Cooking in Israel holiday's recipes - Purim
Every Jewish holiday signify a period in the Jewish heritage. Purim is related to the memory of the time when the Jewish people living in Persia, were saved from extermination. Purim is the most joyful between the holidays.
The story is about a young beautiful Jewish woman, Esther, who was taken to be one of the women at the king's harem. The king loved Esther the most. He didn't know she was Jewish, as she was told by her uncle Mordechai, to hide her identity.
The bad guy of the story is Haman who was the king's advisor. Haman hated Mordechai and therefore went to the king telling him about this group of people that don't obey the king's rules. Haman wanted to destroy them and the king gave him the permission.
Mordechai told Esther she has to speak to the king about the Jewish people. Esther made it to the king and revealed her routes and saved the community. Hama with his ten sons were hanged.
The word "Purim" means "lots" and refers to the lottery that Haman used to choose the date for the massacre.
Custom is to eat, drink alcohol cocktails and be merry by holding carnival-like celebrations on Purim with colorful costumes, and give each other baskets of edible goodies..
The traditional Jewish food of Purim is, these delectable three-cornered pastries, Hamantaschen. Called Oznei Haman in Hebrew, “Haman’s ears”, this name led to the myth that the pastries celebrate the cutting off of the wicked man’s ears before he was hanged. These pastry treats are filled with poppy seeds (or other fillings) have been a part of Purim celebrations for centuries.
Learn how to make this delicious pastry with Cook in Israel cooking class .
Hamantaschen - Haman's pockets
Triangular cookies filled with poppy seeds said to represent Haman's three-cornered hat
Ingredients for dough:
31/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup finely ground almonds
275 gr. butter
1 cup icing sugar
3 Tbs. sugar
2 eggs
Pinch salt
Ingredients for filling:
300gr. ground poppy seeds
1 cup sugar
11/2 cup milk / orange juice
3 Tbs. honey
Lemon zest (option)
Instructions
- Sift flour and almonds.
- Beat butter with icing sugar and sugar.
- Add eggs to the butter.
- Add the sifted flour & almonds, baking powder and salt to the butter.
- Knead until dough is formed.
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least an hour.
- Cook milk, sugar and poppy seeds 15 min.
- Add the honey and lemon zest and cook 5 min more. Let cool.
- Roll out the dough thin and create circles.
- Put about 1/2 tsp. of filling in the middle of each circle. Fold up dough into triangle and pinch the edges.
- Bake about 10 min. in 180 c, until golden.
This is an easy to make, traditional home made recipe. Find all recipes for Jewish Holidays food and more in 'Cook in Israel - Home Cooking Inspiration' cookbook. A perfect gift for yourselves, your friends and family.