by Jacoba Spijker-Kort
Charoset is a kind of relish. Always found on the Passover Seder plate. The structure remembers us on the brickwork mortar, made by the men of Israel in Egypt to build the cities and pyramids under very hard circumstances. See the bitter herbs on the Seder plate.
There are several combinations of ingredients used for the Charoset. The Askenazic Charoset has less kinds of ingredients. For instance apples, sugar walnuts, cinnamon, matze flour and wine. The Sephardic version, influenced by the Mediterranian Yewish culture, has also the dried fruit, lemon fruit, dates, almonds and ginger in the recipe.
My Sephardic Charoset :
Serves about 15.
3 desert Apples, sour and fresh of taste, washed, peeled if you like and grated.
1 Bananah, washed, peeled and finely chopped or crushed.
Juice from 1 lemon.
¾ cup / 100 gr. Raisins, sultana, washed well and dried with a paper towel.
¾ cup / 100 gr. Walnut pieces, finely chopped
¾ cup / 100 gr. Almonds, finely chopped or grinded.
6 pitted dried Apricots, washed, dried and finely chopped.
6 pitted dried Dates, finely chopped.
2 tsp. ground Cinnamon.
1 tbsp. sweetened Ginger (optional) pressed through the garlic press, or very fine chopped
root ginger.
1 tbsp. Matza flour
1-2 tbsp. Honey or soft light brown sugar.
3 tbsp. Kosher red wine.
Combine all the ingredients in a non-metallic bowl.
Taste and add more sugar or wine if necessary.
Keep for one night in the refrigerator before serving, chilled or on room temperature.
You can keep it chilled and eat it during the whole Passover week.
Tip: Use an ice spoon for serving the Charoset on the Seder plate.
I wish you “Pesah Kasher”, “Kosher Passover”.