Clouds in Israel

Just a little break from London to see my cousin and her little girl in Raanana, about 1 hour from Tel Aviv, Israel.

Lovely and peaceful or as she says: Pastoral Times...

I was lucky to be invited to spend Rosh Hashanah {Jewish New Year} over there and even more to share the evening meal with a Moroccan Jewish family.

Needless to say I was in hog heaven...

Tula, my hostess, was lovely, her food was impeccable and everyone was so generous, I was touched...

Here are some of the delightful food and sights.

Here, I posted them randomly...

I hope you enjoy looking at them...

Fig Lover ♥

 Challah... Round at this time of the year to represent closure...

♥

A Jewish Moment ♥ Challah, Cibale, Houmous, Gefilte Fish ♥

Spices at the Via Dolorosa

Lemonade

Street Food ♥ My Fave, Always ♥

The bread looked lovely, but his energy prevented me from buying anything from him...

This guy is the King of Falafel to me. 

A Delight to watch and to Eat ♥

Coffee, anyone?

I cannot describe the Delight of eating this Falafel cake, stuffed with fried onions...

Incomparable ♥

Falafel cake : Fluffy, light, tasty, more.ish, delicious ♥

Time for Pitta...

Baklavas with Pistachio ♥

Laffa...My taste buds were shouting for more ♥

Tula, 

the most Generous, Talented and Welcoming Hostess ♥

Gefilte Fish, my Grandmother used to keep carps in the sink 

and you could not have a fresher fish, this was just as good ♥

Moroccan Fish Balls...Oh God, so Good...

Pomegranate Seeds, a sign of abundance 

in almost all Western Religious Fests...

The BEST Couscous I have ever tasted.

Made with semolina, not from a box...the Real thing ♥

Stuffed Chicken Breast...Yummy... 

But my ♥ was committed to the serving spoon ♥

Chicken cooked with Olives

Baklava...Walnuts and Honey Heaven ♥

Tula's gifted me with one of her Fatima's Hands...

She makes the most beautiful ones. 

She is truly an artist...

Pad Thai Inspired Noodles

This a Pad Thai inspired Shiritake Noodle Dish, I am still on my high protein diet, remember?
It still tastes divine and if you are not on this diet, or any other diet, please use normal rice noodles, add a little more oyster and fish sauce and double the oil. Oh, and spread chopped salted peanuts on top after it is ready, which will make this dish transform itself from Really Nice to Heavenly...

You will need:

1 packet of Shiritake Noodles {washed drained and boiled twice before draining again}
or {If you are using rice noodles, buy the dry flat ones unless you find the real deal fresh from some Asian supermarket {and tell me where you find it} and let it steep in cold water for 20 minutes before draining it and reserving to stir fry it later
6 big prawns {headed, raw and deveined} or 50g chicken strips {or both}
10 gr spring onions
30 gr bean sprouts
2 cloves of garlic {smashed and chopped}
1 or 2 organic free range eggs
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon of chilli paste
2 tablespoons of fish sauce {nam pla}
1/2 teaspoon sugar {I use 4 drops of liquid stevia}
3 teaspoons tamarind paste
1/4 cup water
1 pinch of white pepper

Lime quarters to squeeze when served
Chopped salted peanuts to top when served
Chopped chiili in rice vinegar to add as you serve, if you wish

On a very hot, non stick frying pan or wok, heat the oil and add the garlic until it is fragrant, taking care not to burnt it.  Add the prawns or chicken until cooked {change of colour to pink}.
Add the noodles and the water and tamarind paste, mix well until the water is almost gone. Season with oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar and chilli and stir very well. Push everything to one side of the pan and on the bare side that you just created, crack the egg{s}, spread it{them} around the pan and add the bean sprouts and spring onions. Add the white pepper and stir until all is mixed.
Serve at once, topped with the peanuts  {if your diet allows you}, more chillies and a squeeze of lime juice to your taste...

I am here dreaming of an ice cold Leo beer to go with it, sitting on the curb in Bangkok watching the world go by... I cannot describe the Peace it gives me... Oh, what a nice thought...