Introduction Yariv & Boaz Binnun סעודה ביחד היא שמן לחברות A meal together is the oil of friendship. There s no ritual like it; breaking bread is the ultimate activity to bring people together, no matter who they are or where they come from. It s a mundane daily activity that we often don t put enough stock into. In Jewish culture, and in Israel in particular, a meal together says so many things it tells you where you are, what time of day it is, what time of year it is and so much more. Here at eteacher, we look at ways to integrate your Hebrew learning into your everyday life, making it a living language for you to learn and love in every aspect of your life, outside of your virtual classroom, Bible study class, community group and more. We are proud to present Be teavon: Eat your way through Israel in a day as a small glimpse into the world of flavor, color and life that Israel has to offer as well as the importance of food and sustenance in our everyday physical and spiritual lives. On each page of our book you can enjoy a simple local recipe, accompanied by a beautiful picture and highlighted dictionary words for you to learn, as well as quotes about food from Scripture. There s nothing as wonderful as food, glorious food! We have had so much fun making this for you we hope you enjoy it even more! Be teavon! Yariv & Boaz Binnun, CEO s eteachergroup.com 1
Contents: Before you begin: Kitchen Must Haves - 3 Breakfast Shakshuka - 6 Israeli Salad - 8 Lunch Falafel - 12 Hummus - 14 Dinner Vegetable Pashtida (Frittata) - 18 Chicken Soup with Noodles - 20 Dessert Fruit Salad - 24 Real Israeli Coffee in a coffeepot (finjan) - 26 2
Before you begin: Kitchen Must Haves Before you start cooking, you have to be well stocked up on some staple items, both in terms of food and kitchen wares. Make sure your kitchen has the basics a sink with running water, a stove, an oven, plenty of preparation space as well as the items listed below so you don t get stuck in the middle of cooking up a storm! Basic Food items to stock up on: שמן זית Zayit Olive Oil Shemen לימון Limon Lemon גרגירי חומוס hummus Chickpeas Garg irey מלח Melach Salt Basic Must Have Kitchen Items: קרש חיתוך Chituch Chopping Board Keresh סכין Sakin A good cutting knife כפית Kapit A mixing spoon נייר כסף Kesef (Aluminum)Tin foil Niyar פלפל Pilpel Pepper סוכר Sukar Sugar עגבניות Agvani ot Tomatoes מלפפונים Melafafonim Cucumbers שום Shum Garlic בצל Batsal Onion פטרוזיליה טריה tria Fresh Parsley Petrozillia Various sizes of: סירים Sirim Saucepans מחבתות Machbatot Frying pans קערות Ke arot Bowls כוסות מדידה Medida Measuring cups Kosot קולף ירקות Yerakot Vegetable peeler Kolef בייצים Beytsim Eggs אורז Orez Rice חלב Chalav Milk קמח Kemach Flour ב רו ך א ת ה י י א ל ה ינו מ ל ך ה עו ל ם, ה מ ו צ יא ל ח ם מ ן ה א ר ץ. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, ruler of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth. 3
BREAKFAST 4
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Shakshuka Eggs with tomatoes and peppers Israeli breakfast is a production and a half, and with good reason; as the old saying goes, it s the most important meal of the day, so Israelis are sure to pack everything that they can into it! When the country was being built in agricultural settlements, breakfast was always the largest meal before workers headed off into the fields for a hard day s labor. Though times have changed, the breakfast menu remains the same. A popular Mediterranean twist on eggs is called shakshuka, which includes the eggs being poached into a rich tomato sauce with peppers and tomatoes, served with bread and salad, which are staples of every single meal, breakfast, lunch and dinner. You will need: 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 onion, diced 1 green/red bell pepper, diced 1 (28 ounce - small) can whole peeled plum tomatoes with juice 2 slices fresh jalapeno/chilli pepper, finely chopped (optional) 4 eggs 4 slices pita bread Salt & Pepper to taste Directions Heat the vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, onion, and bell pepper; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, paprika and jalapenos/chili and stir, using the back of a spoon to break up the tomatoes. Simmer for about 25 minutes. Crack an egg into a small bowl, then gently slip the egg into the tomato sauce. Repeat with the remaining eggs. Cook the eggs until the whites are firm and the yolks have thickened but are not hard, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. If the tomato sauce gets dry, add a few tablespoons of water. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon, place onto a warm plate, and serve with the tomato sauce, salad and pita bread. Alternatively, if you are happy to do so, the dish can be served straight out of the skillet. 6 www.eteacherbiblical.com
Dictionary Stir Livchosh לבחוש Simmer Reticha רתיחה Add Lehosif להוסיף Plate Tsa lachat צלחת 7
Chopped Salad Israeli Salad No meal in Israel is complete without it. Every meal, no matter what time of day, boasts the fresh, tasty produce of the land in particular, cucumbers and tomatoes. This salad goes with everything eggs, meat, fish, savory and sweet pastries and is of course, enjoyable on its own. Note that this isn t a salad to be made in bulk that can sit in the fridge make it, eat it, and then make some more for the next meal! You will need: 3 large cucumbers 3 green/red peppers 3 large firm tomatoes ½ cup extra virgin olive oil Sea salt to taste, optional Juice of half a lemon Fresh chopped parsley (optional) Directions Dice the vegetables and toss them. Just before serving, drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, and sprinkle with fresh parsley and a little salt. This salad can become very soggy if kept too long. It s best served fresh. It won t last longer than a day in the refrigerator. 8 www.eteacherhebrew.com
Dictionary Vegetables Yerakot ירקות Drizzle Lefazer לפזר To toss Le arbev לערבב Fresh Ta ri טרי 9
LUNCH ) ג, ח, י חי ה ה א דם (דברים, י הו ה - מ וצ א פי - כ ל - כ י ע ל -- ה ל חם ל ב ד ו י חי ה ה א דם - ל כ י ל א ע 10 Man doesn t live by bread only, but rather by every word the comes out of the mouth of the LORD (Deut 8:3)
11 Photo by: Boruk Gradman
Falafel in pita Fried chickpea balls served with hummus, tehina and salad Falafel is commonly seen as the flagship Israeli food when in fact, it s a delicacy the whole Middle East enjoys. You can t walk a block in an Israeli city without seeing at least two or three falafel vendors, usually in small kiosks on boulevards, but also squeezed between shopfronts as well. It s delicious, quick and the ultimate Israeli fast food considering you can eat the packaging it comes in! As a side note, McDonalds in Israel had a short lived McFalafel campaign but as you can imagine, it fizzled out quickly there s simply nothing better than your local falafel guy, handing you a hot pita pocket of falafel smothered in hummus, tehina, salad and chips. Try making it yourself, it s so easy! You will need: 1 cup dried chickpeas or 16 oz. can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans. 1 large onion, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, chopped 3 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped 1 teaspoon coriander 1 teaspoon cumin 2 tablespoons flour Salt Pepper Oil for frying Directions Place dried chickpeas in a bowl, covering with cold water. Allow to soak overnight. Omit this step if using canned beans. Drain chickpeas, and place in pan with fresh water, and bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 5 minutes, then let simmer on low for about an hour. Drain and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper (to taste) in medium bowl. Add flour. Mash chickpeas, ensuring to mix ingredients together. You can also combine ingredients in a food processor. You want the result to be a thick paste. Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball. Slightly flatten. Fry in 2 inches of oil at 350 degrees until golden brown (5-7 minutes). 12 www.eteacherbiblical.com
Dictionary Drain Lenakez לנקז Combine Leshalev לשלב To boil Lirticha לרתיחה Mixture Ta arovet תערובת 13
Hummus - Chickpea spread The film You Don t Mess with the Zohan might have blown things slightly out of proportion, but hummus is truly an Israeli and again, middle eastern, staple. Like salad, it can be eaten at every meal and can be a meal unto itself. This simple blend of chickpeas, olive oil, lemon, garlic and salt goes with everything and can be found almost everywhere. Whereas kids in the US might long for a peanut butter sandwich as a snack, kids in Israel long for hummus and pita. No matter what, this is a definite part of your day of eating in Israel. You will need: One 15-ounce can (425 grams) chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans 1/4 cup (59 ml) fresh lemon juice, about 1 large lemon 1/4 cup (59 ml) sesame paste (tehina) Half of a large garlic clove, minced 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, depending on taste 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 2 to 3 tablespoons water Dash of ground paprika for serving Directions In the bowl of a food processor, combine tehina and lemon juice. Process for 1 minute. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl then turn on and process for 30 seconds. This extra time helps whip or cream the tehina, making smooth and creamy hummus possible. Add the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin and the salt to whipped tehina and lemon juice. Process for 30 seconds, scrape sides and bottom of bowl then process another 30 seconds. Open can of chickpeas, drain liquid then rinse well with water. Add half of the chickpeas to the food processor then process for 1 minute. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl, add remaining chickpeas and process for 1 to 2 minutes or until thick and quite smooth. Most likely the hummus will be too thick or still have tiny bits of chickpea. To fix this, with the food processor turned on, slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water until the consistency is perfect. Place the hummus in a bowl then drizzle about 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the top and sprinkle with paprika. 14 www.eteacherhebrew.com
Dictionary Taste Ta am טעם Smooth Chalak ח לק Scrape Lenagev לנגב Consistency Akvi oot עקביות 15
DINNER 16
17 Photo by: Boruk Gradman
Pashtida Vegetarian Fritatta In Israel, dinner is often a very light meal, using a number of ingredients left over from breakfast. Since the weather is more than often hot, and the midday meal is usually heavy, dishes using lots of egg, cheese and vegetables are preferred for the evening. A pashtida is a great example of this; it basically combines all of these ingredients into a casserole dish which requires nothing more than some mixing together and then popping into the oven, served with salad and pita. Enjoy! You will need: 2-3 carrots grated 6 or 7 med. zucchini, grated 1 red bell pepper, sliced 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped 1 lg onion minced 1/2 cup olive/canola oil 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 to 1 1/2 tsp salt Pepper as desired 2 cups flour or matzo meal I cup grated cheese/cottage cheese (optional) Directions Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients together well. The mixture will seem dry, but rest assured that the veggies will excrete water as they cook. Put in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan until set, about 40-45 minutes (or longer). Ready when lightly browned on top. 18 www.eteacherbiblical.com
Dictionary Grated Me goorad מגורד Spinach Tered תרד Sliced Paroos פרוס Oven Tanoor תנור 19
Chicken Soup with vegetables and noodles An all-round favorite from webinar host, Sigal Zohar Chicken soup in Israel is not only the world s greatest cold remedy, it s also an everyday food that can be enjoyed whenever you like. Chicken soup is commonly served for the Sabbath meal (in my house it s not Shabbat without it!), as is Challah, the braided bread for the Sabbath, but both are enjoyed as everyday foods in Israel as well. This recipe comes from my late mother-in-law, Clara Zohar, and the soup s rich aroma carries with it so much history, culture and lots of love. It s great for dinner and can stored and frozen easily. Enjoy! You will need: 5-6 chicken parts (legs and thighs) A liter of water 3 carrots, peeled and diced One celery root (small) peeled and diced 2 zucchini, peeled and diced 1 onion, peeled and diced 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced I cup thin soup noodles Chopped parsley Salt & pepper to taste 2 tablespoons powdered chicken stock Directions Cook the chicken (only) in water (enough to cover the chicken) for 15 minutes or more. Then add all of the diced vegetables and cook together with the chicken for one hour. After an hour, drain out the water, remove the chicken and vegetables and thoroughly clean the pot. Afterwards, place the chicken and vegetables back in the pot with clean water, enough to cover all the contents. Cook together for another hour, adding the chicken stock, salt, pepper and parsley 30 minutes later. After another 30 minutes, add the noodles. Serve hot! 20 www.eteacherhebrew.com
Dictionary Peeled Mekulafim - מקולפים Potatoes Tapuche i adama - תפוחי אדמה Zucchini Kishuim - קישואים Chicken Stock Avakat Marak אבקת מרק 21
DESSERT 22
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Fruit Salad For all of the tasty sweets and pastries Israel has to offer, nothing goes over better, anywhere, than the fresh produce of the land. As Genesis 1:12 says: ו ת ו צ א ה א ר ץ ד ש א ע ש ב מ ז ר יע ז ר ע, ל מ ינ הו, ו ע ץ ע ש ה-פ ר י א ש ר ז ר עו -בו, ל מ ינ הו ; ו י ר א א ל ה ים, כ י-טו ב And the earth brought forth grass, herb yielding seed after its kind, and tree bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after its kind; and God saw that it was good. It s always refreshing, always appropriate and always available. So let s make some fruit salad! You will need: Assorted fruits Melon, Pineapple, Berries, Orange, Apple, Grapes, Banana Directions: Dice all of the chosen fruits and place in a large bowl or on a platter. If possible, chill for at least an hour in the refrigerator before serving. 24 www.eteacherbiblical.com
Dictionary Refreshing Me ra anen מרענן Grapes Anavim - ענבים Pineapple Annanas - אננס Platter Magash מגש 25
REAL Israeli Coffee in a finjan (Coffeepot) Seeing Israel through the coffee glass, by journalist and editor Nimrod Ganzarski When it comes to coffee, there are rules. You know what they say: על טעם ועל ריח אין להתווכח. (Al ta am v al re ach ein lehitvake ach - taste and smell are subjective, so there is no argument). Israelis drink their coffee tough, a reflection of themselves. Despite the hundreds of cafès in Israel that sell all of those Cappuccino, Macchiato and other high-class We-don t-know-what-that-italian-word-means types of coffee, Israelis generally prefer it strong, tough and dark. You can tell by now that I m far from an elitist coffee drinker. I, like many other Israelis, am on the dark side of coffee. I like it black. Our black is not your black In Israel, black coffee is what western countries call Turkish Coffee. It s an art form and must be made with precision and concentration, but most importantly, with love and passion. In Israel it is usually referred to as black coffee, but also Turkish or Bots coffee ( בוץ meaning mud because of the residue left at the bottom of the glass.) A lot of Israeli men (yep, it s a guy thing) have Black coffee kits in the back of their car. The kit contains coffee, sugar, 2-4 small glasses, a small pot and a gas burner (cooker). The coffee kit culture is so popular that it is sold as a product in many stores. Making it Here are the laws of making a real black coffee: The first law concerns the glass. It must be a plain glass, preferably with no handle. The bottom must be smaller in diameter than the top. If you physically or mentally need a handle, the top and bottom of the glass must have the same diameter size. The second law concerns the amount. Black coffee drinkers are not wimpy of course, so there must be a heaped mountain of coffee on the teaspoon. The third law concerns sweetness. If you have a problem with sugar, don t drink black coffee. When preparing black coffee, the sugar is always added DURING cooking. When making bots, it must be lightly scattered AFTER pouring the boiling water. This is to ensure the sugar grains take the floating coffee grains down with them. 26 www.eteacherhebrew.com
The fourth law concerns the cooking of the coffee. This law has several interpretations, depending on which black coffee drinking laws you have been schooled in. However, all agree that first you heat water in a pot (1¼ glasses of water for each drinker). Just before it reaches the boiling point, you drop in the coffee and stir (one full spoon for every glass). A moment later, drop in the sugar and stir (two sugar units for every glass). When you finally reach boiling point, you must pick up the pot and let the boiling water subside briefly, and then return the pot to the stove/fire. Now the dispute arises; how many times must you pick-up-and-put-back the pot? Well, it s somewhere between three to seven times, depending on how you like it. Only then can you pour the coffee into the glasses. The fifth and last law demands you hold the glass with your index finger and thumb. Now drink up! Dictionary Black Shachor - שחור Glass Koss - כוס Mud - Bots - בוץ Boiling - Rote-ach - רותח 27