With America’s Ashkenazi-centric Jewish heritage, it’s not surprising that the culture and foods of the Mizrachi Jews, with their long histories in Mideast and Near East countries, are unfamiliar to us.
We can get a taste of these traditions thanks to the refugees who have shared their recipes and stories with JIMENA, Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa. They are available on the S.F.-based nonprofit’s website.
JIMENA is in the middle of Mizrachi Remembrance Month, promoting awareness of these refugees and their past and present experiences. The event culminates on Nov. 30, which Israel has declared the first Day of Commemora-tion for its Mizrachi refugees.
The roots of some of these displaced communities go back 2,500 years. In 1948, almost a million Jews were located in these countries. Today, fewer than 40,000 are thought to live in those areas, mostly in non-Arab Muslim countries. Many countries that once had thriving Jewish communities now have no Jewish population at all.
The recipes are adapted from the JIMENA website and used with permission. Hraime is a spicy fish dish from Libya. Serve as an entrée or in half portions as a first course. Use the lesser amount of hot chili peppers if you prefer a milder a dish. Be sure to seed them to keep the heat down.
This Lebanese Namoura semolina cake recipe is different because it replaces the usual sugar syrup with maple syrup, probably an American adaptation. Semolina is a coarse, yellowish flour made from wheat and available in some supermarkets and specialty stores.
To find other Mizrachi recipes, go to www.jimena.org/jimena-country-by-country, choose the desired country, and click through the “experience” to the culture option. The site also has information on each country’s Jewish history and traditions.
Hraime
Serves 4 as entrée, 8 as first course
11⁄2 cups water, divided
2 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1⁄2 tsp. salt or to taste
2-3 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
1-3 tsp. seeded, finely chopped fresh hot red chili peppers
3 Tbs. oil
11⁄2 lbs. red snapper, halibut or other white fish filets
1⁄4 cup finely chopped parsley or cilantro
lemon wedges, optional
Mix together 1⁄2 cup water, lemon juice, tomato paste, salt, garlic, cumin and chili peppers. Heat oil over low heat in large skillet. Carefully add tomato paste mixture to the pan, watching for hot splatters. Stir. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Cut fish into serving-portion size if desired. Add fish and remaining water. Cover the pan and cook over low heat, spooning sauce on top of fish pieces occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until fish is cooked through. Serve warm with some of the sauce spooned on top. Sprinkle with parsley. Pass lemon wedges.
Namoura
Serves 12-16
3 Tbs. tahini
2 cups semolina
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbs. melted butter
2 cups plain yogurt
1 cup shredded, dried, unsweetened coconut
72 blanched almonds
1 cup pure maple syrup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with tahini. Mix together until smooth the semolina, sugar, baking soda, butter and yogurt (do not use Greek style). Spread batter in prepared pan. Smooth and decorate top with almonds. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until a light golden brown.
Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then pour maple syrup evenly over top of cake. Let syrup absorb and cake cool before cutting into desired serving-size pieces. For best results, cut with an up-and-down motion using a clean, wet knife.
Faith Kramer is a Bay Area food writer. Her columns alternate with those of Josie A.G. Shapiro. She blogs at www.clickblogappetit.com. Contact her at [email protected].