吃在以色列
Hummus(鷹嘴豆泥),Falafel(炸丸子), Eggplant balagan(優格茄子拼盤)， Pita（皮塔餅，口袋餅） 沙 威瑪, 卡巴烤肉球, Sababa Chips，Stuffed vine leaves，羊肉雪茄捲，搭配芝麻醬, 以色列沙拉清淡爽口（white cheese, cucumber and tomato）,Israeli mezze（小拼盤）（with hummus tehina, pita）, Spiced cracked olives，Israeli eggplant salad with mayonnaise， Bourekas（烤餅）Israeli couscous（蒸麥粉），Breaded turkey schnitzel served with pasta（炸裹麵粉肉排），Shakshuka served in a skillet（平鍋沙蘇卡）
以色列食品是世界上最美味的食品之一，也是世界上最健康的食品之一。以色列食物常使用世界一流的橄欖和橄欖油、加上營養豐富的鷹嘴豆、蠶豆、蒸粗麥粉、小麥、小扁豆、營養好吃的山羊奶酪、多汁的番茄、紅茄子、西葫蘆、鱷梨、芒果、天堂般的 Medjool 棗、美味的雅法橙、克萊門汀、檸檬、葡萄柚、葡萄、無花果、石榴……以及香料，如孜然、扎塔爾、薑黃、芝麻、生薑、肉桂、肉荳蔻、大料、藏紅花……或迷迭香、薄荷等草本植物，及鼠尾草、百里香、牛至（oregano）、檸檬馬鞭草、茴香、月桂葉等調味料。
Israeli street food is
a perfect representation of the country’s food , having hundreds of different
delicacies to be tasted.
HUMMUS is a Levantine spread usually prepared of mashed chickpeas. Sometimes hummus is made of other beans too. Mashed beans are blended with tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and garlic. Where to find the best hummus in Israel is a never-ending debate in Israel.
If you want a perfect treat for your palate, I would suggest to try out hummus with pine nuts. After trying roasted pine nut hummus, there is a great possibility of becoming addicted to it. Thus, please beware of hummus with pine nuts in Israel!
1.2 FALAFEL
FALAFEL is a traditional Middle Eastern food, and inevitably traditional Israeli food. In Israeli cuisine, falafel takes a special place as it is considered to be an Israeli national dish. Falafel is also the ultimate street food in Israel you can find on every street corner in Israel. Ergo, falafel is a popular Israeli food in Israel. While falafel originates in Egypt, today is commonly eaten everywhere in the Middle East.
FALAFEL BALLS are made of deeply fried chickpeas, fava beans or both. Falafel is often wrapped in a pita sandwich or eaten alone as a part of the meze (the Middle Eastern palette of appetizers)
1.3 SHAKSHOUKA
To talk about typical Israeli food and not to mention Israeli Shakshouka is impossible. Shakshouka is among the most popular Israeli food in Israel.
SHAKSHOUKA is an Israeli dish made of poached eggs in the sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers, and onions spiced with cumin or zaatar, paprika, cayenne pepper, and coriander. Shakshouka is one of the most Israeli loved dishes of Israeli cuisine and for a good reason. Unambiguously, Shakshouka is divine. This Israeli egg dish is typically eaten for Israeli breakfast. Shakshouka was introduced in Israel by Jewish immigrants from North Africa, more precisely from Tunisia.
The word Shakshouka comes out of the Arabic word Shakka, meaning ‘to stick together‘. After tasting Shakshouka you find out how good poached eggs, tomatoes, chilies, paprika, onions, cumin, pepper, and coriander stick together. And as a result, you stick to Shakshouka for the rest of your life!
1.4 TAHINI
TAHINI is a creamy and savory paste made of sesame seeds usually found in hummus, baba ganoush spread (an eggplant dip), falafel sandwich or as a salad dressing. Authentic Israeli tahini is made with sesame paste, lemon, olive oil, and garlic.
Let me point out here that tahini is an ancient food tracking down sesames seeds cultivated in India 5.000 BC. If you want to find out why people have been adoring sesame seeds for the past 7.000 years, you should try tahini in Israel.
1.5 BABA GANOUSH
BABA GHANOUSH is a famous Middle Eastern dip made with roasted eggplants. To prepare it, all you need is just to mix eggplants with tahini, lemon juice, and sea salt and you will get one the most delicious spreads in the world ever. If you prefer eggplants to chickpeas, you shouldn’t dwell on hummus or baba ganoush. Your choice is obvious. One of the best countries to treat yourself with authentic baba ganoush is Israel.
1.6 MUJADDARA
MUJADARA is another classic Middle Eastern dish. Mujaddara is a simple and vegetarian dish made with cooked lentils, brown rice, and caramelized crispy onions. Additionally, it can be garnished with herbs and roasted peanuts (like mine in the photo). If your diet is vegetarian, most likely you will be bewitched by mujadara in Israel.
1.7 SABICH WITH AMBA
SABICH, or SABIH, is a popular Israeli sandwich and one of the top popular Israeli food. Basically, Sabich is a pita bread filled with fried eggplant and hard-boiled eggs, tahini sauce, hummus, Israeli salad, and amba (a piquant mango dressing). Sabich was brought to Israel by Iraqi Jews and it goes to the list of Jewish food in Israel eaten traditionally on Shabbath.
Sabich with amba was the first famous Israeli food I have tried in Tel Aviv on my arrival to Israel and I was literally screaming: ‘What’s this?! This is soooo good!! What’s this?! What am I eating? This is so perfect!’
1.8 ISRAELI SALAD
When you mix fresh chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, bell peppers and dress it all with lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, zaatar, you get one of the most delicious salads you have ever tried. Israeli salad is a standard Israeli side dish in Israeli cuisine. There is no need to specially mention how much healthy this salad is!
1.9 TABBOULEH
TABBOULEH is a delicious classic Middle Eastern salad originating from neighboring Lebanon. Israeli Tabouli is a salad prepared of finely chopped vegetables, parsley, bulgur wheat spiced with olive oil and lemon juice. This salad is one of those compulsory Isreali side dishes that make to appreciate Middle Eastern cuisine. Tabbouleh is a simple salad that confirms that beauty lies in simplicity.
1.10 ISRAELI STUFFED VINE LEAVES
Rolled boiled or steamed fresh and young vine (grape) leaves stuffed with cooked rice, olive oil, peppers, salt makes one of the most delectable Israeli dishes. Best stuffed vine leaves you can find served in Druze villages in Israel. Druze people are well known in Israel for their glorious culinary skills and delicious food.
Stuffed vine leaves are widely prepared in all Mediterranean. Sometimes the leaves can be stuffed with minced meat too. In Israel, vine leaves are stuffed only with rice and represent mouthwatering vegetarian and vegan treat!
1.11 LABNEH
LABNEH (or LABNI, LEBNI) is a strained yogurt cheese, dried and prepared either as a buttery spread or shaped into balls. Native to the Middle East, Labneh cheese is a popular food in Israel. Creamy labneh is usually spread out onto a pita bread or a bagel. Labneh blends well with lemon juice, olive oil, zaatar and herbs like marjoram, oregano, thyme, and sesame seeds.
1.12 ISRAELI LAFA BREAD
LAFA (or, TABOON BREAD) is a traditional Middle Eastern and Iraqi flatbread sold as street food in Israel. Lafa bread in Israel is heavily topped with lots of olive oil and zaatar. On my trip to Israel, the first lafa bread I have tried was in Nazareth and I got hooked on it immediately.
1.13 JERUSALEM BAGEL
When talking about traditional Israeli foods I should mention BEIGEL or BAGEL bread, too. BAGEL bread is probably the most popular Israeli bread in the World. Bagel bread in Israel is believed to be brought by Jewish people from Poland. Oblong bagels with sesame seeds are another popular Israeli street food. Jerusalem bagels belong to the list of the most popular Israeli food in Israel.
1.14 CHALLAH BREAD
CHALLAH bread is Jewish people food and Israeli bread traditionally baked for holidays and Shabbath. Tasty Israeli Challah bread dough is made of water, sugar, salt, yeast, raisins, honey, eggs and olive oil. For Rosh Hannah, Challah bread is usually prepared in round shape implying the circle of the year.
1.15 MATZAH FLATBREAD
Matzo or Matzah stands for traditional Jewish flatbread eaten for Passover remembering the Exodus from Egypt. Jewish Matzah is made only from flour and water (without oil, honey, salt and similar ingredients) and the most importantly, without yoast. If you are traveling to Israel during Passover time, most likely you will have a great chance to sample this classic Jewish bread.
1.16 LATKES
Israeli latkes
Latkes are popular Israeli potato pancakes brought to Israel by Ashkenazi Jews. These simple pancakes are made from mashed or grated potatoes, flour, eggs, onions, and matzo meal (finely crushed matzo crackers). Ashkenazi Jews traditionally eat fried latkes for Hanukkah.
1.17 LOX
Lox in Yiddish means salmon. But as a popular Jewish food, lox refers to salt-cured salmon on a bagel with cream cheese, typically served with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and capers. This traditional Jewish food has been brought to Israel by Ashkenazi Jews. Today lox is a popular food among observant Jewish communities across the world as lox is pareve (not meat and not dairy according to the kosher laws) which means that lox is allowed to be mixed with other foods.
1.18 SHAWARMA
Israel offers many vegetarian options, but meat lovers shouldn’t be worried about what to eat in Israel. I am a pescatarian, but I am aware that many readers of my blog are omnivores. So, I am adding some meat delicacies here. Shawarma is a popular Middle Eastern street food made of lamb, veal, chicken, turkey or beef meat. Although Shawarma originates from Turkey, it’s well-liked in all Middle East. In Israel, Shawarma is popular Israeli street food. If you are after tender, juicy and pleasantly flavored meat in Israel, you should opt for Shawarma in Israel.
1.19 KEBAB
Another iconic Middle Eastern meat dish is also an easy find in Israel. You can find three different types of kebab in Israel: Arab, Bulgarian and Romanian. Arab kebabs in Israel are made of chopped lamb, onions, parsley, other herbs. But, what makes Arab kebab in Israel especially popular are pine nuts which are added as well. Romanian kebabs in Israel are usually made of beef meat to which baking soda and garlic are added. Bulgarian kebabs are praised to be softer than Romanian kebabs. Bulgarian kebabs served with freekeh (green wheat) are exceptionally loved among kebab devotees in Israel.
RELATED READ: 10 Day Israel Itinerary: What to See in Israel in 10 Days
1.20 BAKLAVA
Baklava is a famous pastry dessert traditionally prepared in the Middle Eastern cuisine, but also in the Maghreb cuisine, and some cuisines in the Balkans region and Central Asia. Baklava comes in many varieties depending on the region. Baklava in Israel is very rich in aroma and flavor. Typically it is prepared from phyllo dough sheets, with butter, and pistachios, cashew nuts, and walnuts and traditionally soaked in sugar syrup.
1.21 KANAFEH
Kunafa is a famous Middle Eastern pastry and Middle Eastern dessert dish. Typical kunafa is orange colored string pastry with layered cheese, typically soaked in sugar syrup and sometimes garnished with smashed pistachios. In Israel, kunafa is a popular dessert, especially Palestinian Knafeh nabilsiyeh that comes with white cheese called Nabulsi.
1.22 SUFGANIYOT
Sufganiyah are popular Jewish jelly donuts traditionally prepared for Hanukkah. These puffy donuts were brought to Israel by Jews from Europe but soon got accepted widely among the Jewish community during the Hanukkah holiday since fried food in oil in Jewish tradition honor the miracle of the menorah oil that miraculously burned for eight days.
1.23 HALVAH
Halva is a traditional Middle Eastern dessert, and therefore one of the most popular Israeli foods as well. Israeli halvah is traditionally made of tahini and in the shape of a cylindrical cake. Halva in Israel comes with many mouthwatering flavors to meet everyone’s taste: from typical chocolate and vanilla flavor to pistachio, coffee, coconut, and cinnamon flavor and many more. No matter what flavor you prefer, this classic Middle Eastern confection is not to be missed out on your trip to Israel!
1.24 MALABI
Muhallebi is a classic Middle Eastern dessert originating from Persia. Malabi is a milk pudding flavored with rose water and garnished with chopped almonds or sometimes pistachios. While the main ingredients are milk, rice flour, rice, and sugar, every cook has their own secret Malabi recipe. If you like Italian Panna Cotta, most likely you will like Israeli Malabi too. Can you imagine a kind of Panna Cotta with a Middle Eastern twist? Interesting and delicious, huh?!
1.25 MEDJOOL DATES
Majhool date is a large, sweet and soft variety of dates that comes from Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Morroco, and South Africa. While traveling Israel, you can see large plantations of majhool dates, especially in the border area between Israel and Jordan. Israel is the largest exporter of medjool dates in the World. So if you want to treat yourself with a healthy dessert in Israel, you should go for sweet Israeli Majhool dates.
1.26 JAFFA ORANGES
Jaffa oranges originate from the city of Jaffa in Israel. Jaffa is the oldest part of Tel Aviv. Therefore, Tel Aviv is nicknamed ‘Big Orange’. Jaffa oranges refer to sweet, seedless, and oval-shaped oranges developed by Palestinian farmers in the 19th century. Today Jaffa oranges are highly sought after fruits in the world. So, please don’t miss an opportunity to enjoy Jaffa oranges in Israel.
1.27 ISRAELI BREAKFAST
Traditional Israeli breakfast is a world-famous meal from Israel. Typical Israeli breakfast is more sumptuous than continental breakfast. It is made up of a variety of dishes and drinks like shakshuka, hummus, tahini, baba ganoush, labneh, Israeli salad, fresh vegetables, bread and pastries, tea, coffee… But meat is never served for breakfast in Israel. Instead, Israeli breakfast is first and foremost a dairy meal. Hearty breakfast in Israel typically comes as a self-service buffet. Israeli breakfast is the most important meal in Israel. And if you ask me, the most delicious meal in Israel!
2. POPULAR ISRAELI DRINKS
Good food goes with good drinks. Food in Isreal is often accompanied by some of the next beverages:
2.1 POMEGRANATES JUICE
One of the healthiest juices ever is offered at every street stall in Israel. Salesmen at street stalls in Israel simply squeeze fresh pomegranate just in front of your eyes before you start indulging in your ruby-colored juice. Pomegranate juice in Israel is cheap, refreshing and salubrious!
2.2 ARABIC COFFEE WITH CARDAMOM
Israel doesn’t lack sweet coffee treats for coffee devotees.
In Israel, all coffee addicts, like me, can find their pleasure in sipping Arabic coffee prepared in Arabic copper coffee pot with cardamom, saffron, and rose water. Arabic coffee in Israel is usually served in a small delicate cup with some sweets and cakes on the side. My sweet morning sin in Israel was treating myself with Arabic coffee accompanied with some toothsome dates cakes and anise cakes. Do you know that Isreal is the only country in the World where Starbucks failed because locals love their coffee so much?!
2.3 SAHLAB
SAHLAB or SACHLAV (or Salep) is a popular creamy Middle Eastern beverage made of hot milk and a pudding powder from the orchid plant. Most commonly is topped with cinnamon and pistachios. Salep should be drunk while it is warm. Warmness and sweetness are what you get when drinking Sahlab!
