Pesach Around the World - Haroset, One People...Many Customs!

ASHKENAZIC CHAROSET Adapted from an article by Gil Marks in the archives of the Jewish Communications Network ● ● ● ● ●

1 pound (about 3 large) apples, cored and chopped 1/2 to 1 cup (2 to 4 ounces) chopped almonds or walnuts 1 to 2 tablespoons honey About 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon About 1/4 cup sweet red wine

Chop together the apples, nuts, honey, and cinnamon. Stir in enough wine to make a paste.

SEPARDIC CHAROSET Adapted from The Jewish Holiday Cookbook, by Gloria Kaufer Greene ● ● ● ● ●

1 lb pitted dates, chopped 1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 1/2 cups warm water 1/2 to 1 cup finely chopped walnuts and /or almonds 2 to 4 tablespoons sweet red Pesach wine

Soak the dates in the water for one hour. Then bring them to a boil, and let simmer for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally until they form a paste. Let the paste cool to room temperature. Stir in the wine, cinnamon, and nuts.

TURKISH CHAROSET 2 Sweet Apples, peeled, cored and diced 1 tblsp Lemon Juice 1 tblsp Lemon Zest ½ cup White Figs 1 cup Golden Raisins or Sultanas ¼ cup Dried Cherries (optional) ½ cup Ground Almonds ½ cup Walnuts 1 tblsp Brown Sugar 1 tsp Cinnamon ½ tsp Ginger Pinch of Cayenne 3 or 4 tblsp Sweet Red Wine (or more as necessary) Cover apples with lemon juice.

Place all ingredients in a food processor and chop until desired consistency achieved.

Add wine a little at a time.

CURACAO CHAROSET (GAROSA BALLS) 14 Dates pitted 10 Prunes pitted 8 Figs stems reoved 1 cup Golden Raisins 1 cup Cashews 1 Lemon, unpeeled and cut into chunks 1 cup Sweet Red Wine 1 cup Honey or more as needed 1 tblsp Cinnamon to coat Place dates, prunes, figs, raisins, nuts and lemon in a food processor. Chop coarsely.

Add wine and honey, process to chop finely.

Mixture should be moist but firm enough to shape. Add extra honey if needed.

Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for 30 mins.

Roll into balls, toss in cinnamon to coat. Refrigerate until needed.

Can be served in a bowl instead if preferred.

ISRAELI CHAROSET 2 apples, peeled cored and grated.

2 bananas, mashed 14 dates, pitted and chopped 1/3 cup blanched ground almonds ¼ cup matza meal ½ lemon juice and zest ½ orange juice and zest 1 tsp cinnamon granulated sugar ¼ cup sweet red wine Combine all ingredients adding enough wine to make a paste A ‘COOKED’ ISRAELI CHAROSET 200g pitted dates 25g/¼ cup almond meal/ground almonds 25g/¼ cup ground walnuts ½ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp ground cloves 11/2 glass dry red wine 1 tbsp sugar 1 apple peeled and grated In the food processor process dates with a bit of boiling water until a paste forms In a small pot mix dates and wine until uniform, if too thick add 3-4 tblsp water Cook on simmer until the mixture is smooth glossy and thick Add ground nuts, cinnamon and cloves and cook for about 2 more mins, remove from heat When cooled a little add grated apple. Allow to cool then refrigerate.

PERSIAN CHAROSET 25 dates pitted, chopped ½ cup unsalted pistachios ½ cup chopped almonds ½ cup golden raisins 6 strawberries 2 apples, cored and peeled and diced 1 pomegranate 1 orange peeled and diced 1 banana sliced ½ cup sweet red wine ¼ cup cider vinegar ½ tblsp cayenne 1 tblsp ground cloves 1 tblsp ground cardamon 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tblsp black pepper Grind all ingredients until a crunch paste is formed. Adjust seasonings to taste.

PERSIAN HAROSET (de-spiced) 1 cup Walnuts 1 cup almonds 1 cup raisins 6 strawberries 1 cup dates, pitted 1 apples, cored and peeled 1 banana cut up ½ cup sweet red wine 1 tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp pepper Grind all ingredients until a crunch paste is formed.

HALEK (Calcutta Date Syrup/ or IRAQI) HAROSET Adapted from an article by Gil Marks in the archives of the Jewish Communications Network ● 4 cups pitted dates ● 8 cups water ● 1 cup finely chopped walnuts or almonds Soak the dates in water for about 24 hours. Puree the dates and water, and let stand overnight. Strain the liquid in a linen towel. Simmer the liquid, stirring occasionally, until it thickens into syrup. This will take about an hour.

When the syrup has cooled to room temperature, stir in the nuts.

MOROCCON STYLE HAROSET 2 cups walnuts chopped 1 cup blanched slivered or whole almonds 25 dates, pitted 10 large brown “calimyrna” dried figs 20 dried apricots 10 large prunes, pitted ½ cup shelled pistachios ¼ cup sweet red wine ground cinnamon to taste Pop all ingredients in food processor and pulse until the desired consistency is achieved. Form into 1 inch balls and refrigerate until needed. Can also be served in a dish.

SYRIAN CHAROSET 3LB large pitted dates ½ cup sweet red wine 1 tsp cinnamon 1 cup chopped walnuts 1-2 tblsp matza meal to bind Place dates in a saucepan, add water to cover. Bring to boil then lower heat and simmer until the dates are soft.

Process the dates and add the remaining ingredients.JAROSET (INDIAN CHAROSET) 2 ripe mangos, diced ¼ cup dark raisins ¼ cup pitted dates ¼ cup slivered almonds ¼ cup sugar 2 tblsp red wine vinegar pinch salt Pulse ingredients until a paste is formed.

NEW AMERICAN HAROSET Adapted from Jewish Cooking in America by Joan Nathan ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced Juice of 1/2 lemon 1/2 cup of fresh mango, peeled and diced 1/2 cup toasted pecans 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon port or sweet wine

Place all the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse once or twice, just to break up. Let sit for the flavors to meld.