ANNABEL COHEN
Special to the Jewish News

I,

urim is by far the most merry
and wild of the Jewish holi-
days. It commemorates not
just the Jewish victory over a
plan to destroy the entire Jewish popu-
lation of ancient Persia, but a crucial
historical victory which credits a
woman, Esther, as a its principal hero.
Purim falls on the 14th of Adar, or
Friday, March 9, and on the 15th of
Adar in cities surrounded by walls, such
as Jerusalem. When Shabbat intervenes,
like this year, then the holiday extends
another day.
There's little doubt that the Purim
celebration commands the most
uncharacteristically Jewish behavior.
After all, what other holiday commands
celebrants to get drunk until they can
no longer distinguish enemies from
friends?
And when else can revelers scream
and make grogger noises at the mention
of Haman's name, tell silly jokes and
perform plays and parodies or shpiels
which make fun of otherwise serious
subjects?
comes to Purim feasts.
Because Purim is a celebration after a holy war, it
In fact, Jewish law designates that a seudah of
is also a time for contemplation and reflection. It is
Shabbat proportions is called for any time of the
for this reason that the Purim celebration is
day on Purim. Roughly translated, that
preceded by, and includes thoughtful deeds
means that bread, usually challah, and
Pound .cake
and actions.
meat are served. These foods, more than
and fruit
Among the many disciplines practiced
any others, are thought essential to cor-
"Hamantashen"
before the holiday itself is the Fast of Esther,
rectly mark the momentousness of both
desert
a throwback to the Jewish tradition of fast-
Shabbat and Purim.
ing before going to war. The fast begins at
These days when most of us in the
the first morning light of the 13th day of Adar
United States eat well everyday, a dinner of a deli-
(Thursday, March 8).
cious soup, roasted chicken and kugel may not seem
It is customary to pull out all the stops when it
like a big deal, but until well into the 1900s, espe-.

cially in areas of lesser affluence, most
weekday meals were quite simple. On
Shabbat, however, even the most mod-
est family would create a dinner fitting
the importance of the occasion.
In this spirit, try some of these
Shabbat-style recipes with a twist:

ASIAN INSPIRED CHICKEN
NOODLE SOUP
3 T. vegetable oil
3 cups chopped onions
1 T. minced. garlic
1 pound cooked boneless skinless
chicken breasts
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, with
juice
1/2 cup thin sliced fresh lemongrass
(available at many vegetable markets)
1 t. ground cumin
2 t. fennel seeds
8 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
8 ounces thin noodles, uncooked
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 T. sesame oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chopped scallions, white and
green parts, garnish
lime wedges, garnish
Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add
onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally for 3
minutes. Meanwhile, using your fingers, shred the
cooked chicken into thin "strands." Add this to the
onions and cook, stirring for 2 minutes more.
Add tomatoes, lemongrass, cumin, fennel seed,
chicken broth and water and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to,medium and cook the soup for 30
minutes more. Raise heat, add noodles, cilantro,
sesame oil and seasonings and bring to a boil again.
Cook another minutes or two until the noodles
are softened and serve the soup in bowls garnished

3/2

2001