The definition of “kosher” comes from the name of the set of Jewish religious rules “kashrut”, most often associated with food. Kashrut clearly regulates the foods that a true Jew can eat.
Kosher meat
Only the meat of animals that are both ruminants and artiodactyls is considered kosher. The absence of one of these signs makes the meat unfit for food. That is why the Jews do not eat hare. But Jews can eat beef and lamb in unlimited quantities. Even the meat of artiodactyls and herbivores is allowed by kashrut to eat.
But the fact that meat belongs to one or another type of animal does not in itself serve as a sign of its kosher. There is a whole set of rules for kosher slaughter of animals - shechita. This a whole science. An animal slaughterer, a shoikhet, has been studying his bloody craft for about a year and even passes an exam. Indeed, in order for the meat of an animal to be recognized as kosher, it must be killed with one movement of a sharply sharpened knife, without causing even the smallest lacerations or punctures. Otherwise, the meat is considered non-kosher and is not allowed to be eaten by Jews.
The Torah also strictly prohibits the consumption of blood. Therefore, the skinned animal carcass is subjected to a thorough examination for the presence of blood on it. And even after this procedure, the meat is still thoroughly soaked in water.
Kosher poultry, fish and other products
Two main signs kosher fish- these are easily detachable scales and fins. Therefore, all fish, with the exception of catfish, sturgeon, eel and, are kosher. And even black sturgeon caviar through his own fault is not recognized as such.
Most birds are also kosher. The only exceptions are predators. Absolutely all poultry is suitable for food for the Jews.
As for dairy products, they themselves are all kosher. But kashrut prescribes their consumption separately from meat. After eating them, one to six hours must pass (the period varies in different Jewish communities) before the meal can begin. The time interval between eating meat after dairy products is much lower and is only half an hour. Failure to comply with these rules makes both meat and dairy products non-kosher.
The same set of rules categorically does not recognize the kosher nature of the meat of reptiles and amphibians.
Religion is not only the observance of certain traditions, but also dietary rules. Kosher food is a term taken from Judaism and is commonly consumed by Jews, but in Lately it began to appear in stores in many countries.
What does kosher food mean?
Kosher food is food prepared according to the laws of kashrut, which, in turn, is included in the list of rules of Halakha.
According to this code, dishes must be prepared in accordance with certain customs, and control over their preparation is carried out by Jewish organizations, which put their seal on the packaging.
What is kosher food
Generally, kosher products foods are divided into three groups:
- "basar" - meat products;
- “parve” - neutral;
- “freebie” - dairy.
The very concept of “kosher” means that such food is healthy and suitable for consumption, which is why foods consumed by Jews can now very often be found on store shelves.
Kosher food: benefit or harm
Is kosher food healthy? Of course, it only has a positive effect on health, because it does not contain dyes, preservatives, stabilizers, GMOs or various drugs, and the packaging in which the products are stored is absolutely sterile.
As for the harm from Jewish kosher food, it was once stated by experts from the USA who compared such food with regular food. They managed to find out that the bird, cooked in the usual way, contains less harmful bacteria than those made kosher.
Kosher food: how to prepare meals
According to kashrut, you cannot mix milk and meat in one meal: the time interval between their consumption must be at least five hours. In addition, separate requirements are imposed on the method of slaughtering animals: this should only be done by a specially trained person, and before meat products falls into the hands of the cook, the blood is pumped out of it by soaking.
It is strictly forbidden to consume meat from sick animals, and dairy and meat foods are prepared not only in different dishes, but also indoors. This is why Jewish families have two kitchens, but if this is not possible, you can cook on two stoves.
What food is considered kosher^
Kosher food: food list
To eat kosher, you need to know what foods are customary to eat in accordance with kashrut:
- Meat: This includes beef, goat meat, as well as moose, giraffe, gazelle and sheep - i.e. animals that have cloven hooves and eat plant foods. Of those who do not have cloven hooves, hyraxes, camels and rabbits are allowed, and of non-herbivores, pork is allowed. The most important thing about such products is the absence of blood: according to Jews, those who ingest it can become aggressive and cruel. Eggs containing blood clots are also prohibited;
- Bird: Owl, eagle, pelicans and hawks are prohibited because You can only eat homemade food: geese, ducks, chickens. The only exceptions are pigeons;
- Eggs: they must have a special shape - be sharp at one end and rounded at the other. If both their ends are blunted, they cannot be eaten, because... it is likely that they belong to carrion-eating birds of prey;
- Fish: It must have fins and scales. All seafood (octopus, shrimp, worms, etc.) is completely prohibited, because... they have neither one nor the other;
- Milk only that which was obtained from kosher animals is allowed, otherwise it cannot be consumed;
- Vegetables and fruits: There are no restrictions here, unless they are wormy or have come into contact with non-kosher products.
Kosher food: what to eat is kosher, halal and delicious
Non-kosher food: what is not kosher to eat
Kosher food: recipes
Recipe for herring mincemeat:
- Divide the herring into fillets, soak it in milk for 40 minutes, then take it out and chop it;
- Peel and remove seeds from the apple, grate it;
- Boil eggs, three on a grater;
- Finely chop the onion, grind the boiled potatoes in their jackets;
- Mix everything, chop with a knife until it reaches a creamy consistency;
- Add the melted mixture to the mixture butter, pepper;
- Serve chilled.
Shakshuka recipe:
- Cut a couple of sweet peppers into cubes, peel the tomatoes;
- Fry in olive oil chopped in a frying pan onion, then add pepper and fry for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally;
- Crush the garlic in a garlic press, mix with cumin, turmeric and chopped small pieces hot pepper, place everything in the pan for one minute;
- Add tomatoes there, fry for 3 minutes;
- Use a spoon to make a small hole in the vegetables and crack the eggs into it;
- Salt and pepper, cook until the protein is cooked;
- Before serving, sprinkle with herbs.
Charlotte recipe:
- Peel the apples and cut them into cubes;
- Whisk raw proteins with a mixer, pouring sugar in small portions at the same time;
- Add the yolks, melted margarine and vanillin, add flour, salt and baking powder;
- Grease the mold with oil, pour a layer of dough into it, place apples on top and add the remaining mixture;
- Place on the surface apple slices, grease with oil and sprinkle with cinnamon;
- Bake for half an hour in the oven at 200 degrees.
Is kosher cuisine healthy: doctors' opinion ^
According to doctors, meals prepared kosher have great importance only from a religious point of view, however, in medicine in general such products are not treated so categorically, arguing that the method of preparation and the ingredients themselves can affect health.
In the past, Jews faced many culinary challenges when traveling and flying, but now kosher food on airplanes is not uncommon, and some airlines provide it, so it is possible to comply with religious traditions and rules, even when you are far from home and unable to cook your own food.
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Eastern horoscope for April 2019 |
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Torah- a religious Jewish book that contains instructions on how a Jew should eat. Permissible food, according to these regulations, is called “kasrutu”, which means “suitable”.
What is included in a kosher meal?
- The meat must come from both equid and ruminant cattle, which must be herbivorous. For example, a pig is a cloven-hoofed and omnivorous animal, which means its meat is strictly prohibited for Jews.
- Milk from kosher animals.
- Eggs of non-predatory birds ( distinguishing feature- the presence of a blunt and sharp end).
- A fish with fins and scales. Thus, it is prohibited to eat catfish or shark meat, for example.
Prohibitions and rules
It is prohibited to include birds of prey, rodents, insects, mollusks, and crayfish in the diet.
IN Shabbat(the seventh day of the week) it is forbidden to light a fire, so on this day only cold appetizers or slow-cooked dishes are eaten.
Also on holiday Passover It is forbidden to eat bread and other products made from five grains mixed with water, in other words, flour.
The law written in the Torah, “not to boil a kid in its mother’s milk,” means that meat and dairy products cannot be cooked together, moreover, it is forbidden to consume them at the same time. From the moment of the last meal, 3 to 6 hours must pass before it is permissible to eat a fermented milk product.
Eggs with blood clots are considered not kosher, since according to faith, the soul is blood and while there is blood in the animal/fetus, it cannot be eaten. This applies to meat, fish and poultry. It is interesting that only the front part of the carcass is suitable for consumption, since the back part contains the sciatic nerve, which is prohibited. It is extremely difficult to separate it from the meat, so it was decided to discard this part entirely.
There are certain rules for slaughter - shechita. A person specially trained for slaughter is called Shoikhet. They are very sensitive to compliance with all standards, since failure to fulfill at least one condition makes the food not kosher.
What are the rules?
Firstly, no animal should see another being slaughtered. Secondly, it should not be nervous, so the shoikhet’s hand should be firm and the knife as sharp as possible to make death easier. During slaughter, any attempts of livestock or poultry to move must be stopped, otherwise the animal will experience pain. You need to cut in a certain place, it is on the neck.
The animal must be healthy, so immediately after slaughter an autopsy takes place and the internal organs are examined. In order to maintain the health of livestock during life, it is prohibited to use hormones, antibiotics, growth activators, etc. This also applies to plant foods.
Next, they let all the blood drain, they can put it in salt so that it absorbs the remaining blood, or drive it away by squeezing. As mentioned above, if the meat contains even one blood clot, this will make it unfit for food.
At the same time, in Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands, shechita is prohibited by the animal protection law as an inhumane method of slaughtering livestock.
There is also a restriction on wine consumption. Wine in Judaism is a sacred drink; it can be seen on the table only on Saturdays, in honor of holidays or family ceremonies. Wine of strictly Jewish origin is considered kosher.
Kosher food in different areas of life
Kosher requires strict production controls, which is why a certification mark can be seen on all kosher products. In countries where Judaism is very widespread, there are cafes and restaurants that include in their menu kosher dishes. Also, many airlines provide kosher food. For example, Aeroflot provides passengers with kosher meals for free; you just need to apply 36 hours before departure.
Kosher and Halal
Halal means “permitted by Allah” and adheres to the rule “everything that is not prohibited in Islam is permissible.” Most often, Muslims consume halal food.
There are many differences between halal and kosher, but they are similar in some ways. For example, in the ban on pork. However, some things that are considered acceptable for halal are prohibited for kosher. All kosher products are halal, but not all halal products are kosher.
Kosher food can be purchased at the store
Kosher food or food means any food that is allowed to be consumed according to the religious laws of Judaism - Kashrut. The laws of Kashrut are clearly established in the Torah and Talmud (Oral Torah).
Kosher food rules
The Hebrew word “kosher,” which we are accustomed to pronounce as “kosher,” means “fit.” When it comes to food, these laws are quite complex, but in short, they completely prohibit the consumption of certain types of food, such as pork and shellfish. A number of restrictions are imposed on other products, the most important of which is that meat and dairy products cannot be cooked together and consumed at the same meal.
This automatically excludes Western fast food, such as cheeseburgers and meat-filled pizza, from kosher food. In addition, lighting a fire is prohibited on Shabbat, so only cold or simmered foods are allowed during this period. With all this, thanks to the secular way of life of the majority of the Israeli population, you can find food here for every taste, and many restaurants offer non-kosher menus depending on the region. Kosher laws do not generally apply to the Arab regions of Israel (unless the restaurant is trying to cater to a mixed audience), but halal (the Muslim equivalent of kosher) is observed here.
TO kosher food very specific rules are presented:
- Only the meat of animals that are both ruminants (strictly herbivores) and artiodactyls (having cloven hooves) is allowed for food. Eating pork and hare is strictly prohibited. There are also specific rules for the slaughter of kosher animals - shechita. The slaughter must be carried out by a specially trained person - a shoikhet.
- As for poultry meat, the Torah does not give any specific signs. kosher birds. She simply rattles off a list of trap birds. Among them are such as eagle, owl, pelican. However, the main feature of the prohibited species is that they are birds of prey.
- Kosher eggs can only come from kosher birds. One of the main signs is different ends (sharp and blunt). Eating blood is also prohibited, so eggs with blood clots are considered non-kosher (however, the part with the clot is often simply cut out).
- Kosher fish are those that have scales and fins. Therefore, for example, catfish and sturgeon are prohibited for consumption (they do not have scales). Roe from non-kosher fish is also prohibited.
Kosher food on a plane
Kosher meals on planes are offered by many airlines flying to Israel, including Russian ones, for example Aeroflot. According to the standards of the International Air Transport Association, on regular flights, a passenger can be provided with a special meal KSML (Kosher Meal) - lunch prepared in compliance with the laws of kashrut. All rations must be approved by the leadership of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia, the Moscow Jewish Community and personally by the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Mr. Berl Lazar. Each diet comes with a kosher certificate. The packaging must contain seals and marks of compliance with the level of kashrut. For those who keep kosher, lunch on board will be served without pork or meat-dairy combinations.
Which Russian airlines provide kosher meals:
- Aeroflot - provides kosher meals on board free of charge, the order must be made 36 hours before departure.
- S7 - quite difficult to order (at the ticket office or by special phone), kosher meals on board will cost an additional 500 rubles.
- Transaero - provides (or provided, since the company is under threat of bankruptcy) kosher food for free.
And if you, for example, fly with El-Al, then all the food on board will be kosher by default.
Kosher food on an airplane has a number of features. For example, such food is usually purchased by the air carrier from special organizations. And the lunch box with kosher food has a special lock that can only be opened by a passenger on board, thereby ensuring that the food is kosher.
Kosher menu in restaurants and hotels
Many Israeli hotels offer kosher food. Be prepared to be served dairy products for breakfast, and for lunch and dinner there will be no milk for coffee or butter to spread on bread (however, soy milk substitutes and spreads are often found). Most large supermarkets sell only kosher products, but in recent years more and more non-kosher supermarkets and department stores have been popping up, thanks in part to a huge number non-religious Jews who moved to Israel from the countries of the former USSR.
The situation with restaurants is somewhat more complex: Tel Aviv has fewer kosher restaurants than more religious cities such as Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, on the contrary, kosher cafes and restaurants are much more common. Remember that restaurants that remain open on Shabbat cannot obtain kosher certification, so some restaurants that are not kosher certified may still serve kosher food. So, if in doubt, there is no need to speculate - just ask. If a restaurant is kosher, it means that it will either serve only dairy-based food, or only meat dishes. Restaurants serving dairy products are suitable for vegetarian tourists, but some dishes are likely to contain fish and eggs.
Kosher fast food
For devout Jews and tourists, there are kosher McDonald's restaurants. Please note that most restaurants in this chain are still non-kosher, so check before you place your order. Most Burger King restaurants in Israel are kosher, and the same applies to the Israeli fast food brand Burger Ranch. Also, kosher establishments in Israel include restaurants of the Pizza Hut chain, so be prepared to receive pizza without meat filling. But Domino snack bars are not kosher and therefore the set of fillings in them coincides with the European standard.
There is one pitfall in finding kosher food: there are scammers selling fake kashrut certificates. So if you want to try real kosher food (or your religion prevents you from eating anything else), ask to see a certificate issued by your local rabbinate or a reputable kashrut certification agency. Certificates issued by unknown organizations should never be trusted.
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