ohev'ochel

was for a honeycake we eat at rosh hashanah and yom kippur. was totally different from all the others. sigh.

have you ever regretted not picking up that cookbook -- something u know u won't ever see again -- you saw in a second-hand bookshop or asking someone for a recipe for whatever reason? i had both these things happen to me and am STILL regretting it to this day. being obsessed with food and all things about it, i guess that is why it still bothers me to this day. i kick myself for not asking for a recipe for a version of a traditional cake which i have searched high and low for and never found or that damned cookbook i saw on one of my forays and thought, "ehh....who's ever gonna buy this in this neighbourhood!". haha, the joke was on me when i went back later that day to pick it up (didn't have cash on me at the time). so what's your story? or am i being petty? (reason for this rant: upcoming holiday and i WANT THAT RECIPE! )

with the holidays right around the corner, it is that time of year for baking those challas. the recipe i have is this one which is used from Rosh Hashanah until Sukkoth:. Challah for the High Holidays (round) ingredients: 1 c. boiling water 1/2 c. cold water 1/8 tsp. saffron, crumbled or ground in mortar (optional) 7 T oil (or, in your case, melted butter) 1/2 c. honey 1 tsp salt 1 T. yeast - active dry 2 beaten eggs plus one egg yolk 5 1/2 to 6 c. flour (AP), more if u need it 1/2 to 3/4 c. raisins (optional) YUK in my opinion egg wash: 1 egg yolk, 1 T water sesame seeds and/or poppy seeds method In large bowl combine: boiling water and saffron. wait 2 minutes. then add cold water, and honey and mix with whisk. add yeast (make sure water is not too hot) and leave to proof for 10 minutes. whisk. add salt and eggs and mix. add flour until you have a dough which is no longer sticky and knead 10 minutes. u can knead the flour into it in the bowl and then work it on a board after. put it in a greased bowl and cover and let rise 2 hrs. punch down, knead for another 5 minutes or so and let it rise again 1 hr. deflate the dough and let rest 10 minutes. carefully work the raisins in at this point if ur using them. divide dough in 2 equal portions. roll out to about 14 inch ropes with one end more tapered than the other. roll into a turban like shape. preheat oven to 350. and let rest covered for only about 15-20 minutes. glaze with egg wash and sesame/poppy seeds. bake 45 minutes or til golden brown. cook on rack. enjoy. btw... i have another recipe for challah made with butter, lots of it, it seems. let me know if u want that. i haven't tried it but it's bound to be good. it's got butter! hope that helps u out. edited to add: looks like Michelle's recipe (see next post) is a good one and has a higher butter content than the one i have. i can still post if u want.

shaya, slashing your bread allows for the bread to bloom in the oven while it is cooking and avoid what are called "blow-outs" (huge cracks which rip the proved loaves). the slashing has to be done at an angle and not as deeply as you did. however, your bread looks quite nice regardless. using a straight edge blade is easiest. i think the whole method was explained in this thread somewhere and with pictures (near the beginning if i remember correctly). once the bread is slashed properly and baked, the finished loaf usually opens up and expands to the point where you see telltale signs of the slashing and not deeply baked gashes. your finished loaf has great colour btw. looks properly baked (and i am sure delicious) to me.

hi gabe -- i think its called <<bifteck de flanc>> or <<une bavette de flanchet>>, the second being more correct/proper in our parts of town. i think it's the first one they use though there may be some other jouale-type word also (which i don't know).

in essence, then, i would be looking to buy the first type u mention "rakuten" brand or similar?

thanx for ur quick reply! the kochujang makes sense -- i have found this salad being sold very often in korean grocery stores. i had seen the kuki wakame before and did not realize it could be slivered and was therefore used for this salad. anyway, glad i finally now know what it is. thank u for all ur help.

kristin-- just saw ur post. yup, that's it but it kinda looks different from what i get here. not going to split hairs at this point! unless the red chili is hidden amongst the wakame. question: what is the kochujang stuff? hehe, ur husband ate the whole thing -- told u it was good. but how did YOU like it? did it have the typical crunch to it? would u buy it again? [sorry for all the questions]. have to try this using the kuki wakame. how does it usually come, frozen or salted? i think i saw it salted but someone said it was VERY salty still after it was soaked. though that may be just a preparation error on the part of the person who did it. thanx for ur help.

is what u call the "baabeel" the same dough, just different shape? everything looks spectacular, btw. the breads must turn out so great with the saaj.

← i believe u can find sandalwood only at an indian grocer. i know it is used in indian cuisine for certain things -- apart from it's use as incense. hope that helps. try looking online also. it is an obscure spice so u may have difficulty locating/getting your hands on it. eta: 3 forms -- sandalwood itself called chandan, sandalwood oil called chandan tel and sandalwood essence called ruh chandan. u might try this and ask them if u can use it for culinary purposes.

so wouldn't it be pee-sah-lah-dee-YAY-r eh? (we really need a "ducks and runs" smilie icon!) seriously, i like the rules so i can remember one thing that helps a lot instead of each word... i've got a friend who teaches french and a kid who calls toronto her home even though she's only visited there (and i've never been, so imagine my surprise!) so i'm really aware of my ignorant americanness when it comes to language... heck i know a 2.5 year old who knows american english, mandarin chinese, spanish and american sign (ASL)... (we also need a "slinks away in shame" smilie... ) ← as an aside...when my parents, who are both french speaking (and multi lingual) europeans, came to quebec they were in shock. it took them some time to get used to hearing quebecois. it is different in pronounciation and uses many of its own slang words. french is much easier to learn than english and pretty much follows the same pronounciatian rules each time. english, as we all know, breaks all the rules. this is why a forum like this is helpful for those who do not know the language.

piss la dee air if I am not mistaen ← è is always pronounced EH short vowel [standard french] and in jouale, the quebecois dialect [though i am not french canadian] this word would be pronounced pee-sah-lah-dee-YAY-r (they say yayr for -ière). u need to hear it to understand the difference. emphasis is on the Y sound and not the I quebecois french also has many variations when it comes to pronounciation -- depends where u come from.

sugarlove -- thanks a bundle. i am gonna replace the raisins (yuckola) with the pineapple! eta: the filling sounds mighty good!

we just cut off either end, make a verical cut through the skin from end to end and unroll and eat. and it DOES have hard seeds. wear gloves cause those prickles itch like hell if they get under ur skin. search "nopales" i am sure u will get other cooking ideas. i have only ever had them fresh. edit: rethinking what i wrote and reading other replies it made me think that there is a difference with what this cactus bears for consumption. so i checked a bit and there is two things from the cactus: the pads (nopalitos) and the fruit (nopales). the fruit is also, as Michelle points out below called "sabra" [hebrew]. if u look here it shows u what the difference is and makes some suggestions. they sound good. something new to try out .

i want to try making this however does anyone know, or has tried, making it with less than the 2 cups of sugar called for in the cake part, i.e. that would be maybe reduced to 1 1/2 c? wondering if this will affect the success of baking the cake. thanx.

cricklewood -- i saw it, i think, at Milano`s. it`s used in italian cuisine so check out the italian grocers. hope that helps. they may have it at gourmet laurier. call the places before wasting ur time running around for it! eta: ask for: farina di castagne

don't be nervous. coffee is essential IMO. especially after not being able to feed my addicition to it for those long hours. and no way, i wouldn't even consider weaning myself off it to avoid that damned YK headache. but yeah, usually the first thing people do is drink coffee or tea or some other beverage to "break fast".

ahhhhhhh [loud scream!!!] ur thinking about YK already??!@!! u must be nervous!! usually it's dairy, but i am sure u knew that. things change though on who is invited or coming (read ashkenazi or sephardi) -- u can have anything from dairy, like u said, to a full meat meal. dairy is usually the bagel-cream cheese-lox, kugels, cheese, cheese bagels, fruit, honey cake, tea/coffee, juices deal. OR then some people will eat -- believe it or not -- a meat meal starting with soup and then other dishes specializing in where ur family comes from. hated those meals myself. way too "grossetating" after the fast. usually i just want COFFEE, Tylenol and something sweet. overall though, it's basically light stuff so as not to "shock" the stomach after 25/26 hrs of not eating and drinking. i say stay with tradition though i am sure others may not agree. IMO, less problems especially after people havent eaten for hours and hours.

hellokitty -- for some reason i am thinking i even saw it sitting on a Provigo shelf and the canned kind as u mention, i think imported from france. there were marrons glaces and the puree. so u may not need to venture far after all. and for sure u can get them on Laurier, as mentioned upthread.

michelle -- ur photos are indeed beautiful, especially the ones of Yaffo. what is eggplant that tastes like chicken liver btw?? never heard of that one. [edit: egglant that tastes like chicken livers, right? i set myself up for that one] too bad u couldn't get to Tayar. it is beautiful (and expensive). if only to be able to sit outside and enjoy dinner and look at the mediterranean ocean. sigh. i love the facade of the restaurant also ... here is a link to see pics of the resto. it's a hebrew website but if u click around on the numbers, u can see different views. looking forward to seeing what u show next

a japanese tawashi would work also if it doesn't damage the metal. haven't had problems using mine.

ur very welcome. details are important to me. nothing MORE annoying that having cookbooks with sketchy instructions and my major complaint, no pictures of the final product. this is sometimes a problem when u have no clue what the hell ur cooking!

bryan, 2 questions -- if i may: 1. how deep is the dimpling on the handles in reality? many people seem to have an issue w/ that. i have 2 global knives with the same handles [amongst many other expensive and well made/known knives] and i have never had cleanliness problems with them. 2. could u place the cutlery out with an example of the dishes u will be using and the table napkins/mats, etc.? often, that will change the look of things when it is all put "together". i imagine u will be serving dishes as i saw on some of ur posts w/ sodium alginate. that in itself is "out there" food wise. if these are futuristic cutlery then it wouldn't be a far stretch. while this particular cutlery would not be my first choice or even maybe 2nd or 3rd, u r limited on a budget for the outset of ur venture and 40 bucks is hella good. one opinion amongst many. thanx

alot of the pastries are distinguished by what fillings go into them and are sometimes variations on the same theme. knafi or knafeh, from my knowledge and experience, is usually filled with cheese (often riccotta type cheese) or cream (jibn or ashta in arabic) and then has the sugar syrup poured over it. it is also typically served warm. the dough is the kataifi as u mention. i know people who make it the quick way with those large shredded wheat cereal "things" that look like pillows. eta: forgot to say it can be made also with a semolina type top and bottom. had some of that at a friend's last night [who hates the texture of kadaifi]. interestingly, if u look here Elie shows u how (near the end of the post). I have also had a version made with, believe it or not, couscous. it is called Jerusalem kadafa. It was good but a bit odd, IMO. Goes to show there are many variations on the same theme.

....now that the deluge is over (two of my rooms had water leaking in from this onslaught of rain. a big mess ) so ... my sous-chef, le-voici (here he is): i call him affectionately, "signor boureka". it's a term (boureka) used by relatives for something tasty. dunno how to translate it but u get the picture. he is now only 6 months old and is a sable burmese. he has quite the purrsonality and loves being on my shoulders as u will see. he also loves directing me perched and stretched across my neck telling me to add more of this, less of that, and to diteknead the dough more. he is still a big baby and i don't normally let him in the kitchen (i hear people saying that's not hygenic!). i am letting him make his debut for this posting. so....the dough has now been nicely kneaded for several minutes a la main (by hand). it now goes into the greased bowl to take a rest and let the yeast do its business. it goes to its special proofing box (aka my microwave oven). a hermetically sealed environment where the moisture is maintained as it slowly proofs. after one hour of proofing: and now.... after two hours! a life of its own, it has. it proofed beautifully. phew! and now for the fun part!! releasing my aggression on this beast. after a good whack -- i hope i didn't hurt it (i was actually thinking of a particular person at the time! ) here is the next shot: now that has been taken care of, i will show u my other "friend". i am very meticulous (ok, anal retentive) when it comes to measurement. i invested in something that cost me a pretty penny but i don't regret it one bit. i have gotten good use out of this: my beloved Edlund scale. it's "the bomb". lol so now it's time to weigh and divide -- here, i am dividing it to yield 6 pastries. here they are: ***oops, i replied instead of editing*** after dividing, the balls of dough go to sit again (the 6th one is on another plate). the following are the ingredients for the filling: oil, tehina, sugar and orange flower water so everything goes in the bowl: and then mixed: that gets set aside, and then after the 2nd rising of the dough it is rolled out. the dough is stretched and then i usually wait a few minutes for it to relax so i can keep rolling. this dough is very supple however and easy to roll. here is the fully rolled out size: next step is to add some of the tehina mixture-- the tehina needs to be spread out thinly almost to the edges, thusly: it now gets rolled up -- tightly: then the ends are pinched closed so they do not open up. once that is done, then u need ur counter space as this thing is rolled out to quite a length. a little at first: and then -- don't ask me how long! c'est comme ca! the next part is fun (and annoying if ur doing it alone). u need to twist the long piece of dough quite a few times taking care not to do it too much or it will snap. u may need ur glasses for this photo, it's terribly blurred. i stupidly deleted the good one. now, the pastry is coiled LOOSELY with end tucked under. if it's coiled too tightly it won't rise properly. here they are ready for the final rising: nearing the end.... these are the ingredients for the final stage before baking. the egg wash and flavourings: orange flower water & sesame seeds. after the final rising, they will look puffed up and kind of strange with the middle popping out (that's why u don't wind too tightly!). don't frett. it will be fixed in the next few photos. the dough may also tear superficially but that is fine also. it doesn't do anything to the final product. next the pastries are lightly rolled to deflate them. they shouldn't be rolled too thinly, just about half the size. the dough is then brushed with orange flower water and pricked all over with a fork so it won't puff up in the oven. the dough will crack a bit, that is normal. the insides should NOT ooze out though. the next photo is terrible but it is basically the dough egg-washed and pricked with the fork, before being sprinkled with the sesame seeds. put quite a bit of sesame seeds. it shouldn't be sparse. don't overdo it either. after baking for about 1/2 hour at 350, it should look like this: here is another: the final product is a crisp and buttery, sweet pastry not over done with the taste of sesame. they are great with strong turkish coffee or regular coffee for that matter. they also freeze nicely. so that's it folks. hope u enjoyed it. i had fun doing this. but it was ALOT OF WORK!! if anyone wants this particular recipe, let me know and i will post one here. time for bed! ------------------------------- edited to add the following: Tahinli [sesame Seed Paste Filled Pastries] The following recipe yields 6 five inch pastries or 4 large ones. Not really a beginner's recipe but just follow the above instructions and you should not have a problem. Message me if you need help. These can be made Pareve (non-dairy). Ingredients: 1 heaping teaspoon dry yeast 1/2 tsp sugar 1/3 c. warm water 1/4 tsp salt 2 - 2 1/2 c. all purpose flour 1/8 - 1/4 tsp mahlep 2 tbsp unsalted butter or non-dairy margarine 1/4 c. milk (or soy milk or water) 1 1/2 tbsp oil or shortening (melted and measured) 1/8 tsp salt 2 1/2 tbsp sugar 1 egg 1/2 c + 2 tbsp tahina (sesame paste) 1/2 c sugar 2 tbsp oil or melted butter 2 tsp orange flower water 2 tsp chopped shelled pistachios per pastry (optional) 4 tbsp orange flower water for coating pastry 1 egg (for eggwash) raw sesame seeds sugar (granulated or demarera) Directions: Proof yeast with warm water and sugar. Set aside approximately 10 minutes. In a pyrex 2 cup measuring cup (or small pan) heat the milk and melt the butter in it. Transfer this to a mixing bowl and add the oil or shortening salt and sugar and mix well. While still warm (not hot!) add the egg and yeast mixture and mix well with a whisk. In another bowl, mix the salt, flour and mahlep. Add this to the egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until you get a dough. The dough will be slightly sticky and depending upon humidity and measurement, you may need a bit more flour. Start with the 2 cups and add more gradually while kneading. Remove the dough and knead the dough using/adding the extra 1/2 if needed. It will get less sticky as you knead more and after proofing. Once you have a nice dough, place it back in a greased bowl covered with plastic wrap. Put the dough in a warm area (inside a microwave works well) and let proof for approximately 2 hours (until doubled). Punch down the dough and place it on counter and knead it for a minute. Divide the dough in 4 to 6 pieces. Let the balls rest about 25 to 30 minutes. After 15 minutes, place the tahina, sugar, oil, and orange flower water in a small bowl and mix well to incorporate. The mixture will be granular. When the balls have proofed, start to shape the dough. Roll each ball one at a time into a disk between an 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Try to make them all the same size. If making 4, it should measure about 11 or 12 inches. Less if you are making 6 pastries. Then divide the tahina mixture evenly for each pastry, approximately 3 tablespoons each. Spread this out VERY thinly almost to the edges. If you like, sprinkle 2 tsps of finely chopped pistachios on each one. Now roll each round fairly tightly all the way to the end. Pinch each end closed. Then slowly and gently roll each pastry back and forth with your hands to extend it starting at the middle. Don't worry if small tears occurs. The final dough will be almost as long as from the tip of your fingers to your elbow. Now (perhaps with a helper) twist the long strand of dough gently over and over again. Don't overtwist or you will snap it. Once that is done, have 2 baking sheets ready either lightly greased or lined with parchment. Coil the pastry loosely from the center working outwards and tuck the very end underneath. Place equal amounts of finished pastry on each sheet. You need the space for the final rolling. At this point, preheat your oven to 350 F. Let your pastries proof an extra half hour but you do not need to cover them. At this point, they may look strange with the centers popped up. That will be fixed with the rolling. You may also notice small amounts of oil weeping from the pastry. This is normal. After about 15 minutes of waiting, beat the egg in a small dish and have a pastry brush ready. Measure out the 1/4 c. of orange flower water. Have the sesame seeds ready in another bowl and some sugar in another. Now flatten each pastry with a rolling pin gently to half it's size (deflate it). Then prick it all over with a fork to arrest it's rising in the oven. Using a pastry brush wash the pastries with orange flower water all over. Then use the egg wash. Now sprinkle each pastry generously with sesame seeds and finally with sugar (it will make a nice crust when baked). Bake pastries for 30 minutes or until golden brown. You may freeze the pastries (if you have any left!). These taste great warm(ed).