Zom (food) facts for kids
| Alternative names | Yemenite Jewish yogurt soup |
|---|---|
| Type | Soup |
| Place of origin | Yemen |
| Region or state | The Middle East |
| Created by | Yemenite Jews |
| Serving temperature | Warm |
| Main ingredients | Israeli soft cheese or strained yogurt, sour cream, and/or quark, flour, lemon juice, salt |
Zom is a traditional Yemenite Jewish soup. It comes from the Yemenite Jews, a community with a rich history. This special soup is often eaten in Israel. People usually enjoy it after Yom Kippur, which is a very important day of fasting.
What is Zom?
Zom is a warm and comforting soup. It is especially popular among Yemenite Jewish families. Many people look forward to eating it after a long day of fasting.
Rinat Tzadok, a Yemenite Israeli chef, shared her memories of Zom. She said her mom would make challah bread crispy in the oven. They would eat Zom with samnah (a special butter) and schug (a spicy sauce). She described it as comforting and warm, especially after not eating for a long time. She still eats it every year after Yom Kippur.
How is Zom Made?
Zom is usually made with different types of soft Israeli cheeses. These cheeses are similar to quark or thick yogurt. Water is added, along with a thickener like flour, and a little salt. These ingredients are mixed together to create the soup.
Other Jewish communities, like the Bulgarian Jews, also have similar soups. This shows how food traditions can be shared across different cultures.
When is Zom Eaten?
Zom is traditionally eaten to "break the fast" after Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is a holy day when people fast from sunset to sunset. Eating Zom helps people feel full and warm again.
When people eat Zom, they often have it with other special foods. These include samneh, which is a smoked and fermented clarified butter. They also add schug, a green chili hot sauce that is very popular in Yemenite Jewish cooking. People often dip bread, like challah or kubaneh, into the soup.
