Chanukah: The festival of lights… and fried food

Ethnoculture
Ethnic Recipes

Do a mitzvah, eat a latke!

Jews from around the world gather together this week to celebrate the festive, eight-day holiday of Chanukah. In commemoration of the rededication of the Second Temple thousands of years ago, we light candles every evening remembering how a tiny vile of oil, only enough for one day, was able to miraculously keep the eternal flame alight for eight days during the time of the Maccabean rebellion.

Today, despite the fact that candles have replaced oil lamps in Chanukah rituals, oil continues to be an integral part of the Chanukah celebration. During this week, it is considered a mitzvah (“good deed”) to eat food that has been fried in oil. Finally, a legitimate excuse to eat donuts!

By far the most famous of Chanukah foods is the potato latke, otherwise known as the potato pancake. This dish is well deserving of its title as ultimate Chanukah food: it is both delicious and easy to make. Give this recipe a try: it is my personal family recipe. I promise you shall not be disappointed!

Potato Latkes Serves 2 people

2 large white potatoes

1 small onion

1 large egg

Pinch of salt

Oil (enough to cover the bottom of your skillet with about ½ cm – 1 cm of oil) 2

Serve with apple sauce or sour cream.

Wash and peel potatoes. Then, using the large-tooth face of a cheese grater, shred the potatoes into long strips. Quarter the onion and proceed to slice each quarter as thinly as possible. Mix the onion and potato together. (If you are in a hurry, you can use a food processor to shred the potatoes and onion together. Please note, however, that this will produce a less crispy and more homogeneous latke. It is a matter of personal taste as to which you prefer.) Add 1 egg and a pinch of salt. Mix until blended.

Heat oil in heavy skillet until very hot (water should sizzle on contact if dropped into oil). Drop spoonfuls of potato mixture into oil. Cook until well browned on one side, flip, and cook until well browned on the other side. Remove latkes from pan with a slotted spatula. Place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve immediately for best taste.

Healthy Tips

Given the need to fry Chanukah treats, it may seem hard to maintain a healthy diet while still participating in the celebration. There are, however, numerous ways you can make this a happy and healthy holiday:

1. Use sweet potatoes or turnips instead of white potatoes.

2. Use a light, healthy oil, such as safflower oil. Traditionally, latkes have been fried in schmaltz (rendered chicken fat): not a good choice. Also, try to use cold pressed oil.

3. Make sure oil is hot before you start cooking. Otherwise, the latkes will absorb much more oil, becoming soggy, not crispy.

4. Use healthier condiments. Instead of serving the latkes with the traditional sour cream and apple sauce, consider using low fat sour cream, plain yoghurt or a fruit chutney made with raspberries and apples.

5. Moderation. As usual, the most important thing to remember is moderation: enjoy all things in small quantities; you will be thanking yourself in the New Year.