Major Kosher Foods
In spite of the relatively small size of the Jewish population, kosher food is big business worldwide, and especially in the US. The dollar value of the American kosher food market is some $10 billion, and the dollar value of kosher goods produced in the USA is $175 billion, according to a major kosher food survey conducted by Cannondale Associates.
The survey threw up some interesting revelations. Only 21% of Americans who buy kosher foods do so for religious reasons. Non-Jews who buy kosher food products tend to do so because they think “kosher” is synonymous with “healthy.”
Much like the Jewish people, Jewish cuisine is incredibly varied, and it is hard to single out a specific culinary tradition as particularly “Jewish.” Different Jewish groups such as the Ashkenazi and Sephardic people cook very different foods, incorporating locally available ingredients and regional traditions. All Jewish cuisine shares the common trait of being kosher, meaning that it is made in accordance with Jewish dietary laws.
Some of the major kosher foods are:
Hummus
Hummus is a middle-eastern food composed of chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, and tahini, a paste similar in texture to peanut butter that is made from sesame seeds. Hummus is typically eaten with pita or other flat bread.
Blintz
A blintz is a thin pancake, often filled with cottage cheese or fruit. The blintz originates in Russia, where it may also be called blin or blini. The pancake is much like a crepe, but is cooked twice. It is first prepared as a crepe, then ingredients are added to the middle and the pancake is folded into a rectangular shape and fried in hot oil.
Borscht
Borscht, which is sometimes also spelled borsch and borshch and believed to have originated in Ukraine, is a vegetable soup that is almost always made with beets. The use of beets in this soup lends the dish a vibrant red color. There are some versions of borscht made with without beets. There is orange borscht, which is made with tomatoes, and green borscht, which has a sorrel base. However, beet borscht is the most common form of this soup.
Couscous
Couscous is a coarsely ground semolina pasta that is a dietary staple in North African countries. It is also widely used in Middle Eastern countries and has become popular in American dishes. It is made of semolina, flour, salt, and water. Similar to rice in shape, color, and texture, it is used in many. A grain of couscous is similar in size to a grain of sugar.
Goulash
Originating in Hungary, goulash is a dish that is prepared with a combination of different types of meat and an assortment of vegetables. The consistency of goulash is approximately that of a thick stew, which makes it ideal for serving over various types of noodles or rice. Often, the dish is served with a tablespoon of sour cream on the top of the mixture, adding a slightly creamy quality to the goulash.
Kugel
Kugel is a famous Jewish dish, made especially by the Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern Europe. Evidence exists that the dish was made over 800 years ago, though it has gradually been modified and improved upon over time. Many are used to thinking of kugel as a dessert, and there are lots of kugel dessert styles. It can also be made as a savory side dish or entrée.
Tags: Kosher Food