For Israeli chefs Zachi Bukshester and Eran Zino, the relationship between their homeland with India doesn't just end with strategic cooperation and diplomatic dialogues, but moves also into culinary delights
The recently concluded Israeli Food Week here, to commemorate the 65th year of Israel's Independence, played host to range of delicacies dished out the two celebrity chefs, who were enthused by the Indian reception to the Jewish platter.
One favourite of Chef Zachi Bukshester, who hails from the Chef and Hotelier School Tadmor in Herzelia and who specialises in Mediterranean cuisine is to add cheese and bay leaves flavours to standard sea food dishes.
Meanwhile Chef Eran Zino's signature cuisine features fresh flavors and textures from vegetable, herbs and nuts combining herbal vinaigrettes, with meat and fish while keeping their natural intense flavors. Zino had incidentally begun his career as a kitchen apprentice at a time when the new Israeli cuisine arose.
"The primary ingredient of a Israeli dish is a sesame seeds, a lot of ingredients including the Challah bread and the Hummus along with that", says Zachi.
"Sesame is used liberally since it has a natural cooling property which is important in the climatic conditions of Israel," he says.
A typical Israeli meal begins with presentation of variety of salads with a lot of vegetables, especially green ones along with the Challah bread. "We still follow the tradition of eating with the hand and tearing our loaves and we serve our vegetables with our hands. It gives a sense of belonging," says David Goldfarb, spokesperson of the Embassy of Israel and a foodie himself.
"According to tradition you have to fill half of your appetite with the vegetables and Challah, so that by the time the next course comes, you got to think twice whether you can indulge anymore," says Eran Zino, who specialises in the vegetable and nut platters comprising carrots, beets and egg plants.
