Khubeza patties () are fried patties made of
khubeza, a variety of a
mallow (native to the
Levant
The Levant ( ) is the subregion that borders the Eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Mediterranean sea to the west, and forms the core of West Asia and the political term, Middle East, ''Middle East''. In its narrowest sense, which is in use toda ...
region) combined with
bulgur
Bulgur (; ; ; ), or Borghol (), is a cracked wheat foodstuff found in Egyptian cuisine, South Asian cuisine and West Asian cuisine.
Characteristics
Bulgur is distinct from cracked wheat, which is crushed wheat grain that, unlike bulgur, has ...
,
pita
Pita ( or ; ) or pitta (British English), also known as Arabic bread (, ), as Lebanese bread and as kmaj (from the Persian ''kumaj''), is a family of yeast- leavened round flatbreads baked from wheat flour, common in the Mediterranean, Levant ...
crumbs, eggs, spices, garlic and onions.
History
During the
siege of Jerusalem, when convoys of food could not reach the city, residents of
Jerusalem
Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
went out to the fields to pick khubeza, a wild green which is high in iron and vitamins. The Jerusalem radio station Kol Hamagen broadcast instructions for cooking it. The broadcast, picked up in Jordan, convinced the Arabs that the Jews were dying of starvation and that victory was at hand.
Variations
Jute mallow (molokhia) leaves can be used instead of khubeza.
See also
*
Israeli cuisine
Israeli cuisine primarily comprises dishes brought from the Jewish diaspora, and has more recently been defined by the development of a notable fusion cuisine characterized by the mixing of Jewish cuisine and Arab cuisine.Gold, Rozann''A Region's ...
References
{{Jewish baked goods
Israeli cuisine
Culture of Jerusalem