Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Top 10 Kosher Dishes

After posting my top 10 sandwich list yesterday, my brother, Goel pointed out that my list lacked Kosher options. Unfortunately, all sandwiches are made better with cheese. That said, as someone from a religious background, I am uniquely qualified to offer an opinion on the top 10 Kosher Dishes. Any one of these dishes will improve your dinner, whether you are Jewish or just enjoy delicious food. These dishes are best served at home (except #7) with family and friends, not at a restaurant.

10. Tzimis
A stew made of prunes, carrots, sweet potatoes ginger is optional. While I am not usually a fan of this dish, I had Belinda's and it was really rather special.

9. Chulent
A stew consisting of flanken, beans, barley, potatoes, kishka (stuffed derma), hard boiled eggs are optional

No one makes this as well as my mother. Anything consisting of meat, potatoes and kishka is a good thing
8. Kishka (AKA stuffed derma)
A casing stuffed with matzo meal, flour, carrots and chicken fat. It is then baked. When you bake it it gets nice and crispy.
7. Tongue Sandwich
Perhaps the least appealing food for other cultures. Tongue is a perfect combination of fat and muscle. It makes for a delicious cold cut. With some spicy mustard on rye bread, this is delicious.
6. Cabbage Soup
My mother makes the best. She combines flanken, cabbage, tomatoes and vinegar and a whole lot of sugar. This is fantastic.5. Brisket
Everyone has a different preparation style; Karen makes it best. She uses Manishevitz concord wine, onion soup, ketchup, cayenne pepper and a secret ingredient. It is delicious.4. Kugel
Be it potato, which is basically potatoes and Onions in a casserole dish, baked or Noodle (sweet or salt and pepper)
Kugel is a must have for any Jewish meal.

3. The Potato Latke
This is the hash brown on its best day. Shredded potatoes and onions made into a patty and deep fried. While it is a traditional Chanukah food, I enjoy them year round. If you want to start a fight with a Jew, ask them if they eat sour cream or apple sauce on their latkes, then pick the opposite of their answer as your favorite. In an attempt to thwart this argument, I celebrate both sour cream and apple sauce. My father uses ketchup.2. Chicken Soup
Easily the most identifiable Jewish food. Karen Garber makes this best. I actually prefer kreplach (meat dumplings) but many people like matzo balls.1. Chopped Liver
Saute chicken liver, onions fried in chicken fat, hard boiled eggs, chopped and blended together. Sort of like pate, only way better. I like it on a good piece of challah.
Also receiving consideration:

Challah - The most versatile of Jewish foods, but it's just bread. Regardless, it is the only bread I know of that is good without any topping. Also, there is no better French toast than Challah French toast; Nana used to like it thick and moist in the center
Jelly Rings - A must-have on your Passover dessert tray
Stuffed Cabbage - A cabbage leaf stuffed with meat and rice in tomato sauce. If you are Hungarian, yours includes raisins
Babka - I like cinnamon flavored, many people like chocolate more, regardless, it is a yeast based cake with swirls of chocolate or cinnamon, sugar and raisins

2 comments:

  1. would the most kosher sandwich be one made of rabbis?

    ReplyDelete
  2. kosher food sux!

    ReplyDelete