Bene Jew recipes from Konkan

September 27th, 2011 - 12:07 pm ICT by IANS  

New Delhi, Sep 27 (IANS) Here are two ancient Bene Jew recipes from Konkan which Indian Jewish writer Esther David has revived. The dishes are cooked according to the traditional Jewish Kosher dietary law.

1. Fried Fish

Ingredients: Fish, salt, lemons, chilli and oil

Choose a big pomfret, a fish with scales according to Jewish laws. Avoid a bruised fish.

Method: Gut fish innards. Remove tail but keep the head with eyes. Cut the fish into five or six pieces. Rub lemon and salt. Keep aside. Wash, drain, dry and rub red chilli powder on fish. Heat oil in an iron griddle and fry fish on both sides. Drain, pat dry and serve hot with slivers of lemon.

2. Bombay Duck

According to David, most Bene Jews of Israeli origin are fond of the Bombay Duck or bombil, a soft eel-like fish with a red head.

Ingredients: Bombil, oil, chilli powder, turmeric, salt, rice flour and gram flour.

Method: Bombils are sun-dried, salted and often stored so that they can be cooked in quick dinners or as an accompaniment to khichdi Saturday night, when Sabbath ends.

The dried fish - flattened and freed of moisture with a stone pestle - can also be coated with rice flour mixed with salt, turmeric, chilli powder and shallow fried until golden brown and crisp.

Related Stories

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted in Uncategorized |

Subscribe