Eyerlekh facts for kids
Eyerlekh (which means "little eggs" in Yiddish) are special unlaid eggs. You can find them inside chickens that have just been prepared for cooking. People usually cook these small eggs in soup. They used to be very common in the cooking of Ashkenazi Jews, who are Jewish people from Central and Eastern Europe. However, these days, it's much harder to find eyerlekh because most chicken parts are sold already packaged.
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What Are Eyerlekh?
Eyerlekh are basically tiny, undeveloped eggs. They are still inside the chicken's body when it is prepared. They are not like the eggs you buy in a carton, which have already been laid by a hen. These "little eggs" are often soft and have a slightly different texture than regular eggs.
Eyerlekh and Jewish Food Rules
In Jewish dietary laws, called kashrut, there are special rules about food. These rules help people decide what they can eat and how to prepare it.
Meat, Dairy, or Pareve?
- Regular eggs that have been laid by a hen are considered pareve. This means they are "neutral" and can be eaten with either meat or dairy foods.
- But eyerlekh are different! Since they are found inside a chicken, they are generally seen as part of the chicken itself. This means they are considered fleishig, which means "meaty."
- Because eyerlekh are "meaty," they were traditionally served only with meals that included meat. They would not be eaten with dairy foods.
When Are Eyerlekh Pareve?
There's a special rule about eyerlekh. According to an important Jewish law book called the Shulchan Aruch, unlaid eggs can be considered pareve (neutral) only if they are fully formed. This means they look like a complete egg, even if they are small. If the eyerlekh are not fully formed, they are still considered fleishig (meaty). This means you cannot eat them with dairy products. However, you can eat dairy foods after you have eaten these partially formed eggs.
