It’s time to prepare for our Purim-filled feast

Not only do we eat hamantaschen on Purim, we are also supposed to have a raucous and joyous feast.

When I was very little my grandma told me she always made a huge meal for Purim with homemade kreplach, potato knishes that were shaped like triangles, and hamentashen. Mostly she made them with mohn filling which I did not like, but I did like the ones she made with apricots and dates.

My mother never followed that tradition. We were in too much of a hurry to get into our costumes and get to temple for the costume parade and the hamantaschen there. So our dinners were rushed and often just a bowl of cereal — at our insistence.

That tradition continued with my own kids as we struggled with costumes and hurried to get to temple in time for the festivities there. But we did try to incorporate some of the triangular and hidden foods that are traditional to eat on Purim. I would make them grilled cheese sandwiches in an old contraption called a Toast-ite that totally enclosed the filling inside the bread. My kids loved those.

•We eat triangular foods to “dispose” of Haman and his three-cornered hat.

•We eat kreplach or other stuffed, hidden foods to symbolize the hidden hand of G-d in the Purim story.

•We eat vegetarian foods because Esther hid her Judaism by declaring herself a vegetarian and eating only vegetables, fruits and legumes. (Yes, also eat meat in this feast.)

Did you know that in some families it is customary to make a very long, thin challah to symbolize the long ropes that Haman intended to use to hang Mordechai? Let the kids help make long rope-like challot, perhaps with raisins hidden in the braids.

And finally, there is the dessert of delicious hamantaschen. I fill mine with raspberry jam and mini chocolate chips, Nutella, Apricot jam, walnuts,and more. Fill your hamantaschen with your favorite filling and have a wonderful Purim feast.

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas (Pareve)

You might want to make several of these in different flavors. Will stay in a tightly closed container. If you like, you can crisp them in the oven before serving.

2 to 3 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained and placed on paper towels to dry

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil or canola oil

1/2 to 1 tsp. kosher salt

Any of the following spice/herb blends you like:

1 Tbsp. garlic powder, 1tbsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. dried chives

2 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. chili powder, 1/4 to ½ tsp. cayenne

1 Tbsp. tamari sauce, 1 tbsp. finely minced garlic, 1 tsp. sugar, 1/4 tsp. cayenne

1 Tbsp. tamari, 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil, 1 tsp. finely grated garlic, 1 tbsp. sesame seeds

1 Tbsp. sage, 1 tbsp. tarragon, 1 tbsp. finely minced parsley

2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar, 2 tbsp. finely minced garlic, 1/2 tsp. cayenne

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set aside.

Drain and thoroughly rinse the chickpeas. Place them on several sheets of paper towels to dry. Place some towels on tops and press gently to dry them.

Place the chickpeas in a bowl and add the oil, salt and kosher salt. Place on the prepared pan in a single layer and place in the oven. Let roast for about 30 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 minutes or so.

Mix the spice ingredients for any of the combinations you like in a small cup or bowl. Remove the chickpeas from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Carefully spoon the chickpeas into a bowl and add the spice mixture. Toss gently, pour back onto the pan and place back in the oven for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until golden.

Remove from oven and let cool. Makes about 4 to 5 cups.

Yemenite Chicken Soup (Meat)

It is spicy and delicious and you can make it even spicier if you like by serving with some Schug or Harissa!

3 to 4 quarts water

1 large pullet, cut in quarters

4 (more to taste) large garlic cloves

3 medium onions, left whole

1 small bunch parsley, chopped

1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped

1 Tbsp. Cumin, less to taste

Large pinch ground cardamom

Large pinch turmeric

1 tomato, grated

Small zucchini

3 potatoes, peeled, cubed

Various vegetables (I use celery, leeks, parsnips, carrots, frozen corn niblets and frozen peas)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Place the water in a very large soup pot (12 quarts). Bring to a boil. Add the onions and chicken. Reduce heat to a strong simmer and cook until chicken is cooked through, 2 hours. Add the spices, diced potatoes and other hard vegetable of your choice. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 90 minutes. Skim fat when necessary. Add more water if necessary.

Add zucchini and other soft vegetables of your choice. Cover and simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, adding more water if necessary. One half hour before serving, grate the tomato over the simmering soup with a hand grater. The skin will stay on the grater. If you don’t have a grater, peel, seed and dice the tomato. Season with salt and pepper.

Honey Apricot Ginger Chicken (Meat)

This is a delicious chicken dish that recalls that old “finger licking good” phrase. The sweet pungent sauce is great

2 chickens cut into 8 pieces each

3 to 4 small onions, finely chopped

4 to 6 garlic cloves, finely minced, you can use more

3 Tbsp. (generous) finely grated fresh ginger

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup orange juice

1/2 cup apricot jam

1/4 cup honey

OPTIONAL: 1/2 cup white wine

Heat a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the Canola oil and add the onions. Sauté until translucent and just starting to turn golden brown. Add the chicken pieces skin side down. Brown for several minutes and then turn. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix the garlic, ginger, cinnamon, orange juice, apricot jam and honey. Pour over the chicken and heat and cover. Add the wine, if you like, after about 20 minutes of cooking. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked thoroughly. Serves 6 to 8.

NOTE: You can make an easier oven version of this. Place the chicken pieces in a roasting pan. Sauté the onions, add the garlic, then the orange juice, cinnamon, honey and jam in the same frying pan. Pour over the chicken pieces and bake at 375 until the chicken is cooked through, about 45 –60 minutes.

Honey and Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs (Meat)

8-10 whole black peppercorns

1 to 2 dried chilies

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/2 tsp.black pepper, plus more to taste

6 to 7 lbs. short ribs,

3 Tbsp. canola oil

2 large onions, chopped

5 to 10 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

4 large carrots, peeled, trimmed, and chopped (about 3 cups)

3 celery stalk, trimmed and chopped (about 1 cup)

4 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 750 ml. bottle dry red wine

3 cups low sodium beef stock

3/4 to 1 cup honey

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

3 Tbsp molasses

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap peppercorns, chilies, and bay leaves with cheesecloth, tie and set aside. Season short ribs on both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a large skillet and sear the ribs until they are browned on both sides. Remove the ribs to a large roasting pan.

Add more oil to the skillet of needed. Add the onions and cook until golden. Add the carrots and celery and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook one minute, until fragrant. This should take about 20 to 30 minutes total time.

Make a hole in the middle of the veggies and add the tomato paste. Leave it until it begins to sizzle and the edges turn brown. Mix with the veggies and add the wine. Mix well. Add the spices in the cheesecloth and bury them in the liquid. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Taste and adjust seasonings including, honey and tomato paste, salt and pepper.

Add the beef stock, honey, brown sugar and molasses and mix well. Simmer until reduced by half, another 15-20 minutes.

Pour the liquid over the ribs and cover the pan with a double layer of foil, sealing the edges very tightly. Place in the oven and roast for 2 to 4 hours or until the ribs fall off the bone and are easily pulled apart with a fork.

Remove the meat to a platter, remove and discard the cheesecloth and spices, and reduce the liquid further to about 2 cups. You can strain it, put it in a blender or serve as is. I prefer the liquid as is.

You can pull the meat off the bones and discard the bones or serve the ribs intact with the gravy. It is great with rice, noodles or mashed potatoes.

Mushroom Baked Rice (Parve or Meat)

4 large onions, diced

1 lb. sliced white mushrooms, or a mix of many kinds of mushrooms

2 to 10 cloves garlic, to taste, you can even leave it out if you hate garlic

4 to 6 Tbsp. Canola oil, more as needed

1 quart Kosher no chicken or chicken stock, more as needed

Water, as needed

2 pkgs. onion soup mix

3 cups long white rice, (you can use brown rice, just add more liquid and cook longer.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 3- or 4-quart glass or ceramic baking dish. Cut the onions in half and thinly slice them. I run them through the food processor, but cutting by hand works, too.

Heat a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the Canola oil. When shimmery, add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until they are deeply golden brown and lightly caramelized, up to 35 minutes. If the onions begin to stick, add water by the spoonful and scrape up stuck bits with a wooden spoon or silicon spatula. Reduce heat as they brown, so they won’t burn.

Remove the onions to a bowl and add the mushrooms. Cook them until they exude their juices. Continue to cook until the liquid begins to evaporate just a bit. Add the garlic, mix well and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the caramelized onions and mix well. Turn off the heat.

Rinse the rice and place in a large pot. Add the amount of liquid as directed on the rice package, using the stock and additional water as needed. Add the dry onion soup mix and one additional cup of water. Add one tablespoon Canola oil and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, stir, and cover.

Cook until the rice is almost done, but still hard in the center. There will still be liquid in the pot. Add the onions and mushrooms. Mix and pour into the prepared baking dish. It should have some visible liquid.

Smooth the top, cover tightly with foil, and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil, check for liquid. If the rice is still hard, add more liquid. Bake for another 10 minutes, until the rice is cooked through, but not mushy. Serves a crowd.

NOTE: You may need to add some additional water during the baking process.

Write: Columnist@TheJewishStar.com