KUBBA POTETA Preparation time: 120 minutes Ingredients for wrap ½ kg potatoes 1 tsp salt 3-6 tbsp cornflour Method for wrap 1. Boil potatoes until soft, drain, peel and mash (in food processor). The mixture is not meant to be hard. 2. Add cornflour and salt and mix. Filling ingredients ½ kg minced beef + ½ kg chicken breast/shawarma minced (it is possible to chop the meat finely to 1 cm cubes) For vegetarians: ground vegetarian mince (Tivol) 4 tbsp oil Black pepper Salt Paprika Hot paprika 2 cloves of garlic minced ½ tbsp Baharat 5 stalks celery finely chopped 1 cup raisins ½ cup bleached almonds soaked in water and coarsely chopped ½ tsp ground cardamon Method for filling 1. Heat oil and sauté onions, add meat and mix. 2. Spice with salt and pepper, simmer while stirring for 7-10 minutes. 3. Add Baharat, celery, parsley, raisins, almonds and cardamon. Mix evenly and cool. Coating ingredients 1 cup matzo meal ¼ tsp black pepper ¼ tsp paprika 2 eggs Oil for frying Method for patties 1. Make about 40 balls form the wrap mixture and place on a tray. 2. Prepare a bowl of water. 3. Take a ball of potato, flatten with wet fingers, hold with thumb and fill with a heaped teaspoon of meat. Tighten, make into a ball. Press gently to make a disc shape. Coating ingredients 1 cup matzo meal 2 eggs ¼ tsp black pepper Oil for frying ¼ tsp paprika 1. Mix all the ingredients together. 2. Heat oil in frying pan, dip patty in egg then matzo meal and fry in hot oil on both sides until golden brown. Note: can be served hot or cold. 52
MEATBALLS Preparation time: 120 minutes 70-80 meatballs Ingredients ½ kg beef mince ½ kg chicken mince 2-3 onions – grated or chopped in food processor (squeeze and keep liquid) 1 bunch parsley – chopped 2 stalks celery 3-4 cloves of garlic – chopped 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 1-2 tsp paprika ½ tsp hot paprika For seasoned meatballs Add rind of lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger and white pepper Method 1. Mix all the ingredients. 2. Shape to ellipse and fry gently in wide pot and transfer to a plate. 3. At this stage you can add to okra. See page 10. 4.In the same pot boil 4-5 grated tomatoes, salt, black pepper, paprika, hot paprika well as celery, onion juice and onion. 5. When boiled add meatballs and simmer for about an hour. No need to add water. 54
INGRIYI - MEAT AND EGGPLANT CASSEROLE Preparation time: 120 minutes 10 portions Ingredients 10-12 tomatoes sliced horizontally 3-4 eggplants sliced 1.5cm thick – baked until golden brown ½ kg beef or chicken cut to 2cm cubes 1 tbsp tomato paste 8-10 onions sliced 4 tbsp canola or olive oil Black pepper Paprika Garlic powder Salt 4 cloves of garlic chopped 8-10 tbsp lemon juice (approximately ¾ cup) 1-2 tbsp pomegranate concentrate 2-4 tbsp sugar Method 1. Salt eggplant for half an hour, dry and place on tray. 2. Option A: brush eggplant slices with oil, place on rack, in baking tin lined with baking paper. Place in oven preheated to 1800C for half an hour then reduce heat to 1200C for another one and a half to two hours. Option B: Fry eggplant on both sides. 3. Mix meat with some of the ingredients: black pepper, salt, garlic powder and paprika. Assembling the dish In a wide pot arrange a layer of tomatoes, layer on onion, layer of eggplant, layer of meat, layer of eggplant, layer of onion, layer of tomato. The sauce 1. Mix lemon juice (for every tablespoon of lemon juice add ½ tbsp sugar), pomegranate concentrate. 2. Bring to the boil and simmer on low flame for approximately 2 hours. Notes: 1. Do not add water. 2. Needs to be mixed from time to time and ensure not drying up. A delicious meat meal served on a bed of white rice on special occasions and for either lunch or dinner. 56
For vegans 300 grams plant-based mince 2 tsp salt (1 tsp for every cup of rice) Black pepper Sweet paprika Hot paprika Garlic powder 1 grated carrot 1 chopped onion MAHASHI MAKHLUTA - STUFFED VEGETABLES Preparation time: 120 minutes Serves 12 Ingredients 8 medium size beetroot leaves soaked in hot water for ten minutes 4 hollowed tomatoes, keep the inside for the sauce 4 small, hollowed beetroots 2 small, hollowed zucchinis 2 large onions cut length ways, soaked in water and separated to layers 1 eggplant cut in half and centre cut out 1 grated carrot 2-4 light green or red capsicum, seeds emptied, soak in hot water to take away bitterness Chop for later use Filling 2 cups rice soaked for an hour and rinsed 200 grams minced meat 200 grams minced chicken Bunch continental parsley Sauce The inside of the tomatoes already hollowed 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 ½ -2 cups water 8 tbsp fresh lemon juice 3 tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt Black pepper 2 tbsp pomegranate concentrate Method filling 1. Fry onion until golden brown with garlic, spices and meat or vegan option. 2. Add soaked rice and mix well. 3. Mix rice, meat, salt, black pepper, paprika, chopped vegetables, grated carrot and parsley. Assembling the stuffed vegetables 1. Place celery leaves and white part of beetroot leaves at the bottom of a pot. 2. Fill vegetables up 2/3 of their height, and place closely to each other in wide pot. 3. Cover the vegetables with “their” lid. 4.Scatter rest of onion on top. The sauce 1. Chop the insides of the tomatoes and mix with tomato paste. 2. Mix well, water, lemon juice, sugar, black pepper, and 2 tbsp pomegranate concentrate. Cooking the stuffed vegetables 1. Bring to the boil, cook on high flame for approximately 10 minutes and then reduce heat. 2. Continue simmering for approximately one and a half hours. Safta used to say you stuff every vegetable except red capsicums. 58
PLAU B’JEEJ - RED RICE WITH CHICKEN Preparation time: 60 minutes Serves 8-10 Ingredients One chicken cut into 8 or 10 pieces 1 medium onion finely chopped 1 ½ tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper 1 tsp paprika ¼ tsp hot pepper 1 tsp garlic powder or 3 cloves of garlic Oil 2 cups rice soaked in water for 15 minutes 4-5 grated tomatoes 1 tbsp tomato paste 50 grams chickpeas or broad beans soaked in water for 12 hours 30 grams almonds soaked in water for half an hour peeled and halved. Method 1. Wash the chicken in hot water. 2. Heat oil in a pot and add onion, salt, black pepper, paprika, hot paprika and garlic. 3. When onion is golden brown add chicken pieces and sear on all sides. 4. Add grated tomatoes and chickpeas (you may omit the chickpeas/ broad beans). 5. Boil for ten minutes and continue to simmer for an hour. 6. Place chicken in a separate dish. 7. Measure 2 cups of the liquid in the pot. If necessary, add water. One cup of water for each cup of rice. 8. Bring the sauce that is left in the pot to the boil, stir and add the washed rice. Bring to the boil and reduce heat. Mix and cover the lid of the pot with a tea towel. 9. Let rice cook for another 15-20 minutes. 10. Put 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan and add almonds and raisins, while continuously mixing around until golden brown (the raisins swell when fried). Serving suggestion Place rice on a tray or large plate, sprinkle almonds and raisins on top and then arrange chicken pieces at the top. On Shabbat and festivals, mom would make the almonds and raisins as well. I would lick my fingers and search for them. Yoav 60
SHORBA Preparation time: 60 minutes Serves 4-6 Ingredients 4 pieces of chicken: 2 legs and 2 wings 2 ripe grated tomatoes 1 heaped tbsp tomato paste 1 cup basmati rice soaked in water for an hour ½ tsp salt Pinch black pepper 1 onion finely chopped Oil 2 cloves of garlic chopped 1 tsp paprika ½ tsp Baharat (optional) 5 cups water – approximately Method 1. In a deep pot, heat oil and brown onion and garlic. 2. Add grated tomatoes and tomato paste, chicken pieces, salt, pepper, paprika and water. 3. Mix well and boil for 15-20 minutes. 4.Add the rice, stir, cover pot and add more water if necessary. 5. After ten minutes, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. 6. Stir from time to time. The fun was to eat it on a cold day. I would be disappointed to come across the chicken skin that would be in the pot. Yoav 62
TBEET – IRAQI-STYLE CHOLENT Preparation 8 hours Serves 8-10 Ingredients 1 whole chicken cut in 10 pieces, or 5 chicken thighs (about 1.5 kg in total) washed in warm water 6-8 grated tomatoes 2 onions finely chopped 4-5 cloves of garlic-chopped Salt Pepper Paprika Hot paprika 1-1 ½ tbsp Baharat 2-3 cups basmati rice 5-8 hard boiled eggs Method 1. Sauté onion and garlic until golden brown. 2. Sear chicken on all sides and add grated tomatoes, cook until chicken is cooked. 3. Place chicken in a separate dish and leave gravy in the pot. 4. Measure one cup of liquid for every cup of rice. Save the rest. 5. Boil the gravy and add the rice, cook on low flame. 6. Once rice is cooked, remove half the rice, place the chicken pieces in the pot and return the rice to cover the chicken. Pour gravy that was put aside and keep one cup of gravy. 7. Place baking paper on top and press tight. 8. Place hard boiled eggs on top and cover pot. 9. Cover the pot in foil and bake in moderate oven for 2 hours – approximately 1800C. 10. Reduce temperature to 800C-1000C and bake for 8 hours. For breakfast on Shabbat morning there were brown eggs and cottage cheese, fried eggplant and sometimes Iraqi pita bread and sometimes bread with margarine. This was a half Iraqi breakfast that included salad prepared by Dad with cucumbers, tomatoes and a lot of parsley. Leah 64
MAFRUM - LYBIAN STUFFED POTATOES Preparation time: 120 minutes Makes 24-30 patties Ingredients ½ kg beef mince ½ kg chicken mince For vegans – plant-based meat ½ cup chickpeas soaked overnight in water 10 potatoes sliced to 2-3 slices. Slice the potatoes a second time but leave approx. 2cm at the end connected 1 tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper 1 tsp paprika ½ tsp hot paprika 1 tbsp mafrum spice 4 cloves of garlic crushed for the meatballs 4-5 grated onions, keep the water Bunch continental parsley finely chopped 2 stalks celery 2 chopped celery stalks 2 carrots cut in rings For the sauce 6-8 grated tomatoes Up to half a cup water Salt Black pepper 1 tbsp mafrum spice Paprika Hot paprika ½ tsp nutmeg Method 1. In a pot with salted water boil the soaked chickpeas until soft. 2. In a low wide pot mix mince (or vegan option), grated onion without the liquid, parsley, celery, salt black pepper, paprika, hot paprika, crushed garlic and mafrum spice. 3. Fill meat between the potato slices and press. 4.Mix coating ingredients, egg. salt. black pepper and tomato paste. 5. Heat oil in large shallow frying pan. 6. Dip potatoes in coating and fry. 7. In a wide pot place chopped celery, carrot, chickpeas and sliced garlic. 8. Arrange the fried potatoes and place celery stalks on top. The sauce 1. Place the grated tomatoes, water, salt black pepper, mafrum spice, paprika, hot paprika and nutmeg in a pot and mix well. 2. Using a spoon scatter the stuffed potatoes on top. 3. Boil for ten minutes, lower flame and cook for approximately 2 hours. Safta Marcelle learnt how to make Mafrum from Tina Segev, her cousin whose husband was from Tripoli. Coating 2 eggs For vegans – instead of egg use 4 tbsp chickpea flour mixed with water Black pepper 2 tbsp tomato paste 66
Ori, Tomer, Erez, Matti, Yoav Orly, Israel, Meirav, Shani, Michali, Bilha, Moshe, Netta & Marcelle at the memorial service for Saba Aharon in 2013 Marcelle Ariel, Morris, Marcelle, Keren & Davita Limor, Marcelle & Kerry Marcelle, Mary, Shlomit, Keren, ---, Orat, Noa, and Michael at Israel & Meirav’s wedding Hektor & Roza, (Noga’s grandparents), Marcelle & Yotam 68
The ABC of Safta Marcelle Ben Moshe A greeting adapted by Meirav for Safta Marcelle’s 80th Birthday Alef א אוכל Food: which is the essence of Safta Marcelle. In her words: “first sit down and eat.” Bet ב משה בן Obviously Ben Moshe, and home בית and school ספר בית which are all essential. And to be “a mensch” in Yidish מענטש is most important Gimel ג גמרת” Did you finish eating" and “ Did you finish doing your homework?” Discipline & organization. Daled ד דורות Generations: When she died, Safta had 5 children, 15 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. They were her pride and joy. Hey ה השכלה Education: Her top value that she managed to instil to all generations. Also, “Have you gone mad?” השתגעתי a great word. Used to describe something big such as “You know, yesterday I made Kubba for Tikva’s guests, it came out delicious – they went mad.” Vav ו וויי וויי וויי” Way Way Way… – OMG” for better or for worse. Such as “OMG! you didn’t buy me semolina?! how will I make Kubba for the kids?” Zayin ז זכרונות Memories: “in Iraq we…” or “Yoav was so organised at school!” or “Matti was so mischievous!” Chet ח חנקין Khanaqin: her place of birth where it all began Holon חולון where the family grew up, and Wedding חתונה because it is the most important thing to do! Tet ט טעים Delicious: the ultimate compliment. Yod י ילדים Children: and every additional word would be wasted. Kaf כ כסף Money: important to save and use sparingly. Lamed ל צריך לא” No need:” and “Tell me, have you gone mad, why are you making this party?” Mem מ ממולאים Stuffed vegetables: and “poor Sroolik “שרוליק מסכן) “who was in the US for 3 years), shame he didn’t come to eat, it came out so delicious,…” and family, family, family משפחה. Nun נ נכדים Grandchildren: and great grandchildren – they should just be healthy. Samech ס סלונה Salona (recipe pg 32): a Babylonian festive dish served on holidays and also “Smallah.” סמאללה Ayin ע עירק Iraq: where the Babylonian Olim community was established, work עבודה and Abdel Wahab of course. Peh פ פרצוף A Face: (originally form Saba Aharon). “Yotam, that face of yours.” Tzadik צ ציונים Marks: “Netta, I want good marks.” An expression accompanied with a teacher finger wave. Kuf ק קובה Red beet kubba, okra kubba pumpkin kubba and sugared orange and pomelo peel מסוכרות קליפות that was exported to Australia, Norway and USA. Reish ר ריבה Safta’s jam: that have a seal of approval and also have an active export line. Shin ש שתצליח” May you be successful in all you do”: top value even higher than satisfaction or self-expression. Tav ת תודה Huge Thank you. Meirav, Noa, Nurit, Noga, Orly, Shani, Tamar, Adar, Shlomit, Bilha, Netta & Ronnie Marcelle at her 80th birthday 69
You look through the window, its shutters held up with match boxes that you had asked us to collect because in winter due to the temperature change they get destroyed. A one and half bedroom government apartment in Holon that is the world. We go upstairs, two kisses on the cheeks and sit at the small table, red rice with chicken, patties, beetroot Kubba, potato Kubba, white rice and Ba’aba with dates. Not allowed to leave the table until the plate is empty. Coloured glass dishes, floral plates and the smell of home with the humidity that comes from the sea. Moving to the lounge room, drinking tea or coffee. As the years went past the visit changed to Shabbat at our place. Shabbatot that start with the smell of frying eggplant, kubba would stay and okra and pumpkin added, there is also sambusak. When I lived in Givatayim, we saw each other more often, we ate ice cream together, drank tea. You told me about your father and how the parents lived in the house next door on the first floor, about the brothers who took care of you and helped you. During the holidays, you gave us money, equal amounts to all the grandchildren, “I don’t know how to buy presents, buy something nice for yourself.” Our weekly conversations were almost the same. “Ahlan ya Tamari, how are you? I’m in pain. When will you finish your studies? When will you get married? Are you happy at work? That’s important. How are you managing with food? When are you coming to visit? Why do you live so far away? If you need something let me know. I have it here it’s a shame not to use”. When I told you I was studying urban planning you got excited and told me you don’t love to live in a tower, steps are hard for you. You mentioned how the children used to play in the sand across the road and now there are buildings there. During COVID-19 I said I’d show you what I do, I wanted to show you a map of Yerucham but I never got the chance to do it. “You are not allowed to walk around barefoot, I will give you a smack on your bottom. In Iraq it was not the same. I took care of everything, five children and my late husband used to say “it’s your problem” and thank G-d I managed.” Without many words you brought up a large and tightknit family with Iraqi pride and amazing food. You made sure that we remembered that the most important thing is success, to study and raise a family. It is strange that you are not here with us now, I already miss you. Love Tamar Tamar & Marcelle Tamar, Marcelle & Yoav 70
Marcelle & Yoav in Norway, 1986 Marcelle & Netta Noa, Noga, Marcelle, Leah, Yotam, Shani, Netta, Tamar, Erez, Shlomit & Israel Marcelle Marcelle preparing Ba’aba Marcelle, Leah & Keren 71
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BA’ABA WITH DATES/NUTS Preparation time: 90 minutes Makes 70 units Ingredients For the pastry 1 kg flour 2 tbsp yeast or 20 gr fresh yeast ½ cup sugar ½ cup oil 200 grams melted butter 1 tsp salt – add to the dough at the end so it does not have contact with the yeast 1 tbsp cinnamon 2 cups water (approximately) Date filling 2 packets vacuum packed dates, cut into 2cm cubes and rolled into balls 1 tsp cinnamon (optional) Walnut/almond/peanut filling ½ kg of ground or coarsely chopped walnut/almonds/peanuts 1 cup sugar ½ tsp ground cardamon ½ tsp cinnamon (optional) Method Pastry 1. Knead all pastry ingredients to a soft dough. 2. Let rise for one hour. Date filling 1. Make a ball out of dough the size of a table tennis ball, place date in the centre. Close the ball and roll. 2. Take the ball from the sealed side and dip in sesame. 3. Gently roll out with a rolling pin. 4.Prick the centre area with a fork. 5. Arrange on baking tray. Nut filling 1. Roll out pastry with a rolling pin and cut circles with a cup. 2. Place a pastry circle in your hand and fill the centre with a teaspoon of filling. 3. Seal the pastry around the filling and then pinch the centre ensuring it is completely sealed. Pinch the edges with a fork. 4.Beat the egg or mix vegan ingredients and brush the biscuits. Bake in moderate oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Note: Overbaking hardens the filling. Nana (Safta) Hela used to make large amounts of Ba’aba for Purim and special occasions. She would arrange them on a large tray, cover in a towel and blanket to keep fresh and store under her ‘Sochnut’ (Jewish Agency) bed in the small room. Mom used to send me to fetch manana rice that she had cooked, and she would spoil me with Ba’aba one with dates the other with peanuts. Bilha Coating ingredients 1 egg beaten Sesame seeds For vegans ½ cup soy milk 1 tbsp date honey 1 tbsp grape seed oil sesame 74
BA’ABA WITH CHEESE Preparation time: 90 minutes Makes 70 units Ingredients Pastry 1 kg flour ¾ cup canola oil 200 grams butter 1 tbsp salt 2 tbsp dry yeast or 20 grams fresh yeast 1 - 1½ cups water 1 tsp sugar Filling 300 grams Iraqi cheese (jibn) 100 grams grated cheese 1 egg (optional) Coating 1 egg mixed with water For vegans ½ cup soy milk 1 tbsp canola oil Method 1. Mix all filling ingredients. 2. Knead all pastry ingredients to a soft dough. 3. Divide into 6 parts. 4.Roll out using a rolling pin and cut circles approximately 6-8 cm in diameter with a cup. 5. Place pastry circle in hand and place a teaspoon of filling on one half. Fold and seal to look like a semi-circle boureka. Pinch the sides with a fork. Place on baking tray lined with baking paper. Leave space. 6. Brush with egg or vegan coating. 7. Bake in moderate oven 10-15 minutes until golden brown. When I travelled to ‘mechina’ (pre-army programme), I would get a treat for the beginning of the week that Safta had prepared on the weekend. Every day I would eat one and keep the rest until they went mouldy, I never wanted them to finish! Netta 76
HUMMUS SAMBUSAK Preparation time: 150 minutes Makes approximately 80 units Ingredients Pastry 1kg flour 1 tbsp dry yeast 1 tbsp salt 1-2 cups boiled chickpea water ¾ cup oil Filling 500 grams chickpeas 1 tsp salt 6-8 onions 4 cloves of garlic, chopped 1 tbsp cumin Method Pastry 1. Knead all ingredients except salt. 2. Add salt. 3. Knead until soft dough is formed. 4.Let rise for half an hour. Filling 1. Soak chickpeas overnight. 2. Boil chickpeas with salt, from time to time remove foam that forms. Keep 2 cups of the chickpea water. 3. Strain chickpeas and process in food processor. 4.Slice onions thinly. 5. Heat oil in frying pan and add onions, fry until golden brown. 6. Add garlic, salt, black pepper, paprika and cumin. 7. Mix chickpeas with onions. Assembling the sambusak 1. Divide pastry into 4 and roll out each quarter to 0.5cm thickness. 2. Cut out circles with a cup. 3. Fill the centres with a heaped teaspoon of chickpea filling. Tighten the sides first and ensure tightly closed so they don’t open when frying. 4. Heat oil in deep pot. 5. Fry on both sides and place on absorbent paper. Note: Instead of frying they can be placed on a baking tray and baked in moderate oven for approximately 20 minutes. Nana (Safta) Hela was the one who made the Sambusak. Mom did not like frying, that is why she didn’t make Sambusak and didn’t know the recipe. She also did not make doughnuts for Hanukka and she didn’t bake cakes. When I came back from boarding school I would bake. She only started baking when I left home. Bilha 78
KA’AKAT Preparation time: 150 minutes Makes approximately 80 units Ingredients Pastry 1kg flour 2 eggs (optional) ¾ cup oil 2 tbsp dry yeast (50 gr fresh yeast) 1 tbsp sugar 1-2 tbsp Hawaij for baking 1 tsp salt 1 ½ cups water Coating Egg mixed with water Vegan option ½ cup soy milk 1 tbsp oil Method 1. Mix all ingredients and add salt at the end. 2. Allow to rise for 1 ½ hours. 3. Make pretzels and place on baking tray. 4.Brush with egg or vegan option. 5. Let rise for another hour. 6. Bake in pre-heated oven at 1800C. A dish served at circumcisions. They used to serve the guests with pretzels and turkish delight. Pretzels symbolise prosperity and the turkish delight symbolises a sweet and good life. 80
RED PLUM/PEACH/APRICOT/QUINCE JAM Preparation time: 120 minutes Jam with no added water Ingredients 1 kg fruit washed and pipped, and cubed or halved ½ - ¾ kg sugar 2-4 tbsp lemon juice Pectin – natural hardening ingredient or lemon pips in a small cooking bag Seasoning options Option 1: cinnamon stick, vanilla, star anis, 4 cloves, 4 pepper corns Option 2: ½ tsp cardamon Method 1. Place fruit in a pot, sprinkle sugar on top and refrigerate overnight. Seasoning option 1: place spices in a bag, in order to be able to take them out after cooking. 2. Next day, boil and cook on low heat for an hour, from time to time remove the froth and stir until thick. 3. Towards the end add the lemon juice. For seasoning option 2 add the cardamon. 4.Mix the hardening ingredient with 2 tablespoons of the jam sauce, pour into pot, mix well and cook for another 5 minutes. 5. Sterilize jars and fill with hot jam. QUINCE JAM Preparation time: 120 minutes Jam with added water Ingredients 2-4 quinces peeled and cut in strips or cubed 500-750 grams sugar for every 500 grams fruit 1 tsp cardamon 2-4 tbsp lemon juice 2 cups water Method 1. Place quinces in pot, add 2 cups water and boil. 2. Remove the fruit and add sugar to the water, boil again. 3. Add the fruit, boil for 5 minutes lower flame and cook stirring from time to time for another 45-60 minutes. 4.Add lemon juice and cardamon towards the end of the cooking. During shopping before Jewish holidays Yoav and I were the sugar porters from the supermarket. Ten kilograms to make jam for the masses. Anyone who walked into the house received a small jar. Matti The glass jar in the picture was used for serving charoset to the family on Seder night. The charoset was made with date honey, walnuts and peanuts. Bilha 82
CANDIED CITRUS PEEL Preparation time: 120 minutes Ingredients 2 pummelos / 8-10 oranges / 8-10 lemons 2 cups sugar 2 cups orange juice or water 1 star anis 4 cloves 5 pepper corns Cinnamon stick Cardamon seeds Desiccated coconut or sugar Method 1. Peel a thin layer of the outer peel with a peeler (without the white interior). 2. Cut slots along the fruit and peel the white part: Option 1: cut into strips 3cm long and ½ cm wide. Option 2: cut into cubes. 3. Soak the peel to remove bitterness: Option 1: place peel in a bowl, cover in water and place heavy plate on top. Change the water every day for 3-4 days. Option 2: place peel in a pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil and pour out the water. Repeat 2-4 times. 4.In a pot, melt the sugar with orange juice or water. 5. Place the star anis, cloves, pepper corns, cinnamon and cardamon seeds in a cooking bag and put in the pot. 6. Add the peel to the sauce and boil, stir while on a low flame for about an hour. Drying the peel Take the peel out of the sauce, roll in coconut or sugar, arrange on baking tray for drying. Option 1: Place baking tray in oven on 1000C for an hour, turn over from time to time. Option 2: Place in baking tray and leave on kitchen bench for 3-5 days uncovered away from direct sun light. Note: may be kept in the freezer. We always took some to boarding school. We would deal with it on Fridays when we helped peeling, cutting and with the preparation. Yoav The two silver dishes in the photo were given to mom by dad. Over the years the coating eroded, mom gifted them to me and I took them to be recoated. Only when visitors came, would mom put them on the table in the lounge room filled with sweets such as malabes – almonds coated in citrus peel. Bilha 84
COMPOTE Preparation time: 50 minutes Serves 10 Ingredients 100 grams dried apples 6 dried apricots 6-8 prunes, pips removed ½ cup raisins 2 apples cut in 12 (optional) 2 tbsp sugar 3-4 tsp lemon juice 8 cups water and another ½ cup 3 tbsp pudding Method 1. Wash the fruit. 2. Pour 8 cups water into a pot, add fruit and boil for ten minutes. 3. Add sugar and lemon juice. 4.In a separate bowl mix pudding and cold water and add to pot. 5. Mix and bring to the boil while constantly stirring for approximately 5 minutes and turn flame off. 6. Cool, place in fridge and serve cold. Note: you can omit the pudding. I come home from university in 2003 and there is a message flashing on my answering machine from Safta just before Rosha Hashana saying: “Oh hi Keren, Keren, it’s Safta, I just want to tell you Shana Tova. How are you? Keren, I miss you too much! I want to see you. How do you feel? Tell everybody Shana Tova from me and kisses to all of you. Bye Bye” Keren 86
SWEET CARROT SALAD Preparation time: 10 minutes Serves 6-10 Ingredients 4 medium carrots, peeled ½ cup dark raisins, washed 1 banana, sliced 4 squeezed oranges 2 tbsp sugar (optional) Method 1. Grate carrots on coarse grater and slice bananas. 2. Add sugar, raisins and orange juice. Serving suggestion: Serve in the orange bowls with the square, festive spoons. I ate this salad many times, but I only remember one particular time. I stand at the door of Safta’s lounge room, she is at the dining table grating the carrots. I look and all I want to do is eat from it, and she said that I had to wait. I liked it because it was sour. Erez Mom used to serve this salad in dark orange Duralex bowls, with rims that looked like petals, and small orange bowls. And of course, with the square spoon that was intended for desserts and entertaining. That is why they lasted, because they weren’t in daily use. Yoav, Bilha and Matti 88
Leah and Marcelle Shaul, Ariel, Davita, Keren, Leah, Amira and Marcelle at Safta’s house Mom would get the “kubba” and “kichri, and other dishes from my Savta Hela that lived a block away. Mom learnt how to make rice just when Savta passed away, when I was twelve years old, in 1966. I only remember Seder nights at Savta’s, we did not join for other festivals. My grandmother was a religious woman who used to go to synagogue. Dad had deserted G-d. Leah Yaakov & Lipsha Mayerovitch, Tzion, Hela, Eddie, Aharon, Marcelle, Tikva, Shoshana In my early childhood memories mom’s food was not only Iraqi. Mom learnt how to make Polish food for dad from Mayerovitch (a family that adopted dad 1942 as he had lost his family in the Holocaust). The family lived in the centre of Holon, and we enjoyed visiting them from time to time. The food for my parents’ wedding was cooked by the mother of the family. Mom learnt to understand Yiddish. Once an old person in the street asked her something in Yiddish and she answered in Hebrew, and he was astonished she understood. This is what mom told us. Mom used to make sweet fish with carrot broth, dad loved sweet carrots. He also like salted Matias that we would eat on Shabbat mornings. Mom even learnt how to make pea soup (that I really hated) from her foster family, after she came on her own with her brother Eddie from Baghdad with Youth Aliya. They were also Polish, and the father was the manager of the Tel Aviv Zoo. After I bought mom and dad a television, on Fridays I used to join mom in watching an Arabic film and she would get angry if I asked her to translate…. 90
Aharon, Leah, Bilha, Marcelle, Eddie & Keren in the pram Kristin, Michael, Ariel, Amira, Davita & Marcelle Leah, Davita, Keren, Ariel & Marcelle eating Kubba at Safta’s house Aharon, Leah, Keren & Marcelle in Norway Davita, Marcelle & Ariel Tore-David, Marcelle & Leah 91
During a tour of the Mahane Yehuda, I explain about the different types of Kubba. “Where is this specialty from?” I am asked. “I married an Iraqi mother-in-law.” Safta Marcelle, until we met I didn’t realise how much a community can shape a person and a way of life. How much the question “which ethnic group are you from?” shapes an opinion. With you, if you identified any trace of Iraqi genes in someone, their credit points increase instantly. And the others must work hard to prove themselves. I came with no special privileges, and I had to work hard over the years. The truth is that we had different opinions over many issues: in my opinion, and contrary to yours, it is ok to walk around barefoot, you don’t have to get 100% in every subject, and satisfaction and happiness are more important than studying. In the past few years you gave in a little bit, the stubbornness of which you were so proud showed some signs of cracking. You understood that “you can’t argue with them!”. That is, you loved the grandchildren even if they did not always make the choices that you wanted. The Iraqi heritage took over the family: the stories of Iraq, the longings for those days, the longings of a family that lived with one another, accompanied you all your life, a part of you stayed there. You remembered so many stories, from your childhood, adolescence, from immigration to Israel…. but there were also stories that you preferred to forget, and you preferred to avoid loaded questions were evaded. Any detail that could have harmed the idealization of the past was erased. We were left with assumptions and mainly with the heritage. You passed on the heritage through the food. The food that you ate very little of was such a big part of your personality. Your way of communicating with those around you. “How he loved my food” describes a whole world of your relationship with the universe. We will continue eating: Kichri and red rice, Kubba and Salona, that will leave you with us at the Rosh Hashanah table forever. It will never taste as delicious as Safta’s but it will leave something from you in this world. Orly Marcelle, Orly and Nurit Erez and Marcelle 92
Marcelle warming up in the sun Marcelle, Yoav, Orly, Shani and Keren Davita, Keren, Michael, Tomer, Ariel, Erez, Marcelle, Tamar, Netta, Michali, Shani, Ori & Noga Shani and Marcelle Marcelle and Erez I see the hands that know what they need to do in awe. A memory entrenched in the scenery. The metamorphosis over the years and generations of a recipe. I see you in a different reality, eating those dishes. Different picture, different people, you are different. Where did your ingredients come from? Where did ours? I meet the customs that stayed. The simplest recipe, the most complex and most accurate is perpetuated from then to now. Noga 93
Marcelle making meatballs for kubba poteta Marcelle and Danielle 94 Marcelle making kichri Davita’s drawing that she sent to Safta in 2013 showing everyone eating Safta Marcelle’s kubba Marcelle, Yoav, Leah and Bilha, 1975 Ariel and Davita tasting pummelos sweets that Safta Marcelle posted all the way to Australia for Pesach 2011
Marcelle and Keren in the snow in Norway Michael, Marcelle, Yotam, Noa and Shlomit Marcelle, Tore-David, Leah, Aharon, Yoav, Bilha, Moshe, Israel, Matti and Aviram Marcelle, Tore-David, Leah and Aharon 95 Marcelle and her home in Hahistadrut street, Holon Marcelle in a field in Iraq