Written February 4, 2013
My dearest children & grandchildren, mishpacha, friends, neighbors, Shalom !
I am fine, enjoying the 70+ F we are having today, after some "cold" days and rain last week. Happy to
report, the sea of Galilee is filling up and as reported, 1.8 Meter is missing for the water to reach the
Upper RED line. Prediction is: by April, when the snow on mount Hermon will melt, the water will
exceed the red line.
And now, to the Choobeza ( or for easy pronunciation, Hoobeza). The word Hoobez in Arabic is bread,
and Hoobeza is an endearing name to small loaves, or bread roll. This information was unknown to me until last Saturday.
About 3 weeks ago, in the Food section of an Israeli newspaper, the Hoobeza was the topic. Never heard the name, but was fascinated by the multiple recipes one can cook, and bake with the Hoobeza.
It was described as growing abundantly now, in Israel, in open fields, on sides of buildings in urban area,
where ever wild green vegetation can grow. The picture of the leaf was unclear in the paper, but the recipes sounded
delicious.
A
few days later, as I was going to visit my sister in Bat-Yam, who lives practically on the sea shore (the Mediterranean), I discovered on the sea walk, what I was sure is the Hoobeza. A very fresh green in color, thin and nice to touch, in the shape that resembles the Geranium
flower leaf. Just to be sure, I picked up a leave and went to meet
Sarah (my sister). Told her the story, no wonder, she had a good laugh,
especially when I produced the sample leaf. Asking many of her building
dwellers, the answer went from "Yes, this is Hoobeza", to "not sure, it might be Poison".
Being a "sport" as I was, Sarah provided me with a shopping plastic bag, she picked up a pair of scissors, and the two urban "farmer ladies" went
out to pick Hoobeza. Yes, it is growing abundantly. Considering, we are in our 70th,
and Sarah is 5 years my senior, we filled up the bag in a matter of 15
minute. We had another good laugh about free food in Israel.
Traveling back home, to Ramat-Gan, with a bag full of greens, thinking of the possibility I am carrying a bag full of Poison, I remembered my friend Miriam Bar-Lev who by profession is an Agronome . (M.A in Agriculture science). I called Miriam, told her the story, describe the leave. She gave the verdict, it is Hoobeza.
However, she added, "eat one leave, if you feel OK, you may cook
it"..... this time, only Miriam was laughing, and then she told me the
most interesting story.
During Israel's independent war, in 1948-1949, Jerusalem was surrounded, no supplies of food or water entered the city, hunger was not a strange word. Hoobeza was growing wild, in empty lots, next to wild bushes, and in small field around the city. The Jerusalemites went to the fields pick up the greens, and ate it in a variety
of recipes. Unbeknown to me, the plant has a flower, that blooms after
the leaves mature. Peeling the
flower, one may found a small "fruit" in the shape of a star. The
flower, after crushing will yield a kind of flour that can be
substitute in baking. I guess, when one is hungry, Hoobeza becomes a delicacy.
Not
missing a moment, I washed, and rinsed, and soaked in salt water, and
washed again, and dried, and chopped, and added eggs, and seasoning, and
some bread crumbs,and formed into flat balls, and baked. Results: * *
* * * five star dish.
Since, last Friday, I found Hoobeza, practically next door, and last Friday eve - Shabbat, we ate Hoobeza, in the tradition of Jerusalem...... It was the talk of the table.
Only in Israel.
I miss you all, with much love. Ima, Savta, The Shvig, Estherika, Ludmilla, me, Esther.
