This Family’s Rosh Hashanah Table in London Links Them to India and Baghdad
Photos by Armando Rafael
Shared by Max Nye
Recipe Roots: Baghdad, Iraq > Calcutta (present day-Kolkata), India > London
On May 10, 1964, Max Nye’s mother Esther stepped onto a plane for the first time. She was 11-years-old and she had never left India before. Nearly a century earlier in 1877, Max believes, his great-great-grandfather moved his family from Baghdad to what was then Calcutta. They became part of the community of Baghdadi Jews in India— or, as Max calls them, the Jews of Baghdad — who migrated from Iraq and surrounding countries to India starting in the 18th century to work as merchants and live openly as Jews.
The wedding of Florence and Moses, Max Nye’s maternal grandparents.
The community, which aligned itself with the British who controlled the country at the time, grew to approximately 5,000 people, less than a third of a percent of the population of the city, says Max, who is writing a cookbook called “Hammis Your Onions – Family Recipes from an Indian-Jewish Kitchen.” “In proportionate terms [it was a] very tiny community, but with a very strong cultural presence and identity,” Max adds. “I think there were… five synagogues and three schools.”
Like many of these Jews, Max’s family had ayahs or servants who looked after them and cooked for the household. In the kitchens of this community, Indian flavors were intermingled with Iraqi recipes and Jewish customs, creating a new cuisine and a dialect of sorts called “kitchen Hindi,” a blend of words in Hindi, Bengali, Persian, Arabic, and English. “Any words to do with the home or kitchen would be swapped around in a very jumbled up way,” says Max.
For Rosh Hashanah, for example, there are recipes like carrot meetha, which uses the Hindi word meetha, meaning sweet to describe it, and aloo makala, or fried potatoes, which pairs the Hindi word for potatoes aloo with a derivative of old Iraqi Arabic word meaning fried. “They borrowed different words from languages…. It kind of, in a way, summarizes their food as well. Their food is really a hybrid of Jewish influences, Middle Eastern influences, and Indian influences,” Max explains.
When his family arrived in London, Max’s grandmother Florence was at a loss in the kitchen. Once, when cooking a soup, he says, “she somehow accidentally used engine oil instead of cooking oil.” A terrible smell pervaded the air and the soup turned a dark blue. “That was the beginning and perhaps end of her cooking adventures,” he jokes.
When Max’s mother Esther was close to 30, her great-aunt Ruby called her “out of the blue and said it was time mom learned to make all of this food,” says Max. Ruby told her “the legacy needs to be passed on.” Esther went to Ruby’s home later that day. It was the first of what would become a string of cooking lessons with Ruby, her aunt Helen, and her daughter Triffiene. Others got wind of this and sent along their recipes, which Esther started to note in a brown book. “It was very much a family group endeavor,” adds Max.
Over the years, Esther’s continued to make the family recipes, both for everyday meals and special occasions. “My mother — a culinary powerhouse and a notorious insomniac — would wake as early as 4am and, unable to sleep, begin batch-cooking for the days or even weeks ahead,” Max explains.
Esther, Max Nye’s mother, frying potatoes for a dish called aloo makqualla.
A few dishes, however, were saved for holidays like Rosh Hashanah. “Sometimes if we were really lucky, we would get a dish called pantras,” says Max. The savory pancakes are rolled around turmeric scented chicken and then fried. Esther would make 60 or 70 of them and “This is the one dish that me, and my sister, and dad always squabbled over every year,” Max adds. They would ask Esther not to serve the pantras to their guests and “keep them back just for us.”
Slow-cooked beef curry and rice dishes like rose harissa and pea pilau were served on the holiday in the family’s living room where they would host 30 or so people. “We would clear it out, the sofas would go,” as would a mahogany table, says Max to make room for trestle tables encircled with friends and family.
To start the evening, there was always a series of Rosh Hashanah blessings, a tradition in many Mizrahi and Sephardi homes. Sometimes called a Seder, the tradition centers around a host of foods that symbolize wishes for the year to come. In Max’s family, dates are for sweetness, pomegranates for plentitude, and a fish’s head represents the start of the year, but there’s always a debate about the blessings in his family, he says. “Every single year, we have an argument about which foods and which blessings should be done.”
In recent years, the gatherings have grown smaller, but the family recipes are still made. For Max, the holiday, “is all about looking forwards and backwards at the same time,” it’s a time to look ahead and remember one’s cultural ancestry, he says. Last year, his son was born on Rosh Hashanah. “There’s no greater new beginning.”
Pantras (Fried Chicken-Filled Pancakes)
Makes: 25 pantras
Time: 3 hours and 15 minutes
Ingredients
5 tablespoons canola oil, divided, plus more for frying
3 medium onions, diced
1-inch piece ginger, peeled
8 cloves garlic, peeled
4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 pound chicken breast, minced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
7 eggs, divided
4 cups water
3 cups all-purpose flour
Nonstick cooking spray
2 ½ cups breadcrumbs
Directions:
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over low, and saute the onions for 15 minutes until soft. While you wait, grate the garlic and ginger, or pulse in a food processor. Set aside.
Once the onions have softened, add in the ginger, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and turmeric. Cook for 5 minutes to meld the flavors.
Increase the heat to medium-high, and add the chicken. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, making sure the chicken is evenly mixed. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 45 minutes, stirring intermittently. Once ready, take the lid off, increase the heat and cook for 2-3 minutes more to reduce any excess liquid. Remove from the heat and sprinkle in the fresh cilantro.
While the chicken cooks, prepare the pancake batter. In a large mixing bowl, whisk 3 eggs, 2 tablespoons oil, and 2 teaspoons salt. Add 4 cups of water and whisk again. Slowly add in the flour, making sure to get rid of any lumps.
Make the pancakes: Lightly coat a medium nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray over a medium heat. When it’s hot, add ¼ cup of the batter. Tilt and swirl the pan to make sure the batter is spread out over the whole pan (about a 6-inch diameter or more). After 20-30 seconds, when the batter is semi-solid and starts to bubble, flip the pancake and cook for another 20 seconds on the other side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat the process to make around 25 pancakes, separating each one with a paper towel. The pancakes should be thin and flexible.
Assemble the pantras: Lay the first pancake out on a flat surface and add in 1 heaping tablespoon of chicken in a line along one edge. Fold the side of the pancake over the chicken about 1-inch. Fold up the bottom to encase the filling. Then roll up the pancake, sealing in the filling completely. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking tray or large surface. Repeat until all pantras are assembled.
Prepare the breading station: Whisk the remaining 4 eggs in a bowl and scatter the breadcrumbs on a large plate. Dip each pantras into the egg mix, and then coat with breadcrumbs, ensuring all sides are well covered.
In a large skillet, heat ½ cup of oil over medium heat. Once hot, add in a few pantras and fry for around 2-3 minutes on each side until golden-brown and crisp. Once ready, transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to soak up the excess oil, and repeat the process for the remaining parcels. ½ cup of oil makes around 12 pantras, so top up as you go.
Serve immediately.
Mum's Beef Kofta Curry
Serves: 6-8
Cooking Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds (24 oz) ground beef
3 medium-sized onions, finely diced, divided
½ cup + 2 teaspoons breadcrumbs
⅓ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 egg, beaten
¼-inch piece of ginger, finely diced
4 ½ teaspoons ground coriander, divided
3 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
3 teaspoons Kosher salt, divided
2 teaspoons ground turmeric, divided
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 ½ teaspoons of garam masala
2 teaspoons of curry powder
1 ⅔ cups tomato purée
3 tablespoons of tomato paste
Directions:
Start by preparing your kofta balls. In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef, 1 diced onion, breadcrumbs, cilantro, garlic, beaten egg, ginger, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1 ½ teaspoons cumin, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon turmeric. Using your hands, mix all the ingredients until well combined. Shape them into 40 meatballs, about 1 heaping tablespoon each, and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the meatballs for 5-6 minutes until they are browned on all sides. Once done, transfer them to a plate with a slotted spoon, and repeat with the remaining meatballs.
Make the curry. Saute the two remaining diced onions in the same pot over medium heat for 12 minutes. Then add the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 2 ½ teaspoons of ground coriander, 1 ½ teaspoons of cumin as well as the garam masala and curry powder. Add 2 tablespoons of water, give everything a good stir, and fry for 2-3 minutes, ensuring the spices do not burn. Then add in the tomato puree, tomato paste, and 2 ⅓ cups water. Mix well.
Gently add in your kofta balls, increase the heat and bring the curry to the boil. Lower to a simmer, and cook for 45-55 minutes, stirring intermittently until the cooking liquid has reduced into a thick sauce. Serve warm with rice.
Rose Harissa and Pea Pilau with Crunchy Burnt Onions
Serves: 6
Cooking Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients
2 cups basmati rice
2 medium onions
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
5 cardamom pods (optional)
4 cloves (optional)
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
3 cups frozen peas, thawed
5-6 teaspoons of rose harissa paste
¼ cup roughly chopped dill
Directions:
Start by preparing the rice. Wash thoroughly, then leave it submerged in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes. Once ready, drain.
While you wait, finely dice 1 ½ onions and thinly slice the remaining ½ onion.
In a large pot, heat 1 ½ tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Saute the diced onion, cardamom pods and cloves (if using), bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks for 6 minutes. Add the salt, stir briefly, then add the rice, peas, harissa paste, and dill.
Stir quickly for 1 minute ensuring the rice does not stick, then pour in 2 ½ cups of water. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Give it one final stir, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes without taking the lid off, then remove from heat and let stand undisturbed for 10 more minutes. Remove the lid and fluff with a fork.
While the rice cooks, heat the remaining oil in a small skillet over high heat. Add the sliced onion and cook for 8-9 minutes, until the onions are medium-brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
To serve the rice, sprinkle the fried onions over top to give it a little crunch.
Carrot Meetha
Serves: 6 as a side
Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Ingredients
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 medium onions, diced
6 cloves of garlic
1 ½-inch piece of ginger
3 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups tomato puree
5 teaspoons of tomato paste
1 ¾ pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 2 ½-inch batons (if your carrots are thick, cut them lengthwise so they are all even thicknesses)
Directions:
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Saute the onions for 15 minutes, until softened and starting to brown on the edges.
While the onions cook, grate the garlic and ginger, or pulse in a food processor. Set aside.
When the onions are ready, add the garlic, ginger, salt, garam masala, turmeric, ground pepper, and 3 tablespoons of water. Stir the mix for a minute or so before adding the tomato puree and tomato paste. Mix well to combine.
Add in the carrots. Stir them in for a couple of minutes, making sure they are nicely coated in the sauce on all sides. Turn the heat up and bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for 30-40 minutes with the lid on, stirring intermittently. When the carrots are easily pierced by a knife, remove from the heat and serve warm.
