Six things to Eat in Israel, or Mama Sarah will Be Upset

Food is a huge and very important part of the Israeli culture, and despite the fact that many dishes have already won the status of international and are tightly integrated into the national cuisine of other countries, nothing compares to real Israeli dishes. If you are in Israel, do not upset your mother Sarah, try these dishes and products.

Shakshuka

Start the day with an impressive portion of shakshuka-a dish that came to Israeli cuisine from North Africa and has remained here. There are many variations of shakshuka, but, in fact, they are eggs in a spicy tomato sauce with slices of challah bread that need to be dipped. A bright, warming and juicy dish with a Middle Eastern flavor is what the doctor ordered.

Chickpeas

If you have never eaten chickpeas during a trip to Israel, you are clearly doing something wrong. This humble bean plant is the basis of the most popular Israeli dishes. For example…

Hummus: It is often served sprinkled with pine nuts, whole peas, and fava beans, and drizzled with olive oil. It's perfectly fine if you completely clean your plate of hummus with the last piece of pita.

Musabbaha: The difference between hummus and musabbaha is in the texture. Hummus has a uniform texture, and in musabbah there are pieces of chickpeas or even whole peas. It is often served with sesame tahini paste, olive oil, chopped fresh herbs, spices and pita.

Falafel: You can find it on every corner, and it's a very inexpensive dish. Flavorful and crispy chickpea balls are served with fresh salad, hummus, hot sauce, sliced pickle and pita.

Shavarma

This dish is similar to the Turkish doner kebab, but the Israeli shawarma is made from pieces of turkey, chicken or lamb, which are cut from a huge spit with meat and served in a pit, accompanied by a fresh salad and various additives and sauces.

Vegetable salad

Forget about the soggy lettuce leaves and watery tomatoes: in Israel, the salad includes a huge amount of fresh herbs, lemon juice and olive oil. The choice of options will make your eyes wander: there is a tabouleh of tomatoes, parsley, mint, bulgur and onion, cauliflower with tahini, pickled eggplant and carrots. And all these are typical ingredients for local salads. The final touch is added with the help of huge olives and lemon.

Martabak

This is a traditional sweet from Jerusalem, which is made from thin filo dough with soft cream cheese, nuts and fruit. The dough with the filling is folded in the form of an envelope and baked until crisp, and then smeared with melted butter and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Pomegranate juice

This popular drink can be found on almost every market counter, where it is squeezed at the request of customers. It not only quenches thirst in the hot Israeli summer, but also contains a lot of vitamins and useful substances. If you think that pure pomegranate juice is too rich to taste, ask for orange juice. It is very tasty and beautiful.