Rosh Hashana’s symbolic foods represent things we ask to be granted in the coming year, the Jewish New Year. But they simply might represent words. Enjoy these easy-to-make symbolic salads and the puns that go with them on Rosh Hashanah.

Apples dipped in honey are the classic first siman. They represent our wish that the coming year may be sweet.

Beets are selek (in Hebrew), which reminds us of the word lesalek – to remove. “May our enemies be removed.”

Make a beet salad with some thinly sliced onion, salt, pepper, a little cumin, olive oil, a little sugar, and vinegar. Just add seasonings and keep tasting and adjusting till you like it.

Black-eyed peas are rubiah – similar to yirbu – to increase.  “May our merits increase.”

Rather than serve them hot, make another salad of them, seasoning it with a little chopped onion and a handful of mixed, chopped cilantro, parsley, and celery tops. Add lots of fresh lemon juice to balance the earthy taste of the peas. Salt and pepper to taste.

Pumpkin – in Hebrew k’ra. This is a homonym, in Hebrew, for both “tear apart” and “read.” “May any evil decree be torn up, and may our merits be read in Your presence.”

This is a simple saute of onions, chopped tomatoes, and thin slices of pumpkin in olive oil. Add a handful of your favorite fresh herbs: cilantro, parsley, a little sage, thyme.  For body, splash in a dollop of white wine or two tablespoons of good soup. Give it all a good stir and it’s ready.

Leeks, in Aramaic karsi, are associated with the Hebrew word karas – to cut down – “May our enemies be cut down.”

Slice the whites of slender, fresh leeks and stir-fry them in olive oil. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper, and serve cold.

Dates, tamarim, sound like the word sheyitamu – consumed. We wish for those intending evil to be consumed.

Stuff pitted dates with pecans or walnuts, and serve.

Pomegranates are said to contain 613 seeds each: the number of the mitzvot given to the Jewish people. We eat pomegranate seeds in hopes of fulfilling all our mitzvot in the coming year.

An easy way to get the seeds without splashing yourself scarlet from the juice is to submerge the fruit in a deep bowl full of water. Cut and de-seed the pomegranate while it’s in the water. Remove the seeds with a slotted spoon to a bowl for serving.

Carrots – gezer in Hebrew, sounds like g’zar – decree. May we be granted a good decree for the coming year.

An ever-popular carrot salad: finely grate 1 medium carrot per person; add the juice of an orange and a handful of white raisins.

The Head of a Fish symbolizes our wish to be “as the head, and not as the tail” in the world.

Lay a fresh, cleaned fish (making sure it’s local and chemical-free) in oiled baking paper. Stuff it with 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, salt and pepper, 1/4 cup chopped onions, and a handful of parsley/cilantro/mixture of thyme and rosemary as you like. Salt and pepper it, shake ground cumin and paprika over it, and drizzle olive oil over all. Bake for 20 minutes – 1/2 hour at 350 F 180 C, or until the flesh comes away from a probing knife in white flakes.

Or try this recipe for Moroccan Fish Stew. Enjoy the fish – save the head for the siman!

How to say the request. Before the first bite of each siman, say the following formula, ending the sentence according to the symbolism attached to each one.

“May it be Your will, our G-d, and G-d of our fathers,  that (apples with honey) we have a sweet new year…(beets) that our enemies be removed…(black-eyed peas) that our merits increase…(pumpkin) that any evil decree be torn up, and may our merits be read in Your presence…(leeks) that our enemies be cut down…(dates) that those intending evil be consumed…(pomegranates) that we fulfill the mitzvot…that we be granted a good decree for this year…(fish head) that we may be as the head and not as the tail!”

…And…Does anyone actually ever eat the head of the fish? Depending on the size of the fish, there’s actually a nice amount of flesh in the cheeks. But many families simply display the head and eat the rest.

More festive recipes on Green Prophet:
Rosh HaShanah Honey Cake
Golden Roasted Potato Wedges
Fresh Figs with Arak and Cream

The post Recipes for simanim (signs) for Rosh Hashanah’s symbolic foods appeared first on Green Prophet.

Foods flavored with honey symbolize the desire for a sweet New Year in the Jewish calendar.

Go the locavore way and pick up some local honey for baking this Rosh Hashannah. Local honey is good for you – and what better way to eat it than by celebrating the holiday with this light, spicy cake?

Honey Chiffon Cake Ingredients

4 eggs, separated

1 cup sugar

1 cup honey

1 cup oil

3 ½ cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup strong tea

Making the Honey Cake

Preheat the oven to 300 F, 150 C.

Have ready 3 bowls: one deep, and two medium-sized.

In one of the medium bowls, beat the egg whites till stiff.

In the deep bowl, beat the egg yolks till light. Beat the sugar in. Beat in the honey, then the oil. It will be a thick emulsion.

Sift the flour, baking powder and soda, spices and salt together into the second medium bowl.

Add the dry ingredients to the egg/honey mix, alternating with the tea. Start and end with the flour mixture.  This is now the batter.

Mix the egg white mixture into the batter, folding it in gently but making sure that it’s well incorporated.

Pour into a greased and floured 9″ x 13″ cake pan. Bake for 1 hour.

Cool the cake and sift powdered sugar over the surface.

Slice, and enjoy!

More recipes for a sweet New Year from Green Prophet:

• Flan, a Sophisticated “Slow” Summertime Dessert
• Two Fig Recipes with Arak and Cream
• Silky White Malabi, Middle Eastern Milk Pudding

The post Rosh HaShanah Honey Chiffon Cake Recipe appeared first on Green Prophet.

Many of us are rushing this month, crossing things off lists though simultaneously putting new ones on, trying to get ready for Rosh Hashanah. It’s a big food holiday for Jewish people– bigger than most, even – and most of us will have family recipes and traditional fare serving as the staples for dinner. Far be it from us to try to compete with your grandmother’s honey cake. We did, however, want to contribute something to the collective holiday table.

Salad!

It’s easy. It’s seasonal. It’s a great counterpoint to the much heavier dishes on the table. It even has honey. It’s the perfect addition to your Rosh Hashanah dinner.

Pomegranate and Nut Salad

• 3-4 heads lettuce, whatever mix you like, leaves well-washed and dried
• 1 large pomegranate
• 3/4 cup walnuts or pecan halves

Dressing:

• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1-2 tbsp organic honey
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Make the dressing. Pour olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper into a glass jar or plastic container with a tight lid. Shake vigorously until the honey is dissolved. Taste, and adjust as necessary, adding more honey, salt, etc. to your liking.
2. Tear the lettuce leaves into bite-sized pieces, putting them directly into your bowl or serving platter. Pour dressing over, and toss gently to coat.
3. Slice the pomegranate in half, and using a spoon, scoop out the seeds directly over the salad, making sure to avoid the white pith as you go. (Any juice that runs out of the pomegranate will only add to the salad’s goodness.) Scatter nuts over top.

Serves 6 to 8

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