Israeli salad
I went on Birthright in June and had a blast. Even though I've been back for almost two months I still haven't processed the trip.
Israel is breathtakingly beautiful, totally chaotic, cold, friendly, delicious, comforting, and irritating all at once. It's hard to describe unless you've actually been there.
Their food is marvelous. It tastes far fresher and much more real than the stuff we get here at home. Israel does grow most of its own food, and because the country is so small, food doesn't have to travel far to get to hungry people.
In Tzfat I found a Yemenite shop that sold malawach. I relished the impossibly flaky, buttery warm frybread, filled with freshly cut tomatoes and blazing hot skhug. A good thing, too, since I never came across it again.
Israelis know how to make breakfast. Every breakfast, be it humble or fancy, is an array of salads made up of fresh vegetables (some marinated, some not), hummus, labneh, and bread. Sometimes there's shakshuka. (I was happy that my poor man's shakshuka tastes pretty much like the real thing.) The best thing is that all those veggies and fruits don't weigh you down for the rest of the day. I felt fantastic and refreshed every day, despite total lack of sleep, because breakfast was such a clean meal.
When I got back, I missed the felafel, the salads, and the breakfast spreads. Below is a really easy recipe for Israeli salad that's great to make now because it's the peak of tomato season. Serve it fresh.
Israeli salad
4 firm, ripe tomatoes, seeded
2 English cucumbers, peeled or 4-8 Persian cucumbers, washed
Juice from 2 lemons
Olive oil to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Dice the tomatoes and cucumbers. Toss in a bowl with the lemon, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Correct the seasonings and serve.
Christina
