THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Friday, December 14, 1984
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will have plenty of time to chill.
Put the sugar, water, honey,
lemon juice, and cinnamon (if
used) into a 2-quart (or similar)
saucepan, and slowly bring to a
boil over medium-high heat, stir-
ring only until the sugar dis-
solves. Reduce the heat slightly,
and briskly boil the syrup, un-
covered and undisturbed, for 15
minutes. Remove the syrup from
the heat, and let it cool to room
temperature; then chill it in the
refrigerator.
For the dough, put the flour,
baking powder and salt, into a
medium-sized bowl, and cut in the
butter with your fingers or a pas-
try blender until the mixture
looks like fine meal. Add the milk
and egg, and mix to form a soft,
slightly sticky dough.
Turn the dough out onto a
lightly floured surface, coat it
very lightly with flour, and knead
it for about 5 to 10 minutes or
until very smooth and pliable.
Wrap it in plastic, and let it rest
for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
On a very lightly floured sur-
face, roll out the dough to a neat
9-inch square about 1/4-inch thick.
Use a pastry wheel or sharp knife
to divide the square into three 3-
by 9-inch sections. Then cut each
section crosswise into nine-1-inch
strips, for a total of 27 strips, each
measuring 1 by 3 inches. For best
results, mark the dough with the
edge of a ruler before cutting.
For each pastry, lengthwise cut
one of the strips into three narrow
"tails" which are joined together
at the top. Braid the tails com-
pactly, and pinch the ends to-
gether very tightly so the braid
will not unravel during frying.
Put enough oil in a large sauce-
pan (or a wok) so that it is about
11/2 inches deep. Heat the oil until
it is very hot, about 375 degrees.
Gently drop a few of the braids
into the oil so they are not too
crowded; they will quickly puff
up. Fry them about 2 minute on
each side or until they are
browned and crisp.
Use a slotted spoon to remove
them from the oil, and drain them
briefly on paper toweling (or on
the rack that attaches to some
woks). Immediately drop them
into the cooled syrup. Use a differ-
ent spoon or tongs (so the syrup
will not get oily) to turn the koek-
sisters in the syrup so they are
completely coated; then quickly
lift them up, and let the excess
syrup drain off. Put the koeksis-
ters on a large plate. Repeat the
frying and dipping process until
all the dough has been used.
The finished koeksisters can be
stored for several days in a loosely
covered container at room tem-
perature.
Makes 27 koeksisters.
schmaltz spread over it.
The use of dry yeast and milk
powder in this recipe is my own
adaptation to make malai easier
for modern-day cooks. Romanians
usually use cakes of compressed
yeast, which they crumble into
the batter after the hot liquid has
been added.
2% cups stone-ground yellow
cornmeal
? /4 cup enriched all-purpose or
unbleached white flour
% cup instant nonfat dry milk
powder
1 packet (about 2 tsps.) active
dry yeast
3 tbsps. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups hot (120-130-degrees
F.) water
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup small curd cottage
cheese
TO SERVE (optional)
Butter or sour cream
MALAI
(Romanian Cornbread)
Romanians are great fans of
cornmeal, which they usually
cook into mamaliga, a solid cake
of very thick cornmeal mush.
However, Romanian Jews also
enjoy another dish made with
cornmeal: malai. The following
version of malai is made with
cheese, making it perfect for
Chanukah. It tastes best right out
of the oven, each piece split open
and slathered with butter or
spread with sour cream.
Sometimes, a pareve or meat
version of malai is made with
water or broth instead of milk,
and no cheese. At Chanukah time,
this type may be served with
In a large bowl, combine the
cornmeal, flour, milk powder,
yeast, sugar and salt. Slowly add
the water, while stirring, to pro-
duce a thick batter. cover the bowl
loosely, and let the batter rise for
30 minutes. Stir in the eggs and
cottage cheese. Pour the batter
into a well-buttered or nonstick
spray-coated 9-inch square pan.
Bake the malai in a preheated
350-degree oven for about 45
minutes or until it has risen and is
quite firm. Cut it into large
squares, and serve hot. If desired,
cut each piece in half horizontally,
and top with butter or sour cream.
Makes about 9 servings.
THE JEWISH NEWS
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Suite 865
Southfield, Mich. 48075-4491
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Copyright 1984, Gloria Kaufer Greene
Sephardi Chanukah treats
On Chaukah, Sephardic Jews,
those Jews who trace their ances-
try to Spanish-speaking and Arab
countries, often serve delicacies
representative of their native
lands, rather than the traditional
latkes.
ARTICHOKES
SEPHARDIC STYLE
8 medium artichokes
1 lemon
4 cloves garlic, very finely
minced
1 tsp. hot red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped parsley
(packed)
2 tbsps. kosher salt
Oil for deep frying
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Cut off stems flush with each
artichoke and trim off coarse
outer leaves. With sharp knife
slice off about 1 inch of top of each
artichoke and, using scissors, snip
prickly points off leaves. Rub cut
areas with half the lemon. Then
juice lemon.
Bring kettle of salted water to
boil. Add lemon juice and ar-
tichokes. When water returns to
boil, cover and cook over medium
heat 20 to 25 minutes, until ar-
tichokes are tender and a leaf can
be removed easily. Drain ar-
tichokes upside down until cool.
Combine garlic, hot pepper,
parsley and salt.
When artichokes have cooled
remove fuzzy choke and center
leaves from each by gently
spreading center of artichoke
open and pulling out choke or
scooping it out with spoon.
Fill each artichoke with parsley
mixture, tucking it between the
leaves and in center. Set aside or
refrigerate until 1/2 hour before
serving.
Heat oil for deep frying to depth
of 2 or 3 inches in deep saucepan,
deep fryer or wok. When oil has
reached 375 degrees fry ar-
tichokes for 30 seconds each, until
leaves begin to curl. Drain briefly
on paper towels.
Sprinkle each with tablespoon
of red wine vinegar and serve.
Yield: 8 servings.
ZALABLA OR BIMUELOS
(CHANUKAH FRITTERS)
1 package dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
11/2 cups warm water (110 de-
grees) approximately
3 cups flour
pinch of salt
1 /2 cup milk (see note)
1 egg
Oil for deep frying
Syrup (see recipe)
1 /3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp cinnamon Dissolve yeast
and sugar in 1/4 cup of warm water.
Set aside in warm place until dou-
bled, about 10 minutes.
Place flour and salt in food
processor. Pour in yeast mixture,
milk and 1 cup of warm water.
Process for just a few seconds. Add
egg and process few seconds more..
Continue to process, using on=
and-off (pulse) mechanism until
flour has been completely incor-
porated and mixture is smooth. It
should be gooey mass thicker than
pancake batter and about consis-
tency of muffin batter. If it is too
thick, add a little water, table-
spoon at a time.
Transfer batter to bowl, cover
with damp towel or plastic wrap
and set in warm place until dou-
bled, about 45 minutes.
Heat oil for deep frying to 375
degrees in a deep fryer, saucepan
or wok. Using teaspoon that has
been dipped into cold water, drop
small mounds of batter into hot oil
and fry until golden brown on all
sides, about 3 minutes. Do not
crowd fritters in pan. As they are
finished, transfer to absorbant
paper to drain.
Pile finished fritters on platter
while still warm. Pour syrup over
them and sift confectioners' sugar
mixed with cinnamon on top, or
serve just dusted with sugar-
cinnamon mixture. Serve at once.
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The Jewish News
17515 W. 9 Mile Rd., Suite 865
Southfield, Mich. 48075-4491
Gentlemen:
Please send a (gift) subscription:
NAME
ADDRESS
CITY
From:
If gift state occasion
$18 enclosed
STATE
ZIP