Foods
Continued from Page 19
GULAB JAMUN
I was familiar with these fried sweets thanks to my moderate to
severe obsession with Indian food, but I didn’t realize until recently
that they were commonly enjoyed at Chanukah by Indian Jews.

“Gulab jamun is a traditional Hanukkah treat among the Bene
Israel of Mumbai, as it combines the two primary holiday foods,
dairy and fried,” Gil Marks wrote in “Th e Encyclopedia of Jewish
Food.” Th e desserts are made by cooking milk and fl our in oil at a low
heat. When they’re golden brown, the fritters are drenched in a
spiced chini pani (sugar syrup) that oft en contains cardamom.

You can fi nd gulab jamun at a lot of Indian restaurants — I
typically buy mine from Ekta Cuisine in Fishtown. Th e small
sweets have the consistency of a really rich cake doughnut — they
defi nitely strike that decadent, deep-fried note you’d expect from
a Chanukah dish. I also like pouring the left over cardamom sugar
syrup in chai tea.

Gulab Jamun
BUÑUELOS Buñuelos, also known as bimuelos or bumuelos in Ladino, origi-
nated in Spain and Portugal and have become popular desserts in
Latin American countries. You can fi nd them served at Colombian
or Mexican restaurants. Th ey are commonly eaten by Sephardic
Jews during Chanukah because, you guessed it, oil.

According to Ty Alhadeff , Sephardic studies research coordinator
of the Stroum Center for Jewish Studies at the University of
Washington, they are also eaten for biblical reasons. Th e fi rst
Ladino translation of the Torah published in Istanbul in 1547 read
that the manna God provided to the Israelites in the desert tasted
like buñuelos, or fritters, in honey.

Th ey’re also quite simple to make at home — all you need is
fl our, sugar, yeast, water, salt and oil for frying. I made a batch that
turned out a little less fl uff y and round than the picture on My
Jewish Learning (that recipe is adapted from Gil Marks’ book “Th e
World of Jewish Desserts”) but the results were still a bit lighter
and breadier than sufganyot. Th ey remind me of the fried dough
you can fi nd at carnivals dusted with cinnamon and sugar.

Although these desserts are technically Iberian and Latin
American, I put a North American twist on mine by drenching
them in maple syrup. No regrets. ❆
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20 NOVEMBER 26, 2020
Buñuelos WINTER HOLIDAY MAGAZINE
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