Crispy Rice Cakes with Three Sauces
Jewish food traditions are inspired by the regions throughout the world. Sephardic Jewish cuisine, including North African Jewish dishes, is influenced by neighbors along the Mediterranean. Rice cakes are traditionally included in North African Shabbat meals, with aromatic spices including turmeric, saffron, ginger, cumin, and cinnamon.
RICE CAKES
3 cups basmati rice, cooked and cooled
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
Salt, to taste
1 whole lemon
2 eggs
4 tablespoons cooking oil
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PARSLEY POMEGRANATE HERB SAUCE
1 bunch fresh parsley, curly or flat leaf
2 garlic cloves
1 pomegranate
1 lemon
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt, to taste
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CUCUMBER MINT YOGURT
1 cup plain yogurt, preferably Greek
1 English cucumber
2 garlic cloves
1 lemon
2-3 sprigs fresh mint
Salt and pepper, to taste
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MATBOUCHA
2 tablespoons cooking oil
3 garlic cloves
1 small yellow onion, chopped
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
2 roasted red bell peppers (from a can or jar), sliced
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
Salt, to taste
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
Moroccan Sfenj / Yemenite Zalabia (Fried Dough)
Sfenj, deep-fried yeast donuts, are popular in Morocco during Hanukkah; the Yemenite version is called zalabia or zalvyah.
7 ½ cups flour
1 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons dry yeast
2 ½ cups warm water
4 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups oil for frying
Potato Kugel Cups
If you love potato kugel, you'll really love these bite-sized potato kugel cups! The recipe comes from the 2018 campers at URJ Points Creative Arts Academy, a Reform Jewish summer camp in West Chester, PA.
1½ cups extra virgin olive oil
3 eggs
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 large Idaho potatoes
1 large onion, quartered
Paprika, to taste
“Paj-kes” – Korean Latkes
45 minutes
Becky Jaye shares her family recipe for pajeon, a Korean potato pancake often made with scallions and other vegetables.
5 lb. shredded Idaho potatoes
2 large, shredded sweet yellow onions
6-7 shredded orange carrots
3 bunches of scallions, quartered length-wise and sliced diagonally in lengths of 1 to 1.5”
5 eggs
1 ½ cups Korean pajeon potato pancake flour, for example, Beksul Korean Pancake Mix, available in Asian grocery stores and online (Note: You may substitute the same amount of regular flour, though your pancakes will be less like pajeon and more like latke
3 tbsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup soy sauce
3 tbsp of rice vinegar
Minced garlic, chopped scallions, and sesame seeds to your liking
Air Fryer Potato Latkes
Here's a healthier, lighter option to traditional deep-fried latkes!
LATKES:
2 shallots
6 potatoes, like Yukon Golds, peeled and quartered
Pinch of baking soda
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper or to taste
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons flour
Olive oil spray to coat the air fryer basket
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TOPPINGS (optional):
Sour cream or Greek yogurt
Gravlax, fresh dill, and capers
Applesauce, apple slices, and cinnamon