Yom Kippur
Plant-Based Dishes
KERI WHITE | SPECIAL TO THE JE
W e all love the traditional white-
fi sh/bagels/lox break-fast meal
— and what’s not to like?!
But these days, many people are adopt-
ing more plant-based eating habits, either
for environmental and ethical reasons, or
a need to reduce cholesterol or sodium
intake, to lose weight or for other health
considerations. My sister-in-law Esther, who is a
healthy eater, made these recipes on
a recent visit and, although not tradi-
tional, they would be good additions to
the break-fast buff et. Both are pareve,
healthy, deliver plenty of fresh veggies
along with fi ber, protein and, of course,
they are delicious. Both of these dishes
are also colorful, so they add some visual
pop and interest to the buff et.

When cooking for a holiday crowd, it is
ideal to off er a variety of dishes to accom-
modate all preferences and needs; these
two recipes do just that! For folks who need
to watch their sodium, try using low-so-
dium soy sauce, and reduce the amount as
required. Ditto for lower fat diets concern-
ing sesame oil and peanut butter.

Caulifl ower Lettuce Wraps
Serves 5
These mimic chicken wraps seen on
many Chinese and Vietnamese menus.

Caulifl ower rice is available in the
produce sections of most supermarkets
these days. If you can’t fi nd it, see the
note below on how to make your own.

The wraps are designed to be a fi n-
ger food, but they can be rather messy;
some may wish to serve these plated
with a knife and fork.

1 2
½ ¼
3 2
1 1
teaspoon canola oil
cups caulifl ower rice
cup diced water chestnuts
cup diced red onion
cloves garlic, crushed
tablespoons hoisin sauce
teaspoon soy sauce
teaspoon Sriracha or your
favorite chili sauce
12 lettuce cups, either from Boston
or bibb lettuce, small romaine
heads, or iceberg
Optional garnishes: chopped
peanuts or cashews; cilantro
sprigs, sliced jalapenos and/or
sliced scallions
In a large skillet, heat the canola oil
and sauté the onion, garlic and mush-
rooms until fragrant. Add the water
chestnuts, caulifl ower rice, soy sauce,
hoisin and Sriracha with a splash of
water to help distribute the sauces.

Continue cooking for about 5 min-
utes until all vegetables are
cooked. Remove from heat
and cool slightly — you don’t
want the mixture added to the
lettuce while it is steaming hot
or it will cook the leaves.

Place the lettuce cups on
a large platter and fi ll them with the
caulifl ower mixture.

Garnish as desired, and serve.

To make caulifl ower rice, divide a
large head of caulifl ower into fl orets
and small pieces.

Blanche the pieces in boiling water
for 30 seconds, then place them
immediately into an ice bath. Drain
thoroughly, and put them in a food
processor. Whiz the caulifl ower around
until the pieces resemble rice. This will
make more than you need for the let-
tuce wraps; save it and use it in salads
or as you would rice or couscous.

Spicy Thai Quinoa Salad
Serves 6-8, depending on portion size
Ingredients: 2 cups fi nely sliced red cabbage
2 cups shredded carrots
1 large bell pepper, fi nely sliced
2 scallions, chopped
2 cups edamame
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Photo by Keri White
FOR THE BREAK-FAST BUFFET
Dressing: 4 tablespoons natural peanut
butter 2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2-3 tablespoons Sriracha or other
hot chili sauce
1 cup hot water
Mix all the vegetables and quinoa
in a large bowl. Set aside.

Mix all the dressing ingredients
except for the hot water in a medium
bowl. Gradually add the water, starting
with about a quarter cup, and whisk.

Continue adding water and whisking
until the dressing becomes creamy
and smooth. It should be thin enough
to pour over salad but not too watery.

Pour the dressing over the veggie/
quinoa mixture, and stir it together.

This is best if it has some time to
sit, allowing the fl avors to blend. JE
Break-Fast Side Dishes
LINDA MOREL | SPECIAL TO THE JE
L ike many American Jews, our fam-
ily breaks the Yom Kippur fast
with bagels, lox and cream cheese. We
like whitefi sh salad, too.

While this is a wildly popular menu,
it lacks the crunch and nutritional
value of vegetables and fruit.

I’ve tried ordering trays of sliced
tomatoes, cucumbers and raw vege-
tables. But they were assembled days
before the holiday and arrived past
their prime. I fi gured that with a little
22 advance planning, I could do better.

In recent years, I’ve turned to salads
and cooked vegetables that are easy
to make ahead and best served cold.

Th ey’re ideal for the rush of getting
food on the table aft er breaking the fast.

Better still, the canon of Jewish cuisine
off ers many recipes to choose from.

Olive and orange salad has been
treasured among Sephardi Jews for
centuries. Jews were among the earliest
growers of citrus fruits. Th ey have culti-
vated olives for at least 5,000 years. Th is
salad is a favorite in Israel, although its
SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
origins are probably in North Africa.

Nutty spinach with raisins is cooked
fi rst and then chilled, a common pre-
serving method in the days before
refrigeration. Th is dish is beloved
among Jews in the Middle East and
North Africa. Th is recipe comes from
Rome, but it almost certainly traveled
there with Jewish traders during the
Roman Empire.

Beet salad with dill is well known in
the AsŠ enazi world. Beets have always
been cheap and are tough enough to
survive frigid Eastern European win-
ters. Besides being essential to borscht,
beets are a tangy ingredient in Jewish
cooking. Initially, AsŠ enazi Jews ate
beet greens in salads, the tops of this
root vegetable that grows underground.

But later, Russian Jews devised beet
salad, sometimes adding herring.

No matter how your family breaks
the fast, it’s a smart move to add foods
to the menu that are hydrating, full of
fi ber and loaded with vitamins. Aft er
a day of forgoing food, vegetables and
fruit are a healthy bridge back to your
usual diet.