Persian Recipes for Chanukah
by Reyna Simnegar
Kookoo sib’e torsh
Sour Apple Latkes
Talk about killing two birds with one stone!
Traditionally, latkes are eaten with applesauce
and sour cream, but here is a latke with
the applesauce included. These are absolutely
delicious and savory, with a hint of sweetness.
2 large green apples, with skins, cored and
shredded
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup flour
Canola oil, as needed, for frying
1. In a medium bowl, mix the apples, eggs,
salt, and flour to form a wet batter. Set aside.
2. Fill a medium skillet with 1/2-inch
of oil and heat over medium heat until oil
sizzles when a little water is dropped in.
Drape a platter with a few sheets of paper
towel to absorb the oil after frying.
3. Using a large spoon or 1/4-cup measure,
drop batter into oil, forming patties
about 2 inches wide. Fry for about 2 minutes
per side or until the kookoos are brown.
Place on the paper towel-covered platter
to drain.
4. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Yield: 13 kookoos
Bamieh
Golden Dough Spheres
Soaked in Rose Water Syrup
These little dough balls really look like their
name. Bamieh is Farsi for okra. These look
just like small okra that are still green. It
is impossible to eat just one of these. Consider
yourself warned!
Tricks of the trade
With anything that needs deep frying, it
is very important to bring the oil to a temperature
of 350°F. If you do not have a
frying thermometer, test the oil with a small
piece of dough. If the ball of dough rises
to the top when dropped in the oil, the
oil is ready. If the oil is not at the right
temperature, the food will absorb more
oil than necessary.
If you do not have a pastry bag or a pastry
tip, use a storage-size zip-top bag, making
an opening with scissors at one end.
Dough
1 cup water
1 stick unsalted margarine (4 oz.)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
5 eggs
Syrup
1/4 cup rose water
1 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon ground saffron
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
Additional
4 cups canola oil for frying
1. In a small nonstick saucepan, bring
water, margarine, and salt to a boil. Add the
cup of flour, all at once, mixing rapidly.
Reduce the heat to medium and keep on
mixing until a ball of dough that detaches
easily from the pot forms. Set aside and
let cool for at least 10 minutes.
2. In the meantime, make the syrup by
mixing all ingredients in a glass bowl and
microwaving for 1 minute. Remove and set
aside to cool.
3. Transfer cooled dough to a stand mixer
fitted with a flat paddle attachment. Add
the eggs, one by one, making sure each
egg has been completely incorporated into
the dough before adding the next.
4. Transfer the dough to pastry bag fitted
with a medium star pastry tip.
5. In a 4-quart saucepan, heat the oil until
it reaches a temperature of 350°F. Drop
in a 1-inch size strip of dough, squeezing
the pastry bag and cutting the dough with
kitchen scissors as it comes out of the tip.
Fry until the dough is golden and puffed.
6. Scoop the bamieh out of the oil and
place into a strainer to cool.
7. When balls have cooled, transfer them
to the bowl of cold syrup. Soak the bamieh
in the syrup for about 3 minutes, drain
and serve.
Yield: about 100 pieces
Reyna Simnegar, born in Venezuela, is a descendant
of anousim. She is the author of Persian
Food from the Non-Persian Bride.