Chicken Egg-Rolls: A paradox in food form

Chicken Egg-Rolls 

This is a good way to use up leftover chicken, soup chicken, or even fresh chicken. 

Slice finely- 

1/2 small head cabbage (I used purple) 

4-5 green onions 

2 carrots 

Shred the chicken, removing fat and skin and such, and add to the vegetables. 

Season meat/veggie mix with ginger, garlic, pepper, hot chile flakes or sauce, sesame oil, or sesame chili oil, and a bit of soy sauce. Add an egg and stir to combine. 

Egg roll wrappers are widely available- I used the kosher Nasoya ones. 

Peel off one wrapper and place on a large plate. Moisten the outside edges of the square. Place a small mound of the filling a bit down from the top of the square, leaving space on the sides. Fold the sides in over the filling, then roll the top down to create a neat package. The bottom should seal on its own, being slightly damp, but if it doesn't, seal it with a bit more water. Place seam-side down on a foiled and oiled cookie sheet. Repeat until filling or wrappers are gone, usually it won't come out exactly even, but the wrappers, unlike the filling, will keep for the rest of the week, so make smaller amounts of filling if in doubt.

Take a small ramekin and dribble a tablespoon of oil in it. With your fingers, moisten the tops of the rolls with a light glaze of oil. You shouldn't have to use more than a teaspoon or two altogether. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 350F until crispy and browning at the edges.  Serve with apricot sauce- 

Apricot Sauce: 

Take some generous spoonfuls of apricot preserve. Mix in some garlic, hot chile paste, ginger, and rice wine vinegar. So much better than any "duck sauce" that its a travesty that people buy it.  

How to throw a Mikveh Party

A mikveh party is traditionally thrown for Sephardic brides from various communities. The basic plan is as follows: 

A party of the bride's close family and friends (females only) accompany her to the ritualarium. Traditionally, they present her with fancy soaps, perfumes, and bath accessories, such as robes, brushes, and towels. The bride prepares for the ritual bath by taking an ordinary, but very thorough bath while the family members and friends prepare a large cookie, or Ka'ak, as above, and bring aromatic spices to smell, delicate fruits to eat, sugared almonds, rose petals for throwing at the bride and a special tea, called The de Hamam in francophone Sephardic communities. After the bride completes her preparations, she is guided through her first ritual immersion either by a member of the family or a community appointed attendant, informally known as the "mikveh lady", or balanit in Hebrew. The bride emerges from the mikveh chamber in her new robe and is received with expressions of joy, and depending on the community, ululation; blessings from all in attendance, and showers of rose petals. The mother of the bride takes the special large cookie (baked in a shape of a star, or a crown) and places it on the brides head with blessings and prayers for a good healthy life and marriage for her daughter. The cake is then broken over the brides head, and pieces of the cake are eaten with the tea and fruit.

Recipe for Sweet Ka'ak (also called Roshka in Ladino for the large form, small bracelet-shaped ones are called Roshkitas) 

Combine 3 eggs with 2 teaspoons of baking powder and add a discretionary amount of vanilla, rosewater, or orangewater. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup oil. Stir with a fork until well combined. Add enough flour to make a workable dough. Shape ropes of dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet into a star with a circle in the center or a tiara shape. Wash with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional). Bake at 350 until mostly done, then turn the oven down to 250 until the cookie is hardened and somewhat crisp.