters, addressing general rules and what happens to those who break them.
It seems the same thing happened here. G-d was in the middle of talking about VERY IMPORTANT STUFF when this pipsqueak starts a fight. Now, normally, G-d can ignore fights the way parents ignore siblings squabbling. But in this case, somebody mentioned G-d's name and cursed it. W-e-l-l!!! This cannot be ignored. No sirree-bob. So G-d paused His lesson and dealt with the offender and then used the opportunity to explain that A. If you curse G-d - you die and B. As long as we're on the subject here's a bunch of other things that have to do with general violence. I.e. - don't.
It's interesting what new directions we take when something unexpected is inserted into our path. I went to the green grocer's this week and they had those beautiful leeks. Now, leeks come in many shapes and sizes: thin, thick, lots of white part, too much of the green, with or without brownish spots. Whatever. These were excellent. Thick, clean and with more creamy white part than dark green (less useful) one. So I bought a few. I wasn't planning on buying any and I had no idea what I will be doing with them. Then I got home and my daughter said: "You know how I did not want any soup yesterday because my stomach was bothering me? Can I have some soup now?"
She ended up eating some mushroom broth because she (or rather her tummy) rejected the idea of a leek and potato soup. But the seed was already planted.
Leek and Potato soup
4 thick, long leeks, white parts only, thoroughly washed, thinly sliced
4 Tbs butter (or olive oil)
4-5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
Water or vegetable broth (enough to cover the veggies)
Salt and pepper to taste
Over low-medium heat, cook leeks in butter or oil, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to brown a bit.
Add potatoes and cover with broth or water (if you use water, you might have to spice it up a bit and the flavor will be slightly different. I really recommend using broth, even if canned or from powder, just use quality brands).
Bring to a boil, lower heat to low, cover and cook for 30-45 minutes until potatoes are totally soft.
Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in a food processor (let it cool a bit first if using a food processor).
Season to taste.
Optional - you can stir a little cream in if you want it to be richer, and gently re-heat. But really, there's no need.
This will serve 5-6
And, speaking of G-d's name, I must quote our Christian friends "G-d's last name is not 'damn' " If you think about it, using this particular expletive is like blaming G-d for whatever got you riled up. Is it G-d's fault that you banged your finger in the door? Or that there is traffic? Or that someone annoyed you? Be fair.
Friday, April 12, 2013
The natural superiority of women
As if this week's (double) parasha is not bad enough, to add insult to injury, it opens with a discussion of women's impurity and ends with women's impurity. What is that? Women are more impure? women are first and last in impurity? what in the world?
So I read the parasha very carefully and I noticed that other than the start and the finish, the rest of it is almost all in male form. Except for chapter 13 verse 38-39, which says 'a man or a woman' the whole parasha is written in male form (as we all know, in Hebrew, there is a distinct difference in the words used to speak to or about males and the ones used for females). Women's "impurities" are only mentioned at the beginning (regarding a natural, joyous event) and at the end (regarding another natural event and its variations). Most of the parasha talks about impurities caused by diseases that got interpreted as punishments for various transgressions (mostly gossip). Hmmm.
Male language includes females, you say? Don't get me started. There are plenty of occasions when the male form of the Torah's commands was used as a reason to exclude females. You can't have it both ways.
Well, well, well. What do you know? Women get impure by some natural things that happen anyway. Men get impure as punishment for gossip (and they say women are greater gossips than men. Huh!) And the process of purifying men is much more complicated than the process of purifying a woman after her monthly period or after she gave birth.
I always say that men were put on this earth as a little joke on G-d's part and we simply have to put up with them the way we put up with toddlers and teenagers (whom men resemble most of the time.) And here the Torah says clearly that men are much more trouble than women. They surely gave the priests way more headaches, what with the endless checking, rechecking, purifying, more checking and all the decisions (is it a white dot or a yellow one? was this here last week? does this look puffy to you? Sure sounds like a man when he is sick, doesn't it?)
Women (as I always claimed) rock.
And so, for a nice young woman who is plagued by not being able to eat tomato sauce on her pasta (see the post "Not quite the same thing" from 2/15/13 for the full story). http://osnat-kitchentokitchen.blogspot.com/2013/02/not-quite-same-thing.html
I am offering yet another way to eat pasta without tomatoes or dairy. For you Tzivya. A woman of valor. Just like all other women.
Walnut and Parsley Pesto
In a food processor process until relatively smooth (it won't ever be super smooth):
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (don't use regular. With no cheese, you need all the flavor you can get)
1 cup packed parsley leaves (just leaves. Take the 5 minutes to pluck them of the stalks)
1/4 cup lemon juice
6 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt (kosher salt is best)
Black pepper to taste (you can mix it in after the rest if you want to "taste")
This will give you about a cup or so of pesto. Cook your pasta and mix with the pesto while the pasta is still hot. You might want to reserve some pasta cooking water to mix in as well if you need to dilute it a bit.
We are women. Hear us roar.
So I read the parasha very carefully and I noticed that other than the start and the finish, the rest of it is almost all in male form. Except for chapter 13 verse 38-39, which says 'a man or a woman' the whole parasha is written in male form (as we all know, in Hebrew, there is a distinct difference in the words used to speak to or about males and the ones used for females). Women's "impurities" are only mentioned at the beginning (regarding a natural, joyous event) and at the end (regarding another natural event and its variations). Most of the parasha talks about impurities caused by diseases that got interpreted as punishments for various transgressions (mostly gossip). Hmmm.
Male language includes females, you say? Don't get me started. There are plenty of occasions when the male form of the Torah's commands was used as a reason to exclude females. You can't have it both ways.
Well, well, well. What do you know? Women get impure by some natural things that happen anyway. Men get impure as punishment for gossip (and they say women are greater gossips than men. Huh!) And the process of purifying men is much more complicated than the process of purifying a woman after her monthly period or after she gave birth.
I always say that men were put on this earth as a little joke on G-d's part and we simply have to put up with them the way we put up with toddlers and teenagers (whom men resemble most of the time.) And here the Torah says clearly that men are much more trouble than women. They surely gave the priests way more headaches, what with the endless checking, rechecking, purifying, more checking and all the decisions (is it a white dot or a yellow one? was this here last week? does this look puffy to you? Sure sounds like a man when he is sick, doesn't it?)
Women (as I always claimed) rock.
And so, for a nice young woman who is plagued by not being able to eat tomato sauce on her pasta (see the post "Not quite the same thing" from 2/15/13 for the full story). http://osnat-kitchentokitchen.blogspot.com/2013/02/not-quite-same-thing.html
I am offering yet another way to eat pasta without tomatoes or dairy. For you Tzivya. A woman of valor. Just like all other women.
Walnut and Parsley Pesto
In a food processor process until relatively smooth (it won't ever be super smooth):
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (don't use regular. With no cheese, you need all the flavor you can get)
1 cup packed parsley leaves (just leaves. Take the 5 minutes to pluck them of the stalks)
1/4 cup lemon juice
6 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt (kosher salt is best)
Black pepper to taste (you can mix it in after the rest if you want to "taste")
This will give you about a cup or so of pesto. Cook your pasta and mix with the pesto while the pasta is still hot. You might want to reserve some pasta cooking water to mix in as well if you need to dilute it a bit.
We are women. Hear us roar.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Had enough matzah yet?
So, are you getting sick of it already? I know we are all devout Jews who love our holidays and perform all of G-d's commandments with joy and love, but come on, be honest: Matzah for a week? Really?
We are in the season of the counting of the Omer. At the end of it, we'll be going to Jerusalem with our first fruits to thank G-d for our newborn lambs, newborn wheat and newborn children. Are you thankful for your kids? OK, let me rephrase it: Are you sometimes thankful for your kids? I am always extremely thankful for mine. A. Because they are so amazingly wonderful and B. Because I know what it is to want them and not have them. As hubby likes to say "Aren't you happy you have kids to drive you nuts?"
One of the unexpected perks of having kids is when one of them turns vegetarian and gets a subscription to an alien magazine called Vegetarian Times. Then, when you try to fill your blog with interesting recipes and your mind has collapsed from overdoses of matzah, you can find new and exciting ideas (If you're brave enough to knock on the teenager's door and meekly ask if you can borrow the magazine.)
And guess what I found in a recent issue? Potato gnocchi. No big deal, except these have no flour in them, which makes them perfect for Pesach.
Potato Gnocchi for Pesach
2 1/2 pound russet or Idaho potatoes
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup potato starch
1. Prick potatoes all over with fork. Bake at 350F for 45-60 minutes until soft to the touch. Slice open and let cool 10 minutes.
2. Scoop out the potato flesh (careful, it might still be hot). Mash it in a bowl or put through a potato ricer. Stir in the rest if the ingredients in the order listed, mixing well after each addition. Mix until the dough comes together and doesn't stick to the fork or your hands.
3. On a potato starch dusted surface, using half cup of dough at a time, roll it into a 3/4 inch thick rope and cut into 3/4 inch pieces . Set back of a fork atop each gnocchi and use the fork to roll it toward you, making light indentations with the fork tines. Store prepared gnocchi on a parchment paper lined baking sheet until you finished processing all the dough.
4. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add gnocchi, and cook 2 minutes, or until they float to the top. Drain carefully and serve with cheese or pasta sauce.
Serves 6.
Thank G-d for kids. And for Pesach. And for making Pesach only one week long.....
We are in the season of the counting of the Omer. At the end of it, we'll be going to Jerusalem with our first fruits to thank G-d for our newborn lambs, newborn wheat and newborn children. Are you thankful for your kids? OK, let me rephrase it: Are you sometimes thankful for your kids? I am always extremely thankful for mine. A. Because they are so amazingly wonderful and B. Because I know what it is to want them and not have them. As hubby likes to say "Aren't you happy you have kids to drive you nuts?"
One of the unexpected perks of having kids is when one of them turns vegetarian and gets a subscription to an alien magazine called Vegetarian Times. Then, when you try to fill your blog with interesting recipes and your mind has collapsed from overdoses of matzah, you can find new and exciting ideas (If you're brave enough to knock on the teenager's door and meekly ask if you can borrow the magazine.)
And guess what I found in a recent issue? Potato gnocchi. No big deal, except these have no flour in them, which makes them perfect for Pesach.
Potato Gnocchi for Pesach
2 1/2 pound russet or Idaho potatoes
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup potato starch
1. Prick potatoes all over with fork. Bake at 350F for 45-60 minutes until soft to the touch. Slice open and let cool 10 minutes.
2. Scoop out the potato flesh (careful, it might still be hot). Mash it in a bowl or put through a potato ricer. Stir in the rest if the ingredients in the order listed, mixing well after each addition. Mix until the dough comes together and doesn't stick to the fork or your hands.
3. On a potato starch dusted surface, using half cup of dough at a time, roll it into a 3/4 inch thick rope and cut into 3/4 inch pieces . Set back of a fork atop each gnocchi and use the fork to roll it toward you, making light indentations with the fork tines. Store prepared gnocchi on a parchment paper lined baking sheet until you finished processing all the dough.
4. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add gnocchi, and cook 2 minutes, or until they float to the top. Drain carefully and serve with cheese or pasta sauce.
Serves 6.
Thank G-d for kids. And for Pesach. And for making Pesach only one week long.....
Friday, March 8, 2013
Inspired
Shemot, chapter 35, verses 30-35 has a point that is easy to overlook. G-d gives Betzalel and Ahalihav wisdom and knowledge in a very specific area. They are artists. They can work wonders with gold, silver, copper, wood, and any type of fancy needlework.
There are many artists in the world. Art is a slippery word to define. My oldest child is a gifted wordsmith. Is she an artist? She also draws beautifully. Is that a better definition of an artist than the writing? My youngest is a gifted musician. Is she an artist? She also has a great eye for designs of all kinds and is a super-duper organizer, as well as a baby whisperer. Are these talents considered 'art'? And what about my cooking? I can take a random bunch of leftover ingredients and create a dish that receives moans of pleasure upon consumption. Am I an artist? What about my friend Gail who can turn any craft project into a creative masterpiece? Or my brother who takes pictures everywhere he goes that are gems of beauty?
Each and every one of us has gifts that others can only dream about. Every one has something they can do better than others. And how many of us acknowledge the source of our talent? How many of us admit that G-d has filled us with "Ruach Elokim" (the spirit of G-d) and that's how we came to be so good at what we do?
I remember late night talks with my daughters. They were sort of blase about their talents and worried about the impact (or lack thereof) their lives will have on the world. I told both of them the same thing: "G-d has given you a rare gift. He must have a special plan for the use of that gift for the greater good. Your job is to use that talent to the best of your abilities for a worthy cause. And to be grateful for it."
If one has a unique talent, one must use it for good causes. Otherwise, it's like throwing the gift back in G-d's face. You have a gift that was given to you in order to use it. So use it!
Here is how I used my gift recently. You know how you buy some produce and then don't get around to using it and suddenly it's "use it or lose it"? So I got some plum shaped tomatoes (I believe they are called "Roma") which were sort of pinkish but what can you expect in the middle of winter? Then my precious sister in law brought me some vine ripened tomatoes and I left the other ones out too long. And the eggplants I bought were getting older by the minute. Not to mention the panko (fresh breadcrumbs) I made from leftover challah that kept whispering "It's almost Pesach" every time I opened the freezer. Time for some emergency cooking.
Baked tomatoes and eggplants
8 Roma tomatoes.
2 medium eggplants
2 cups Panko (fresh breadcrumbs. You can make your own by processing leftover challah until it's all crumbs)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
3 Tbs cup Italian seasoning (a mixture of Oregano, Thyme and Rosemary will work well)
2 Tbs granulated garlic
Olive oil as needed.
Mix together breadcrumbs, herbs, cheese and garlic. Set aside.
Cut Roma tomatoes in half (length-wise) and arrange on an oiled baking sheet, cut side up.
Slice eggplants into 1/2 inch thick slices. Salt and let stand for 30 minutes in colander. Rinse and pat dry. Arrange in one layer in another baking sheet (also oiled).
Brush eggplants and tomatoes generously with olive oil (just the sides facing up). Put about 1/2 tablespoonful of the breadcrumb mixture on each tomato half and each eggplant slice.
Bake at 400F for 20-30 minutes for the tomatoes and 20 minutes for the eggplants. The tomatoes should be soft when poked with a fork. Take the tomatoes out and transfer to a plate.
Take the eggplants out and carefully flip them over. Do the oil and breadcrumb thing on the other side of the eggplants and return to the oven for another 20 minutes.
To serve, put on tomato half on top of each eggplant slice.
Serves 4
Note: you may have more eggplant slices than tomatoes. Mostly because the eggplants may produce more slices than tomato halves. No worries, mate, they make an excellent addition to any sandwich. even cold.
So then, Is this some sort of art? Because I tell you: it must have been G-d inspired. It was so much better than I expected that I am tempted to call it 'divine'. Thank you G-d for putting it into my mind. Now please add some diet tips....
There are many artists in the world. Art is a slippery word to define. My oldest child is a gifted wordsmith. Is she an artist? She also draws beautifully. Is that a better definition of an artist than the writing? My youngest is a gifted musician. Is she an artist? She also has a great eye for designs of all kinds and is a super-duper organizer, as well as a baby whisperer. Are these talents considered 'art'? And what about my cooking? I can take a random bunch of leftover ingredients and create a dish that receives moans of pleasure upon consumption. Am I an artist? What about my friend Gail who can turn any craft project into a creative masterpiece? Or my brother who takes pictures everywhere he goes that are gems of beauty?
Each and every one of us has gifts that others can only dream about. Every one has something they can do better than others. And how many of us acknowledge the source of our talent? How many of us admit that G-d has filled us with "Ruach Elokim" (the spirit of G-d) and that's how we came to be so good at what we do?
I remember late night talks with my daughters. They were sort of blase about their talents and worried about the impact (or lack thereof) their lives will have on the world. I told both of them the same thing: "G-d has given you a rare gift. He must have a special plan for the use of that gift for the greater good. Your job is to use that talent to the best of your abilities for a worthy cause. And to be grateful for it."
If one has a unique talent, one must use it for good causes. Otherwise, it's like throwing the gift back in G-d's face. You have a gift that was given to you in order to use it. So use it!
Here is how I used my gift recently. You know how you buy some produce and then don't get around to using it and suddenly it's "use it or lose it"? So I got some plum shaped tomatoes (I believe they are called "Roma") which were sort of pinkish but what can you expect in the middle of winter? Then my precious sister in law brought me some vine ripened tomatoes and I left the other ones out too long. And the eggplants I bought were getting older by the minute. Not to mention the panko (fresh breadcrumbs) I made from leftover challah that kept whispering "It's almost Pesach" every time I opened the freezer. Time for some emergency cooking.
Baked tomatoes and eggplants
8 Roma tomatoes.
2 medium eggplants
2 cups Panko (fresh breadcrumbs. You can make your own by processing leftover challah until it's all crumbs)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
3 Tbs cup Italian seasoning (a mixture of Oregano, Thyme and Rosemary will work well)
2 Tbs granulated garlic
Olive oil as needed.
Mix together breadcrumbs, herbs, cheese and garlic. Set aside.
Cut Roma tomatoes in half (length-wise) and arrange on an oiled baking sheet, cut side up.
Slice eggplants into 1/2 inch thick slices. Salt and let stand for 30 minutes in colander. Rinse and pat dry. Arrange in one layer in another baking sheet (also oiled).
Brush eggplants and tomatoes generously with olive oil (just the sides facing up). Put about 1/2 tablespoonful of the breadcrumb mixture on each tomato half and each eggplant slice.
Bake at 400F for 20-30 minutes for the tomatoes and 20 minutes for the eggplants. The tomatoes should be soft when poked with a fork. Take the tomatoes out and transfer to a plate.
Take the eggplants out and carefully flip them over. Do the oil and breadcrumb thing on the other side of the eggplants and return to the oven for another 20 minutes.
To serve, put on tomato half on top of each eggplant slice.
Serves 4
Note: you may have more eggplant slices than tomatoes. Mostly because the eggplants may produce more slices than tomato halves. No worries, mate, they make an excellent addition to any sandwich. even cold.
So then, Is this some sort of art? Because I tell you: it must have been G-d inspired. It was so much better than I expected that I am tempted to call it 'divine'. Thank you G-d for putting it into my mind. Now please add some diet tips....
Friday, February 22, 2013
Playing dress-up
Clothes, everyone says, make the man. I happen to ignore fashion as much as I can so I suppose I am un-made. Oh, well.
What do the High Priest's clothes make of the High Priest? Well, there's a lot of gold and precious stones and excellent fabrics. So we can assume that it makes him impressive and gets him respect from the people as befitting his high station. You know the dangers of assuming, right?
In Shemot, chapter 28, verses 9-12 there is a description of two stones that Aharon has to carry on his shoulders. The names of all the tribes are to be written on these stones. Stones! on his shoulders! And the guy is no youngster, you know, he is Moshe's older brother.
Then, later in the chapter there is a description of the choshen, a heavy gold tablet embedded with precious stones (!) that the poor guy has to carry upon his heart (Verses 29-30) at all times.
Are they trying to kill the man?
Aharon, and every Kohen Gadol after him, must remember at all times that, even if they are dressed in gold, rubies and silk, they are nothing more than emissaries before G-d. They are there to perform a duty. And they are there with a (heavy) responsibility. Which is why they have to carry it upon their shoulders and their heart. Caring for people is not an easy task. At times you really do feel as if they are sitting on your shoulders like an albatross. And certainly the Israelites are heavy on one's heart. Look what they did to Moshe. So a high priest must never think himself too high and mighty because he is well dressed and speaks to G-d in the holy of hollies. The stones on his shoulders and upon his heart are to remind him of the heavy load of responsibility. Of the people on whose behalf he is speaking to G-d.
We can only hope that our spiritual leaders today will remember this even without wearing rocks around their necks.
All the gold in this parasha reminds me of squash. I know, I know, who makes these associations? Well, I do. I don't care for actual gold, but I do care for golden food. Like squash (butternut or acorn or even pumpkin). My friend Lisa makes these squash muffins that my children love. What could I do? I asked for the recipe.
Squash Muffins
Mix together:
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
In another bowl mix:
1 cup milk (can be soy or coconut, if you want it parve)
1 and 1/2 cups cooked, mashed squash
1/2 cup softened margarine (can use soy)
2 eggs.
Add wet mixture to dry. Mix only until everything is wet. Do not overmix.
Put in muffin tins (either sprayed or lined).
Bake at 350F for 22 minutes, then at 300F for an extra 10 minutes.
I do not know how many this makes as they seem to disappear the minute I take them out of the oven. Call it 18 muffins.
What do the High Priest's clothes make of the High Priest? Well, there's a lot of gold and precious stones and excellent fabrics. So we can assume that it makes him impressive and gets him respect from the people as befitting his high station. You know the dangers of assuming, right?
In Shemot, chapter 28, verses 9-12 there is a description of two stones that Aharon has to carry on his shoulders. The names of all the tribes are to be written on these stones. Stones! on his shoulders! And the guy is no youngster, you know, he is Moshe's older brother.
Then, later in the chapter there is a description of the choshen, a heavy gold tablet embedded with precious stones (!) that the poor guy has to carry upon his heart (Verses 29-30) at all times.
Are they trying to kill the man?
Aharon, and every Kohen Gadol after him, must remember at all times that, even if they are dressed in gold, rubies and silk, they are nothing more than emissaries before G-d. They are there to perform a duty. And they are there with a (heavy) responsibility. Which is why they have to carry it upon their shoulders and their heart. Caring for people is not an easy task. At times you really do feel as if they are sitting on your shoulders like an albatross. And certainly the Israelites are heavy on one's heart. Look what they did to Moshe. So a high priest must never think himself too high and mighty because he is well dressed and speaks to G-d in the holy of hollies. The stones on his shoulders and upon his heart are to remind him of the heavy load of responsibility. Of the people on whose behalf he is speaking to G-d.
We can only hope that our spiritual leaders today will remember this even without wearing rocks around their necks.
All the gold in this parasha reminds me of squash. I know, I know, who makes these associations? Well, I do. I don't care for actual gold, but I do care for golden food. Like squash (butternut or acorn or even pumpkin). My friend Lisa makes these squash muffins that my children love. What could I do? I asked for the recipe.
Squash Muffins
Mix together:
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
In another bowl mix:
1 cup milk (can be soy or coconut, if you want it parve)
1 and 1/2 cups cooked, mashed squash
1/2 cup softened margarine (can use soy)
2 eggs.
Add wet mixture to dry. Mix only until everything is wet. Do not overmix.
Put in muffin tins (either sprayed or lined).
Bake at 350F for 22 minutes, then at 300F for an extra 10 minutes.
I do not know how many this makes as they seem to disappear the minute I take them out of the oven. Call it 18 muffins.
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