Shkedei marak ( he, שקדי מרק, lit=soup almonds), known as mandlakh () in
Yiddish
Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ve ...
, or as "soup mandels" in the United States, is an
Israeli food product consisting of crisp mini
crouton
A crouton is a piece of rebaked bread, often cubed and seasoned. Croutons are used to add texture and flavor to salads—notably the Caesar salad— or eaten as a snack food.
Etymology
The word crouton is derived from the French ''croûton' ...
used as a soup accompaniment. Shkedei marak are small yellow squares made from
flour and
palm oil. As a
parve product, they can be used in either meat or cream soups. Despite the name, they contain no almonds.
Etymology
The word ''mandlach'' is the plural diminutive of
''mandel'', which means "almond" in
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
and Yiddish. The word "shkedei" is the plural form of "shaked", which means "almond" in
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
, and "marak" is the Hebrew word for
soup.
History
Although today ''shkedei marak'' are manufactured, they are based on the homemade crispy-fried squares of dough known as ''mandlach'' traditionally served with
chicken soup
Chicken soup is a soup made from chicken, simmered in water, usually with various other ingredients. The classic chicken soup consists of a clear chicken broth, often with pieces of chicken or vegetables; common additions are pasta, noodles, ...
by
Ashkenazi Jews.
Marketing
For many years
Osem was the exclusive manufacturer of ''shkedei marak'' in Israel, but today the product is also marketed by other food companies, such as ''Vita'' and ''
Knorr''. Davidovich Bakery & Sons located near Haifa also produces and packages soup almonds under a variety of brand names. Over the years, food companies have experimented with different shapes for ''shkedei marak'', including stars, rings, and little fish.
Fish-shaped mini mandels
on Osem web site (type "mandel" in search field) In addition to their use in soups, ''shkedei marak'' are eaten plain as a snack food.
See also
*Israeli cuisine
Israeli cuisine ( he, המטבח הישראלי ) comprises both local dishes and dishes brought to Israel by Jews from the Diaspora. Since before the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, and particularly since the late 1970s, an Israel ...
*Oyster cracker
Oyster crackers are small, salted crackers, typically rounds about in diameter, although a slightly smaller hexagonal variety is also common. The crackers are often served with oyster stew and clam chowder and contain similar ingredients to sa ...
*Saltine
A saltine or soda cracker is a thin, usually square cracker usually made from white flour, sometimes yeast (although many are yeast free), and baking soda, with most varieties lightly sprinkled with coarse salt. It has perforations over its sur ...
References
External links
Osem website
{{Jewish baked goods
Israeli cuisine
Snack foods
Israeli inventions