This year, I want to capture that genuine Hanukkah feeling – the smell of latkes and fresh doughnuts, the glow of lights in every window, and the familiar songs we love. Despite the uncertainties and struggles, I aim to find comfort and strength in the traditional Festival of Lights classics, seeking renewal and resilience amid the challenges.
Traditional Potato Latkes
Every Hanukkah, the sizzle of potato latkes in the frying pan feels like a comforting embrace in my kitchen. Both sides of my family have always been experts when it comes to latkes. However, without a handed-down recipe, I had to scribble down measurements and pay extra attention while whipping up these crispy treats. I’m grateful that making latkes feels like second nature to me, and truth be told, I absolutely relish the delightful aroma as they sizzle away!
Yields about 16 latkes.
- 8 medium potatoes
- 1 large onion
- 5 eggs
- 2 Tbsp. potato starch
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- Oil for frying
- Half a carrot, unpeeled
Using a food processor or a hand grater, grate the peeled potatoes and onion.
Place the grated potatoes in a strainer over a bowl, let stand for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, add the eggs, potato starch, salt and pepper, and stir; then add the potato mixture from the strainer. Heat the oil in a frying pan until sizzling hot, then add 2 small pieces of carrot to keep the oil from burning.
Using a slotted spoon, place some latke batter in the pan; do not overcrowd the pan. Fry 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and place in a bowl or deep dish lined with paper towels. Lay them in the bowl standing up so the oil drains and they stay crispy. Enjoy!
Fried Egg Kichel
I remember that when I was a teenager, my grandmother made these on Hanukkah, and I just loved them. She gave me the general recipe (she never used exact measurements), but I remember coming home and making them a day later. At first try, they didn’t taste as great as hers, but I have perfected the recipe and researched how to improve them over the years.
The smell and taste are like a warm hug from her that brings me back to her cozy kitchen with the lit candles on the windowsill.
Yields 2-3 dozen.
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tbsp. parve milk
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- ½ tsp. white vinegar
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 cups flour
- Oil for frying
- Icing sugar for sprinkling
Beat the eggs, milk, vinegar, and salt in a bowl; then add the 2 cups of flour.
You can use a mixer with the dough hook or mix by hand. The dough is quite dense, so keep mixing until it forms one blob of dough. Cover it and let it sit for at least a half hour.
Lightly flour your workspace and then roll out the dough until very thin (almost paper thin). Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut out strips or triangles from the dough.
Heat 2 inches of oil in a large frying pan until sizzling hot. Carefully place the dough strips in the oil, leaving space between them. Fry for about 2 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon, and place on a tray lined with paper towels. Repeat the frying process until all the dough is used.
Sprinkle with icing sugar.
Sufganiyot – Anything-Filled Doughnuts
Here in Israel, the sufganiyot craze begins early and lasts more than just eight days. Until a couple of years ago, the only donuts we ate were from the bakery, as I was too intimidated to attempt making them myself.
But I reached out to women braver than I for some recipes – and encouragement.
I always tweak recipes to make them my own, and after trials and errors (of which my husband and daughter reaped the benefits), I find that this recipe combo to be the fluffiest and easiest to fill with whatever filling you desire.
Yields 18 doughnuts.
- 1 ¼ cups almond or coconut milk, warmed
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 4 Tbsp. dry yeast or
- 4 Tbsp. sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup oil (olive or vegetable)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 5 cups flour
- Oil for frying
Put all the ingredients together in a large bowl – you can use a mixer with the dough hook or mix by hand. Mix until smooth and elastic; the dough will be a bit sticky. Cover the bowl and let rise for at least three hours. After two hours, punch it down and let it rise again, or let it rise in the fridge overnight.
Roll out the dough at room temperature on a floured surface, keeping the dough at least 2 cm. in thickness. Cut out circles using a round cookie cutter about 10 to 15cm. in diameter. Lightly dust with flour, and gently cover to let rise for another 15 minutes.
Heat the oil in a deep pan; test to make sure that a small piece of dough sizzles when dropped in. Gently place the donuts in the pan one at a time; do not overcrowd. Fry for 2 minutes on each side, turning them over with a large slotted spoon.
Remove and place them on a plate lined with paper towels.
Fill a squeeze bottle that has a pointed top with jelly, chocolate, or caramel, and inject a little into each doughnut.
Dust with icing sugar or drizzle on glaze.
Pulled Beef Doughnuts with a BBQ Glaze
Yes, I believe meat can be a perfect filling for doughnuts. But these go above and beyond with the sweet-and-sour dipping glaze. This is a great way to use up leftover meat from a roast or brisket.
Serve this at your next Hanukkah get-together as an appetizer with the glaze drizzled on top or on the side for dipping.
Yields not enough servings, as they disappear quickly!
- 20 doughnuts from the previous recipe
- 1 kilo of shredded pieces of meat from slow cooked ribs (asado) or brisket (meat #3)
- 1 onion diced, sauteed in olive oil
- BBQ glaze
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup water
- 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 4 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 4 Tbsp. white vinegar
To make the glaze:
Put all the glaze ingredients in a pot on the stove on medium heat and let it come to a boil. Lower the heat and let simmer for another 2 minutes to let it thicken. Then shut off the heat and cover the pot.
To assemble:
Cut or shred your beef into small strips and mix them with the sautéed onions. Use a knife to make slits halfway into the doughnuts, and fill with the meat and onions.
Use a small spoon to drizzle the doughnut with the BBQ glaze. You can put the remaining glaze in a bowl for those who want more.
As you light your hanukkiah this year, take a moment with that oil – see the miracles, both in our history of resilience and in the present. Oil, like us, doesn’t dilute; it rises to the top. In this holiday celebration of triumph, let the oil be our guiding light, reminding us that despite the darkness, our victory is inevitable once more.
The writer is a kitchen coach, teaching women how to meal plan and cook so they get dinner on the table and prepare for Shabbat on time. Learn more: www.inthekitchenwithhenny.com