Many people know and love bourekas, but few know of its Jewish origin story. Learn how this food is the result of Jewish migrations, and hear of other similar foods that only came about because we have spread around the world. Culinary fusion is not a new thing, nor simply a way to experiment or titillate -- often it is a natural outgrowth of a population shift.
Interview: Chanie Apfelbaum
Episode Notes
"Amba" - A curried, pickled mango sauce, of Iraqi-Jeiwsh origin. It is often used today on shwarma, falafel, sabich, and other Israeli street foods.
"Baghdadi Jews" - Of the numerous distinct Jewish communities living in India, one of the newest is that of Baghdadi Jews. Starting in the late 1700s, Jews of Iraqi origin spread throughout southern and eastern Asia and were heavily involved in international trade.
"Desayuno" - Shabbat/Saturday brunch within many Sephardic communities, typically featuring bourekas and other pastries, and huevos haminados (slow-cooked eggs).
"Empanada" - a small handpie turnover using an oil-enriched dough, typically containing a meat and vegetable filling. In medieval Spain it was a typically Jewish food, and is now eaten throughout Latin America.
"Georgian Jews" - A ancient Central Asian Jewish community based in the country of Georgia, on the Caucasus Peninsula. They claim roots going back to the 8th Century BCE, though this is unproveable. Having lived fairly peacefully alongside their Christian neighbors for most of that time, they eat many of the same foods as other Georgians.
"Latkes" - Grated potato pancakes, a traditional food of Chanukkah.
"Poutine" - A popular dish from Quebec that buries french fries in gravy and cheese curds.
"Sabich" - An Iraqi-Jewish dish, originally prepared for Shabbat brunch. It contains thinly-sliced fried eggplant, hard-boiled and slow-cooked eggs, and techina, along with many other options, such as potatoes, amba, salad, etc. Originally served as a sort of buffet, in Israel it was turned into a sandwich with all the items shoved into a pita.
"Shuk" - An open-air market. In Jerusalem, the large and famous Machane Yehuda Market in the New City is commonly referred to by most locals simply as "the shuk," even though others exist in the city.
Sources and links:
Gil Marks Encyclopedia of Jewish Food
Hélène Jawhara Piñer Jews, Food, and Spain
Blog post about bourekas
Blog post about bulemas and boyos
A famous bourekas place in Machane Yehuda Market, called Chochmat HaBourekas MiHaifa (Bourekas Wisdom from Haifa), aka Gveret Bourekas (Mrs. Bourekas).
Episode 6: Bourekas
