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1 MIN READ

Chapter by Chapter: The Jews of Bukharia and Afghanistan

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In this week’s Passover chapter, I am focusing on the Jewish community from Afghanistan and Bukharia (located today in the southwestern part of Uzbekistan). This is especially interesting to me because I know so little about this community. I also find myself wondering where and how to arrange this group in my cookbook so that it makes sense. The Jews from this region are neither truly Middle Eastern, nor Sephardic, but they have some influences of both, as well as a great deal from countries as far east as China and India. They are Central Asian — a part of the Asian continent that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west, all the way to China in the east, Russia in the north, and Afghanistan in the south, and include the following countries:
Afghanistan
Uzbekistan
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Mongolia
Eastern Iran
Northwestern Pakistan

The reason that I have decided to group Bukharia and Afghanistan together into one chapter is because it is not so clear to me as to which dishes are purely Afghani, and which ones are Bukharian. Since so many of the Central Asian Jews were traders along the Silk Road moving in and out of these two countries as well as Persia, much of the “Jewish” cooking that evolved over time adopted a combination of cooking techniques and recipes from the general region.

Tags
Afghani
Afghanistan
Bukhara
Bukharia
Bukharian
Central Asia
Persian
rice
Silk Road
The Stans

1 Comment

on Chapter by Chapter: The Jews of Bukharia and Afghanistan.
  1. kosherlikeme
    June 17, 2013 @ 6:30 am
    -

    Now THIS is a chapter I am psyched to read! Can’t wait to dive in to learn about this region.

jenniferabadi

Something to be thankful for during Thanksgiving w Something to be thankful for during Thanksgiving weekend.

Welcome home. Bring them home. 

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #toogoodtopassover #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #israelifood #israel #standwithisrael #bringthemhome #neveragain #welcomehome
FOOD FIGHT!? The latest anti-Israeli petition dem FOOD FIGHT!?

The latest anti-Israeli petition demands a complete boycott of all Israeli restaurants and food labeled Israeli claiming that it is an appropriation of Palestinian cuisine and an attempt to “erase” Palestinian people. While I understand the desire to raise awareness about the foods of the Palestinian people (or any other community) we have to be careful if the means by which we learn about or appreciate one cultural heritage requires an absolute cancellation of another community in the process. 

Palestinians and Israelis, Jews and Arab Muslims, have more in common with one another genetically and historically than our differences. While cultural variations exist, the overall ingredients and techniques used to create and develop particular recipes are often more reflective of a region than a geographical border.

The biggest issue I have with this petition is not with the Palestinians but with those chefs, restaurant owners, and bakery chains who think that by signing it they are automatically elevated to a higher level of authenticity (perhaps we should start a ratings system for this?). I suggest that they be careful where they put their John Hancock because one day they might find themselves in a position of having to share the results of their 23andMe ancestry to apply for a license to prepare hummus. (And as a Jew with Syrian roots I think that my DNA should give me some right to comment.)

So—to Israeli and Jewish chefs, restaurant owners, bakers, and cooks: hang in there! There was once a time in America when only “Freedom fries” were available, and nowadays you can only find the French kind.

#syrianjewsinamerica #palestinianjews #israel #standwithisrael #kosherfood #jewishfood #jewishpride #mizrahiheritagemonth #mizrahi #toogoodtopassover #fistfuloflentils #sephardiccommunity #culturalheritage #foodheritage #israelifood
When Upper West Siders go to see the balloons. Ha When Upper West Siders go to see the balloons.

Happy Thanksgiving!

#thanksgiving #thanksgivingdayparade #newyorkcity #snoopy #balloons #traditions #americanholiday #turkey #macysparade #thankful
Are you a Mizrahi Jew? Help me to raise awarenes Are you a Mizrahi Jew? 

Help me to raise awareness about “Eastern” Jews by emailing me the following info so that I can share it on Instagram:

—A (relatively clear) photo of you or the person whom you would like me to highlight
—The person’s name
—The country that they came from
—The name of a favorite dish from this country/background (please give me official/traditional name + English translation or description)

You can email me with info and questions: Jennifer@JenniferAbadi.com

Thank you!

#syrianjewsinamerica #palestinianjews #israel #standwithisrael #kosherfood #jewishfood #jewishpride #mizrahiheritagemonth #mizrahi #toogoodtopassover #fistfuloflentils #sephardiccommunity #maghrebijews #middleeasternjews #middleeasternfood #middleeasterncuisine
It’s hard to believe that tomorrow will be 6 wee It’s hard to believe that tomorrow will be 6 weeks since the hostages were taken from Israel. The posters persist to remind us of who is still missing, while pieces of tape and ripped paper remind us of those who prefer that we forget. 

Don’t forget. Bring them home. Shabbat shalom.

“Too Good To Passover” and “A Fistful of Lentils” cookbooks available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #toogoodtopassover #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #israelifood #israel #standwithisrael #bringthemhome #neveragain
Upper West Side, New York. Bring them home. “T Upper West Side, New York. Bring them home. 

“Too Good To Passover” and “A Fistful of Lentils” cookbooks available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #toogoodtopassover #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood israel #standwithisrael #bringthemhome
My great-grandmother was born in Hebron, Palestine My great-grandmother was born in Hebron, Palestine. She was a Palestinian Jew. A Syrian Jew. An American Jew. An Israeli. And a New Yorker. She spoke Hebrew. Arabic. And English. She was an amazing baker.

My great-grandfather was born in Aleppo, Syria. He was a Syrian Jew. An American Jew. An Israeli. And a New Yorker. He spoke and wrote in Hebrew. Arabic. And English. He was the rabbi of the Syrian-Jewish community in Brooklyn.

Please don’t tell me that as Jews they did not belong in any of these places.

#syrianjewsinamerica #palestinianjews #israel #standwithisrael #kosherfood #jewishfood #jewishpride #mizrahiheritagemonth #mizrahi #toogoodtopassover #fistfuloflentils #sephardiccommunity
Eating kosher gluten-free bagels on Halloween with Eating kosher gluten-free bagels on Halloween with my friend and colleague Joel Haber visiting from Israel.

#cookingclasses #jewishfood #kosherfood #koshercooking #upperwestsidenyc #israel #supportisrael
Smoothie bar at JCC Manhattan Fall Fun Fest social Smoothie bar at JCC Manhattan Fall Fun Fest social for BBYO teens. Sign up for my first Teens-only Cooking Social Series: Easy Fun Fad Foods!

TEENS
(5 classes):
Sept 26-Oct 24 

TWEENS
(5 classes):
Starting in November 

Go to my website for link to JCC Manhattan to register.

#cookingclassesforkids #cookingclasses #jewishfood #kosherfood #koshercooking #bbyo #teenprograms #tweenprograms #jcccommunity #upperwestsidenyc
Looking forward to 5784. Shana tova! #roshhashana Looking forward to 5784. Shana tova!

#roshhashana #5784 #shanatova #happynewyear #jewishholidays #Jewish food #challah #bread
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Jennifer Abadi | Chapter by Chapter: The Jews of Bukharia and Afghanistan