PunkTorah

Independent Jewish Spirituality Online

Milk, Symbol of Sivan

by

Milk 2 by Andrew Magill, used by CC-A permissions
Milk 2 by Andrew Magill, used by CC-A permissions

Cross-posted from www.peelapom.com

It’s traditional to eat dairy on Shavuot, which begins the first week of Sivan. Because of this, we’re going to explore dairy for the month of Sivan.

Let’s start with the separation of milk and meat in the Torah. What it actually says is “don’t boil a kid in its mother’s milk” (לֹא-תְבַשֵּׁל גְּדִי, בַּחֲלֵב אִמּוֹ). This prohibition is found tthree times in the Torah: Ex 23:19, Ex 34: 26 and Deut 14:21, which means — seriously, don’t freaking do this we’re not kidding around!!! Most likely this was a prohibition on mixing life and death; milk being the source of life and death being meat, very literally in this case the meat of the kid goat. It was also, according to the Encyclopeida of Jewish Symbols, a common ancient pagan practice to give an offering of [Read more…]

Simply Tender Brisket and Savory Kasha Varnishkas

by

This week’s recipe comes to us from our new friend and Kosher foodie, Mark Meisel. I’ve had this recipe several times before, and even when I was a vegetarian, I would only eat this meat. Thanks for the recipe, Mark! -Daniela

 

Besides worshipping G_D and laying guilt trips on each other, the most joyous thing in our Jewish heritage is food. Nothing is better than a group of hard to please Jews sitting around a table all loving the same dish. How is this accomplished you ask? Simple. By applying thousands of years of tradition and a little technique you can create kosher and tasty recipes that will have everyone kvelling. For the purposes of this article, let us start with a simplified version of a classic that will knock your proverbial socks off.

 

Brisket:

3-4 lbs Beef Brisket (Flat Cut)

2 packets Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix (prepare with water as directed [Read more…]

Lemon Rosemary Roast Beef

by

An easy, delicious roast beef recipe that comes out perfect every time!

1 (2 to 3 pound) eye of round roast

juice of one lemon

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh or dried rosemary, chopped

 

1. Combine all ingredients, except the roast itself, in a bowl to make the rub.

2. Unwrap beef making note of its weight. Rinse and place in a large plastic bag. Using your hands, spread the rub over the entire surface of the meat. Seal bag and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove meat from bag and place in a baking pan. Cook 15 minutes per pound for rare, 20 minutes per pound for medium.

4. Cool before slicing. Serve warm, room temperature or cold.

 

Recipe and photo originally from thekosherchannel.com.

Kosher Reuben Roll

by

How do you make a tasty Reuben sandwich kosher? Take out the dairy and roll the rest in a puff pastry roll. This is perfect for a Shabbat appetizer.

1 pound (500 grams) frozen puff pastry dough (*parve), defrosted

250 grams corn beef, sliced

1 cup sauerkraut

mustard

1 egg

poppy seeds (optional)

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray.

2. Defrost pastry dough according to package directions. Lay out pastry dough flat, and spread mustard on the dough.

3. Slice the corn beef into small cubes. In a skillet, saute the corn beef until heated through. Add the sauerkraut, stirring together until the mixture is well combined and the flavors have mingled. Lay the corn beef and saurkraut mixture on top of the mustard.

4. Roll the dough up. Brush the roll with egg. Sprinkle with poppy seeds, if desired.

5. Bake at 350 °F (180°C) for 35-40 minutes, or until browned.

 

Note: Make sure the puff pastry dough you buy is parve.

 

Recipe and photo originally found here.

How To Keep Kosher

by

Adopting a kosher lifestyle is easy with the three basic principals of kosher: Thoughtfulness, Limitation and Community

Thoughtfulness

Rule #1: Make sure all processed foods (meat, cheese, cereal, etc) have a kosher label

Food companies will sometimes hire kosher professionals to inspect their processing plants and products to make sure they comply with kosher rules. In return, these companies will have special symbols on their packaging called “hekshers”. Below are a few examples:

To know that you are buying kosher food, it’s important to look for these symbols. Not sure if an item is kosher? Just ask the manager of the grocery store!

Rule #2: Create a kosher kitchen

Kosher is not just about what we eat, but the environment we prepare our food in. This means that you have to properly “kosherize” your kitchen. Click here for easy instructions.

Rule #3: Make meat eating a special occasion

Meat is only to be eaten when we are craving it. This allows us to recognize that we are taking part in the death of a living creature.

Rule #4: Take time before and after you eat to be thoughtful about your food

The wisdom of kosher teaches that we must “bless” our food before we eat and be mindful of our food afterwards. Whether you take a moment for quiet reflection or say a prayer or meditation, taking time before and after meals turns eating into a bigger experience.

Limitation

Rule #5: Only eat kosher meat

This includes:

  • Mammals that chew their cud (ruminate) and have split hooves, such as beef and lamb (Leviticus 11:3-8)
  • Birds that do not other animals or are scavengers, including chicken and turkey (Deuteronomy 14:12-18)
  • Fish that has scales and fins such as tilapia and salmon (Leviticus 11:9-12)

If the animal does not fit into one of these categories, then it should not be eaten. For a full list of kosher meats, click here.

Rule #6: Do not mix meat and milk

In kosher, meals are either “meat” (the flesh of mammals and bird), “dairy” or neither (also called parve). Part of kosher is not mixing meat and milk together. (Exodus 23:19, Exodus 34:26, Deuteronomy 14:21). There are two exceptions to this rule:

  • You can mix kosher fish with dairy (such as salmon in butter sauce)
  • You can eat cheese that comes from animal rennet

By limiting our meals to either being “meat” meals, “milk” meals or meals that have neither meat or milk (called parve), we are limiting our impact on the environment. Kosher is about understanding that when you eat, you are taking away resources for our consumption. By limiting what we take in, we are effecting not just our meals but the world around us.

Community

Rule #7: Visit kosher restaurants, grocery stores, hotels, etc.

The only way that kosher will stay a viable option for consumers is if we “vote with our dollars”. Click here for a list of our favorite kosher places including restaurants, grocery stores and attractions.

Rule #8: Share kosher food with others

Taking on any kind of special diet can be isolating. When we separate ourselves from the “normal” eating habits of the people around us, it can feel a little lonely.

That’s why it’s important to share kosher food with others. Have a kosher food party! Meet others in your community who keep kosher and invite them to your home, or gather a group to visit a kosher restaurant. This community building will open new social connections for you and those who choose this great lifestyle.

PunkTorah Inc.
PO Box 1641
Midlothian, VA 23113

questions@punktorah.org
YouTube
Facebook

Read our DMCA notice

What We Do