Resek agvaniyot, or resek (), is an

Israeli Israeli may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the State of Israel * Israelis, citizens or permanent residents of the State of Israel * Modern Hebrew, a language * ''Israeli'' (newspaper), published from 2006 to 2008 * Guni Israeli ...

condiment made of grated

tomatoes The tomato is the edible Berry (botany), berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to th ...

that is traditionally served with

malawach Malawach or Melawwaḥ, (; literally means "board-like bread"), is a flatbread that is traditional in Yemenite Jewish cuisine. It was brought to Israel by Yemenite Jews. Malawach resembles a thick pancake but consists of thin layers of puff past ...

jachnun Jachnun or Jahnun ( he, גַ'חְנוּן, , ) is a Yemenite Jewish pastry, originating from the Adeni Jews, and traditionally served on ''Shabbat'' morning. Yemenite Jewish immigrants have popularized the dish in Israel. Preparation Jahnun is p ...

, bourekas, kubaneh, and other dishes. It frequently paired with

zhug Zhug ( he, סְחוּג, s'ḥug), sahawiq (Yemeni Arabic: ) or bisbas (Somali language, Somali: ) is a hot sauce originating in Yemeni cuisine. In other countries of the Arabian Peninsula it is also called ma'booj ( ar, معبوج}). Etymolo ...

, and is also commonly served as part of the

Israeli breakfast An Israeli breakfast is a style of breakfast that originated on the Israeli Collective farming, collective farm called a kibbutz, and is now served at most hotels in Israel and many restaurants. It is usually served buffet style, and consists of ...

Origins

Resek agvaniyot originated in the Yemenite Jewish community several hundred years ago, following the introduction of tomatoes to their cuisine, and as part of their traditional

Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; he, שַׁבָּת, Šabbāṯ, , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the week—i.e., Saturday. On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical storie ...

morning meals.

Overview

Resek agvaniyot is a condiment made of salted, grated, fresh/raw tomatoes. It is somewhat similar to a

salsa Salsa most often refers to: * Salsa (Mexican cuisine), a variety of sauces used as condiments * Salsa music, a popular style of Latin American music * Salsa (dance), a Latin dance associated with Salsa music Salsa or SALSA may also refer to: A ...

or a

tomato puree The tomato is the edible Berry (botany), berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to th ...

, except it is never cooked and it always has a very fine, smooth consistency. Resek is a common condiment in Israel, and has been prepared by the

Yemenite Jews Yemenite Jews or Yemeni Jews or Teimanim (from ''Yehudei Teman''; ar, اليهود اليمنيون) are those Jews who live, or once lived, in Yemen, and their descendants maintaining their customs. Between June 1949 and September 1950, the ...

for centuries, who traditionally pair it with

zhoug Zhug ( he, סְחוּג, s'ḥug), sahawiq (Yemeni Arabic: ) or bisbas (Somali: ) is a hot sauce originating in Yemeni cuisine. In other countries of the Arabian Peninsula it is also called ma'booj ( ar, معبوج}). Etymology The word ''sa ...

and haminados (slow cooked eggs) and serve it with kubaneh,

, and

as part of their

morning breakfast. With the arrival of Yemenite Jews to Israel seeking refuge after a series of pogroms, and their later expulsion from Yemen; it has since become a popular dish across

Israeli society The Israel, State of Israel had a population of approximately 9,506,100 inhabitants as of May 2022. Some 73.9% were Israeli Jews, Jews of all backgrounds (about 7,021,000 individuals), 21.1% were Arab citizens of Israel, Arab of any religion ot ...

. Resek is commonly paired with a number of other dishes in both Yemenite Jewish, and non-Yemenite dining establishments across the nation such as bourekas, challah,

falafel Falafel (; ar, فلافل, ) is a deep-fried ball or patty-shaped fritter in Middle Eastern cuisine (especially in Levantine and Egyptian cuisines) made from ground chickpeas, broad beans, or both. Nowadays, falafel is often served in a p ...

and

pita Pita ( or ) or pitta (British English), is a family of yeast-leavened round flatbreads baked from wheat flour, common in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and neighboring areas. It includes the widely known version with an interior pocket, als ...

Preparation

Resek agvaniyot is typically prepared by blanching fresh, whole tomatoes in boiling water then transferring them to an ice bath. The tomatoes are then peeled, and grated and seasoned with coarse/ kosher salt. Sometimes

olive oil Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea''; family Oleaceae), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking: f ...

or fresh herbs such as

parsley Parsley, or garden parsley (''Petroselinum crispum'') is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae that is native to the central and eastern Mediterranean region (Sardinia, Lebanon, Israel, Cyprus, Turkey, southern Italy, Greece, Por ...

, or

cilantro Coriander (;

are added as well

References

{{Cuisine of Israel Israeli cuisine Jewish cuisine Mizrahi Jewish cuisine Condiments Tomato dishes Sauces

Origins

Overview

Preparation

See also

References