2nd night of Chanukah - Part of Kehillat Nashira's 8 nights of Chanukah series for 2024
As part of Kehillat Nashira's 8 Nights of Chanukah series for 2024, we’re excited to share something lovely for the second night! Naomi Lethbridge has opened her recipe box to bring you three mouthwatering Chanukah treats, each perfect for lighting up your holiday table.
✨ Classic Latkes: A cherished family recipe - a must-try this Chanukah.
✨ Onion Bhajis: Looking to mix things up? Naomi’s take on this crispy, fried favourite is Chanukah-perfect and brings a spicy twist to your celebrations.
✨ Apple Fritters: For a sweet nod to Chanukah, these fritters are pure nostalgia dusted in cinnamon sugar.
Whether you’re sticking to tradition or experimenting with new flavours, Naomi’s recipes below are sure to bring joy and deliciousness to your Chanukah festivities.
Chanukah Latke Recipe
Makes 4 – 6 servings
· 5 large potatoes peeled
· 1 large onion
· 3 eggs beaten
· 1/3 cup flour
· 1tsp salt
· ¼ tsp pepper
· Vegetable oil for frying
Method
1. Grate the potatoes and onion by hand or food processor and put in colander lined with a muslin or tea towel.
2. Collect the corners of the muslin/tea towel at the top, twist and squeeze as much of the water out as possible.
3. Add to a bowl with the eggs, flour and seasoning and mix well with your hands until a handful of mixture will clump together when you squeeze it. Add more flour if need be.
4. Heat the oil in a frying pad over a medium high heat.
5. Drop a bit of batter in the pan to check it sizzles and is hot enough to start frying.
6. Fry in batches, 5 minutes on one side and 3 minutes on the other, until golden brown.
7. When ready take the latkes out of the pan and place on a kitchen paper lined tray to drain excess oil.
8. Continue until all the batter has been used up, adding more oil when you need to.
Naomi's Top tips
- Don’t skip out on squeezing out the water, it will make a big difference to your latkes.
- You can always test your batter by making one latke first, have a sneaky taste test and then adjust seasoning accordingly.
- Try not to overcrowd your pan, giving each latke space to fry and space to flip over.
Serve with your condiment of choice or applesauce (her Grandma Trudy’s favourite).
For something less conventional but very yummy and fried - aka Chanukah appropriate - Naomi recommends Onion Bhajis.
Chanukah Onion Bhaji Recipe (adapted from Good Food)
Makes 12
2 onions finely sliced
100g gram flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp turmeric
1 green chilli (optional) deseeded and very finely chopped
vegetable oil for frying
For the raita (optional)
½ cucumber
150g tub Greek-style yogurt
2 tbsp chopped mint
Method
1. Soak the onion in cold water while you make the base mix.
2. Put the flour and baking powder into a bowl, then add the cumin, turmeric, chopped chilli (if using) and a good sprinkling of salt. Mix in about 100ml of cold water to make a thick batter – add a splash more if it feels too stiff.
3. Drain the onion well and mix it into the batter. Heat about 5cm of oil in a wok or deep pan. Do not fill the pan more than a third full. Add a tiny speck of batter. If it rises to the surface surrounded by bubbles and starts to brown, then the oil is hot enough for frying.
4. Lower heaped spoonfuls of the bhaji mixture into the pan, a few at a time, and cook for a few mins, turning once, until they are evenly browned and crisp, so about 3-4 mins. Drain on kitchen paper, sprinkle with a little salt and keep warm while you cook the rest. Serve with the raita.
5. For the raita, peel the cucumber and grate it into a sieve set over another bowl. Mix the remaining ingredients with some seasoning and the drained cucumber – squeezing out any extra moisture with your hands – then spoon into a small serving bowl.
Finally, if you are looking for something sweet and historical, Naomi suggests her recipe for Apple Fritters - slightly adapted from from the Italian Jewish Cookbook - Portico, inspired by Donatella Limentani: From 1880 to today: My Family’s Jewish Cuisine)
Chanukah Apple Fritters
Serves 6 – 8
· 4 large apples, peeled
· 210g plain flour
· 3 tbsp sugar
· ½ tsp salt
· ½ tsp baking powder
· 355ml milk or non-dairy milk
· Vegetable oil for frying
Method
1. Carefully core the apples and cut into 1cm sliced rings
2. Put the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder together in a bowl. Add the milk and whisk until smooth.
3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering.
4. Working in batches of 4 – 5, dip the apple rings into the batter, letting the excess drip off, carefully place them in the oil. Fry 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
5. Transfer to a kitchen paper lined plate for the excess oil to drain.
Sprinkle generously with vanilla sugar or cinnamon sugar while still hot and serve immediately.
Stay tuned for more fun and inspiration as we celebrate all 8 nights together! 🕎
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