Native Name: Falafel b'Pita Dietary Tags: Pareve, Vegan, Kosher (Pareve) Cultural Background: Falafel, made from ground chickpeas or fava beans, became a defining street food of modern Israel after waves of Jewish immigration from the Middle East and North Africa. Served stuffed into pita with fresh chopped salad and tahini, it is now considered a […]
Native Name: Falafel Dietary Tags: Pareve, Vegan, Kosher Cultural Background: Falafel stands are found on nearly every street corner in Israel, sold as a quick, affordable snack from small carts and shops. Though its exact origins are debated across the Middle East, falafel became firmly woven into Israeli street-food culture through the influence of Jewish […]
Native Name: Marak Adashim Adumot Dietary Tags: Pareve, Vegan, Kosher Cultural Background: Warmly spiced red lentil soup is a staple among Iraqi, Persian and other Mizrahi Jewish communities, where lentils, cumin and turmeric form the backbone of everyday cooking. Simple, filling and naturally pareve, it is a common dish for breaking a fast or warming […]
Introduction: Kleftiko translates roughly to 'stolen', referencing the dish's legendary origin among klephts, mountain bandits who buried pots of lamb to cook slowly and secretly underground, sealing in steam and smoke while avoiding detection. Cultural Background: Kleftiko translates roughly to 'stolen', referencing the dish's legendary origin among klephts, mountain bandits who buried pots of lamb […]
Introduction: Sopa de Plátano is a comforting plantain soup, typically made with green plantains grated or sliced into a savoury chicken broth, and is often the dish Cuban families turn to as a gentle, restorative meal during illness or cooler weather. Cultural Background: Sopa de Plátano is a comforting plantain soup, typically made with green […]
Introduction: Lechón Asado is whole or large-cut pork marinated for hours in a garlicky sour orange mojo, then slow-roasted until the skin crackles and the meat falls apart. Cultural Background: Lechón Asado is whole or large-cut pork marinated for hours in a garlicky sour orange mojo, then slow-roasted until the skin crackles and the meat […]
Introduction: Tostones are twice-fried green plantain slices, smashed flat between fryings to create a wide, crisp disc, and are one of the most recognisable savoury snacks of the Caribbean. Cultural Background: Tostones are twice-fried green plantain slices, smashed flat between fryings to create a wide, crisp disc, and are one of the most recognisable savoury […]
Native Name: Moretum Cultural Background: Moretum is described in loving detail in a poem once attributed to Virgil, in which a farmer pounds garlic, herbs, cheese, olive oil and vinegar together in a mortar before spreading it on bread. It was rustic peasant fare – simple, pungent and made from whatever herbs were to hand […]
Introduction: The Frita Cubana is Cuba's answer to the hamburger — a spiced, paprika-seasoned beef and pork patty served on a soft roll and topped with a tangle of thin shoestring fried potatoes tucked right into the bun. Cultural Background: The Frita Cubana is Cuba's answer to the hamburger — a spiced, paprika-seasoned beef and […]
Introduction: Revoltillo is the Cuban approach to scrambled eggs, softly cooked and often folded through with diced onion, tomato and green pepper — the same holy trinity of aromatics, known as sofrito, that underpins much of Cuban cooking. Cultural Background: Revoltillo is the Cuban approach to scrambled eggs, softly cooked and often folded through with […]