Adva Chattler
Managing Director of Engagement and Innovation
Have you ever made aruk for Hanukkah? While there is no requirement to make any specific dish on Hanukkah, it’s customary for us to remember the miracle of the oil by eating fried foods. A well-loved recipe in my house, aruk are Iraqi vegetable fried patties – very similar to their cousin, the latkes. Aruk are delicious, easy to make and will be a great addition to your latke platter.
Let’s make them together:
Ingredients:
2-3 medium potatoes
2 medium carrots
1 onion
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp parve consommé powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
Handful chopped parsley
3 eggs to start, 1 extra if needed
Canola oil for frying
Sour cream/hummus/apple sauce, for serving
Directions:
1. Peel and grate potatoes, carrots and onion and transfer to a bowl. Sprinkle some salt on the grated veggies and let them rest for 5 minutes to extract the liquids.
2. With a cheesecloth or clean kitchen towel, squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
3. Transfer the veggies to a bowl and add the breadcrumbs, parve consommé powder, chopped parsley, and baking powder. If you don’t have parve consommé powder, you can replace it with salt and a pinch of turmeric for color.
4. Add eggs, one at a time. You should mix each egg until it’s fully incorporated. Start with 3 eggs, and check for consistency. Your mixture shouldn’t be too liquidy or too thick. If needed, add another egg.
5. Heat about a half inch of oil in a wide frying pan on medium-high. When the oil is hot, scoop a spoonful of the mixture and add to the pan, making sure not to overcrowd. Fry for 1-2 minutes and flip when golden brown. When both sides are cooked, remove the aruk from the pan and drain on a plate lined with paper towels, to remove some extra oil.
6. Serve the aruk with your favorite sides for dipping, like sour cream or hummus.
