Pilpelchuma facts for kids
Pilpelchuma
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| Alternative names | Pilpelshuma, Filfelchuma, Filfel chuma |
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| Course | Chili garlic paste |
| Place of origin | Israel |
| Created by | Libyan Jews |
| Main ingredients | Dried and steamed red peppers, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and spices, salt |
Pilpelchuma (pronounced "peel-pel-CHOO-mah") is a tasty and often spicy paste made from chili peppers and garlic. It's a bit like a hot sauce or a thick dip! This special paste comes from Libyan Jews, who brought it with them when they moved to Israel. Today, it's a very popular part of Israeli food.
What is Pilpelchuma Made Of?
For a long time, Pilpelchuma was a super important dip in Libyan Jewish cooking. In the middle of the 1900s, many Libyan Jews moved to Israel. They brought their delicious Pilpelchuma with them, and it quickly became popular there.
Pilpelchuma feels a lot like tomato paste when you touch it. You can buy it in stores in Israel, often in a tube or a jar. Many people also love to make it fresh at home!
The two most important ingredients are dried red peppers and garlic. These peppers are usually steamed first. Other things that go into Pilpelchuma include olive oil, ground cumin, and caraway seeds. A little lemon juice and salt are also added to make it taste just right.
How is Pilpelchuma Used?
Pilpelchuma is very versatile! You can use it as a condiment, which means you add it to your food at the table, just like ketchup or mustard. It's also used as an ingredient when cooking.
People add Pilpelchuma to many different dishes. It tastes great in salads, with meat or fish, and in meals with beans or rice. In Israel today, it's a favorite topping for popular street foods. You'll find it in falafel sandwiches, shawarma, and chicken schnitzel. It's also often added to sabich and spread on top of hummus.
Pilpelchuma is especially popular in Jerusalem. This is because many Libyan Jews live there. In Jerusalem, a local version of a dish called shakshuka often uses Pilpelchuma to give it a special kick.
In recent years, Pilpelchuma has started to become popular in other parts of the world, too. People are discovering how delicious it is and using it in new ways, like in potato salad.
