Kugels, latkes, challah, and bitter (or candy!) salads — these are the meals that make a Jewish vacation desk. Conventional Yiddish recipes heat the center and create pure soul consolation.
However typically you’re craving change. Just a few tweaks can flip a basic dish into a brand new culinary expertise. Whether or not you’re cooking for Hanukkah otherwise you’re searching for a brand new twist on basic Hanukkah facet dish recipes, you’ll discover yummy choices right here.
Rosh Hashanah: Contemplate these fruits to your vacation desk
SWEET AND SAVORY APPLE NOODLE KUGEL
Form of like a casserole, kugel is a well-liked vacation facet dish amongst Ashkenazi Jews. Kugels are often based mostly in potato, egg noodle, or veggie and usually may be categorized as both candy or savory. I’ve all the time most well-liked savory kugels myself, however this candy and savory apple kugel from Residing Candy Moments would possibly simply change my vote!
Apples and raisins present the candy, whereas sauteed onions provide the savory. You would possibly suppose apples and onions don’t combine, however don’t knock it until you attempt it!
Step one to creating this kugel is to cook dinner your noodles. Utilizing egg noodles — versus simply any noodle — does make a distinction. Egg noodles are available all shapes and types. Utilizing vast egg noodles will give the apples and raisins nooks and crannies to cover in, whereas utilizing advantageous egg noodles would possibly allow your kugel to rise slightly larger and can lend a barely totally different texture. Experiment and see what your loved ones loves greatest!
After you’ve boiled and drained your pasta, saute peeled and cubed apples and diced onions collectively. When the onions start to caramelize, add your raisins, your spices (cinnamon and nutmeg), sugar, and some tablespoons of water. Prepare dinner for about two minutes, after which add all the things to your already cooked and drained noodles.
This recipe recommends including the eggs on to the noodle combine (as soon as it’s cooled barely), however really, if you happen to beat your eggs individually earlier than mixing them with the noodles and apples, your kugel can be fluffier.
Place all the things right into a 9×13 pan and bake within the oven for 45 minutes to an hour at 350F. Benefit from the aroma because it bakes, after which benefit from the kugel throughout your dinner!
Noodle kugels are simply warmed up and might usually be loved at room temperature. For those who’ve acquired leftovers, you’ve acquired a straightforward breakfast or perhaps even a candy deal with for lunch.
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VEGAN POTATO AND SWEET POTATO LATKES
It’s not Hanukkah if you happen to don’t have latkes! Latkes are fried potato pancakes, and historically, they include grated white potato, onion, eggs, salt and pepper, and perhaps slightly matzo meal or flour. What makes this latkes recipe from Vegan Richa particular is the addition of candy potato, attention-grabbing spices, and the truth that they’re eggless! They’ll additionally simply be made gluten-free.
The recipe calls for 2 kilos of russet or yellow potatoes, together with only one small candy potato — simply sufficient to present it a barely totally different taste than conventional latkes. To make the latkes gluten-free, as an alternative of utilizing matzo meal or common flour, potato starch and chickpea flour can bind the substances collectively. Chickpea flour offers it a barely eggy style and coloration.
Along with salt and pepper, these latkes name for a touch of cayenne. However why cease there with the distinctive taste choices? You can too attempt throwing in scallions, dill, mustard, or garam masala. Your creativeness is the restrict! Together with some vegan bitter cream or vegan yogurt (Kite Hill makes the most effective vegan yogurt, for my part), these latkes are sure to please.
A high-quality frying pan is crucial for vegan latke cooking. Make certain to decide on a heavy-bottomed or cast-iron skillet. For those who use an inexpensive pan, you’ll be in tears — and never from the diced onions. Vegan latkes are infamous for sticking and coming aside as you (try and) flip and fry.
Excessive-quality kitchen provides — plus preserving the oil at simply the fitting temperature — is the key to non-broken vegan latkes.
GEORGIAN BEET, CHICKPEA, AND WALNUT SALAD
Ashkenazi Jews aren’t precisely recognized for maintaining a healthy diet, gentle fare. Many conventional entrees and facet dishes are carb-heavy and fattening. Which isn’t unhealthy moderately! Nevertheless it’s good to have choices, and this Georgian beet, chickpea, and walnut salad from Jewish Meals Hero makes a pleasant distinction to Bubbie’s diet-killing dishes.
Whereas not a Georgian recipe per se, Jewish Meals Hero says her inspiration got here from studying concerning the Jews of Georgia (as within the Baltic state close to Russia — to not be confused with Georgia, the state within the U.S.). Georgian Jews saved themselves remoted from neighboring Jewish communities and have very totally different customs from the Ashkenazi Jews of Jap Europe. Walnuts are native to Georgia, and so they characteristic prominently in lots of dishes.
This salad is contemporary, bitter, and earthy. Merely cube three cups of boiled beets and mix with a cup of chickpeas, one or two thinly sliced shallots, and one to 3 cups of chopped greens. For the dressing, you’ll want freshly squeezed orange juice, lemon juice, one or two garlic cloves, 4 walnut halves, a teaspoon of salt, and one or two teaspoons of unrefined uncooked sugar.
You’ve gotten choices relating to preparation. You possibly can mix the beets, chickpeas, and shallots with the dressing as much as 24 hours forward of time. Then, mix with the greens earlier than serving. Or, you possibly can hold all the things separate and serve the dressing on the facet. Garnish with chopped walnuts.
BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER KUGEL
The healthiest kugels are the non-potato vegetable-based ones, which is why it is best to completely do this broccoli and cauliflower kugel recipe from Jamie Geller. Broccoli kugel is certainly one of my private favorites, however this recipe makes use of a mixture of broccoli and cauliflower florets. You would use frozen or contemporary — both can be tasty.
Recent herbs — a half cup of chopped parsley and a half cup of contemporary dill — add sophistication and depth to what’s often a easy dish. Additionally, as an alternative of baking the kugel in a big pan, this recipe requires utilizing a six-cup muffin tin. Arranging your broccoli, cauliflower kugel “muffins” on a serving platter can be considerably extra visually interesting than the extra frequent presentation (roughly lower sq. slices).
The recipe requires 1 / 4 cup of uncooked fast cooking oats. Buy the gluten-free form, and also you’ve acquired your self a gluten-free kugel! You would additionally substitute the oats with quinoa flakes.
The recipe suggests baking at 400F for an hour, although in my expertise of kugel baking, that appears too lengthy for a non-potato kugel, particularly when baking in muffin cups. Maintain a detailed eye in your kugel muffins as they bake to keep away from disappointment.
