Sephardic Israeli Cuisine

Fri, Jan 18th 2008, 00:00

Sephardic Cuisine of Israel has its roots in the Middle East.


Sephardic comes from the biblical word Sepharad, meaning Spain. It is used to refer to the descendants of Jews who expelled from Spain/Portugal in 1492 and settled in North Africa, Turkey and the Balkans. However the term has expanded to include Jews from throughout the Mediterranean, Middle East, and Asia

Sephardic Cuisine originates in hot, sunny climates and therefore it lively food, full of aromatic herbs and spices. Fruits, vegetables and grains thrive in these climates too. Stuffed vegetables are popular, including tropical vegetables of the pumpkin family, loobia, the long bean, coconut, eggplant from India and spinach from Nepal. Beans, chickpeas and lentils are widely used, and many dishes are accompanied by dried fruit and nuts. Meat, lamb or beef, is usually minced, and rice takes the place of potatoes.

Tastes are enhanced by a range of spices from the Near East: from cumin, coriander, turmeric, to cinnamon and cardamom. Olive oil and lemon juice also enlivens the food. In fact, in modern day Spain people have been cooking in oil rather than pork fat or butter for many centuries. This is the influence of the ancient Jewish presence in the region.  The Jews cooked with oil rather than pork fat or butter which is not kosher.

Popular dishes have been adopted from a wide variety of influences. North African influences brought cous cous and the Tunisian carrot salad. Egypt contributed the falafel chickpea balls, while stuffed vine leaves, dolmades, originate in Turkey.

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