11 replies to this topic

[nolafoodie]

Hello. I'm a longtime lurker and first-time poster.

On a recent trip overseas, where she stayed at my grandparents' house in a West Bank village near Jerusalem, my mother was introduced to a leafy green called "lsayyen" (the word seems to come from the same root as "tongue"). The leaves were stuffed with rice and ground meat, much like grape leaves, and my mother described them as even tastier than grape leaves.

Does anyone have any idea what this might be in English? I know in the Middle East, there are many regional variations in the terms that are used for foods, but I'm hoping someone here might be able to help. :)

TIA!

[Lior]

maybe Mangold?

[sazji]

Can you describe it, or provide a drawing of the general shape of the leaf, how big was it? Mangold I think is the same thing as chard (silq is the one Arabic word I know for it but there may be more of course).

[Lior]

Here is a Picture. Yes it is chard! In Hebrew itis Selek- very similar to the Arabic.

[maher]

Lior, the picture is of chard (selek), but its not of lsayne. i cant read hebrew but if thats what the text claims it is, then its not accurate.

[Lior]

The picture is of selek or chard. I just wanted to see if chard was lsayne by showing the picture. The text claims only chard (selek).

[maher]

oops, sorry i didnt catch that.

[annecros]

So, I'm dying to know.

Is chard also "lsayyen"? Not that stuffed chard leaves would be bad, but I am always in the market for a new leafy green.

[ChefCrash]

So, I'm dying to know.

Is chard also "lsayyen"? Not that stuffed chard leaves would be bad, but I am always in the market for a new leafy green.

Sorry don't know what "lsayen" is, but Chard (silq) is always stuffed with a lenten stuffing, no meat no dairy (butter or ghee). Stuffed Chard is delicious, suitable for Lent and vegetarians.

Chick peas
Rice
Tomatoes
Parsley
Mint
Onions
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne

[melamed]

Hello. I'm a longtime lurker and first-time poster.

On a recent trip overseas, where she stayed at my grandparents' house in a West Bank village near Jerusalem, my mother was introduced to a leafy green called "lsayyen" (the word seems to come from the same root as "tongue"). The leaves were stuffed with rice and ground meat, much like grape leaves, and my mother described them as even tastier than grape leaves.

Does anyone have any idea what this might be in English? I know in the Middle East, there are many regional variations in the terms that are used for foods, but I'm hoping someone here might be able to help. :)

TIA!

Isayyen might be from the borage family, prickly alkanet. The Arab name is Lisan as far as I know. Sometimes the leaves can become quite large, the right size for stuffing but I have never eaten it. Shouldn't be eaten by those with kidney or liver problems.

[nolafoodie]

Thanks again, Melamed!

ChefCrash, just last week I made a big pot of stuffed silq with meat in the stuffing, just like I've always used for grape leaves. Oops! Also, unfortunately, most of them burst. I think chard is thinner and less slippery than grape leaves, so the leaves don't unravel to accommodate expanding rice. They were certainly tasty, though. :) But next time, I'll have to (a) soak the rice well or even par-cook it, and/or (b) wrap the leaves fairly loosely.

[melamed]

lsayyen or lisan as it is known at ramle shuk is probably not borage like I previously thought. It is Jerusalem
sage (Salvia hierosolymitana) which grows wild in the hills of Jerusalem and the north of Israel and Palestinian territories.