Israel tourist information

Israeli cuisine is a very diverse cuisine. It consists of local dishes and dishes brought to Israel by immigrants from around the world. Israeli cuisine thus has its roots in both Jewish cuisine and Arab cuisine. Some local foods, such as falafel and hummus, have become synonymous with Israeli cuisine.

Own Cuisine?
Like many nations built up of immigrants from around the world, there is a large debate over whether an Israeli cuisine actually exists at all. Many believe that because Israel is a new state which does not have a long tradition of cooking. Because many of the dishes which are currently considered Israeli originate from Arab cuisine, and the cuisines from the countries from which the Jews immigrated to Israel, Israeli cuisine is just a fusion of styles from around the world, with no apparent unique aspect.

In contrast, many do assert that Israel does have its own cuisine. They argue that many cuisines influence each other and "borrow" dishes from others. This can be seen across the Asian cuisines for example, whilst what some countries asster to be their national foods, actually originate in other countries, for example the hamburger, the sausages, the pizza and the French fries as the cuisine of the United States which actually originate in Germany, Italy and Belgium. Many dishes in Israel cannot be found in other countries, however, most notably, when there are mixtures of combinations of elements of the Middle Eastern and European cuisines such as goulash and couscous.

Whether or not Israel does have its own cuisine the two main currents in the food which could be seen as Israeli Cuisine, are the foods originating from the Israeli-Mizrahi culture and the traditional Israeli cuisine.

Israeli-Mizrahi cuisine
Israeli-Mizrahi cuisine is similar to Arab cuisine, featuring grilled meats, pastries (sweet and savory), rice dishes, stuffed vegetables, pita breads and salads.

• Salads - Meals often begin with a variety of salads, or meze, that includes such standard salads as hummus, tahini, matbucha and mayonnaise salad. Salads can include those from foreign cuisines such as the Coleslaw salad but there are also local salads created in Israel such as Israeli Salad and eggplant in liver salad which was invented during the Austerity period and is said to be the only recipes from the Austerity period which is still eaten in Israel.
• Spicy dips - Skhug brought by Yemenite Jews, Harissa brought by Tunisian and North African Jews and Pilpelchuma brought by Libyan Jews are all different versions of the popular dip based on chili peppers and garlic. Skhug is the most popular of these.
• Amba - Immigrants from Iraq brought with them Amba which is now commonly found at Shawarma stands all over Israel.
• Labneh
• Pita - has been called the national bread of Israel, popular due to its is soft and pleasant texture, and the fact that it enables one to eat salads by the technique of "wiping" the salads with the pita, or can be used to hold different dishes, some of which are unique to Israel, such as the Schnitzel, or Steak in pita. The Lafa is also popular but mainly to hold different meat dishes.
• Shakshouka - arrived in Israel from North Africa with the many immigrants who arrived from these countries.
• Fried snacks such as Falafel are most popular with Israelis, now there are eateries which serve Falafel in four flavors: Original, Sesame, Green (Parsley and Coriander) and Red (Spicy). Other fried snacks include Kibbeh, cigarim, and pastelim which arrived from various Middle Eastern countries.
• Soups mostly originate from Jewish Yemenite Cuisine brought to Israel by the Yemenite Jews. Amongst popular soups are leg soup and bean soup.
• Pastries such as Bourekas which were brought to Israel by the Jews of the Balkans are very popular. Similar dishes are the Malawach and the Jachnun which the Yemenite Jews brought.
• Sandwiches such as Sabich, an Iraqi sandwich which in the past could only be found in Ramat Gan, today can be found all over Israel. The Tunisian sandwich which contains tuna, cooked potatoes and Matbucha on a roll and there is also a version in a fried roll known as Fricassee.
• Grilling meat is the most popular style of cooking in Israel. Dishes which are created in this way include the Kebab and the Shashlik.
• Shawarma arrived in Israel from Turkey when the Ottoman Empire ruled over the country. Shawarma is incredibly popular in Israel and is most commonly made of turkey meat.
• Fish - Israeli fish restaurants serve fried and baked fish. Hraime, a popular fish dish baked in Pilpelchuma sauce which was brought over by the Jews of Libya.
• Hummus, Chips and Salad is an almost mythological concept which describes the varied additions which are inserted into pita together with the main portion especially if it is falafel, Shawarma or grilled meat. The use of french fries in these dishes is exclusive to Israel.
• Mujadara - almost every ethnicity has a different rice dish, and the Mujadara (known throughout Israel as "Mejadra"), the most popular rice dish in Israel (besides the normal white rice) arrived from Lebanon through the Arabs of the Galilee.
• Desserts - in modern Israel are served which an eastern theme, and include the likes of Blancmange and Baklava which arrived from Turkey.
• Halva is a candy of Turkish origins which have become popular among Israelis. Since the 1990s halva has become present in many original desserts such as the halva parfait which was invented by the Israeli chef Tsachi Boksheshter and has since become popular in all the Israeli restaurants.
• Black Coffee with Cardamom or without is also popular.

Traditional Israeli cuisine
These are ethnic dishes which have gained popularity outside of the bounds of their ethnicity.

• The Ashkenazi ethnicity gave Israeli cuisine chicken soup, the schnitzel and the Puree as well as salads such as egg salad, mayonnaise salads and chopped liver. Other, now common dishes from this ethnicity include Gefilte fish (fish cutlets) and the Kugel. The 'Jerusalem Kugel' which contains caramel, could be considered an original Israeli dish. The first Israeli patisseries belonged to Ashkenazi Jews which is why many of the most popular cakes in Israel originate from central Europe. These include the likes of the Sabrina, the Sufganiya and the Hamantash.
• The North African ethnicity has given Israeli cuisine Couscous and the Mafrum which have gained great popularity in Israel. They also brought the Shakshouka and salads such as the Matbucha and the Moroccan carrot salad. The Chraime dish from the Tripolitaian cuisine has gained popularity in the last years in a similar way to Gefilte fish.
• The Balkan ethnicity gave Israeli cuisine the Burek (known in Israel Bourekas), yoghurt and taramosalata. The cuisines of the Balkans ethnicity have been an important original influence to the Jerusalemite cuisine and the Tiberian cuisine which developed even before the First Aliyah.
• The Yemenite ethnicity gave Israeli cuisine soups, the Jachnun, the Malawach, and the Skhug which.
• The Iraqi ethnicity has given Israeli cuisine most notably the Amba, the Kibbeh and the Sambusac, but also the soured vegetables. The Sabich, has become very popular recently as well.
• The North American ethnicity contributed to Israeli cuisine cottage cheese, which has become very popular.

Chamin
The Chamin is a traditional Sabbath dish which exists across Israeli cuisine and is based almost always on meat, and vegetables which are cooked for a long time in low temperatures. Every ethnicity has its own traditional Chamin. The most common types of Chamin:

• Cholent - East European Shabbat stew usually containing chunks of meat, potatoes, onions, barley and beans.
• Schina - Chamin of the Morocco Jews.
• Tebit - Chamin of chicken and rice of the Iraqi Jews.

Israeli cuisine during Passover
The laws of the holiday of Passover add further dietary restrictions. Restaurants in Israel have come up with creative alternatives using potato starch and other non-standard ingredients to create pasta, hamburger buns, pizza, and other fast foods in kosher-for-Passover versions.