Bukharian Infused Sukkot Delights

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Back-to-school season means early mornings, packed lunches, after-school hunger, and busy family dinners. These four Bukharian-inspired recipes bring the flavors of home into the school-day routine, with something for breakfast, lunch, snack time, and dinner.

 

Silan-Stuffed Acorn Squash with Jeweled Rice

Savory Egg & Scallion Breakfast Pancakes

A colorful autumn side dish that feels right at home in the sukkah. Sweet roasted squash is filled with fragrant rice, dried fruit, almonds, and herbs, with a touch of silan tying everything together.

Serves 6–8

Ingredients

• 3 medium acorn squash
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1¾ cups water or vegetable broth
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• ⅓ cup chopped dried apricots
• ⅓ cup chopped dates
• ⅓ cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
• ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons silan (date syrup), divided
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut each acorn squash in half from stem to bottom and scoop out the seeds. Brush the cut sides with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with ½ teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Arrange cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 30–35 minutes, until the flesh is tender but the squash still holds its shape.
2. Meanwhile, rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear. Combine rice, water or broth, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for approximately 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 5–7 minutes, until softened and beginning to turn golden. Add apricots, dates, cinnamon, and cumin and cook for another minute.
4. Fold in the cooked rice, almonds, parsley, 2 tablespoons silan, lemon juice, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Remove from heat and gently fold in most of the pomegranate seeds, reserving some for garnish.
5. Turn the roasted squash halves cut-side up. Divide the rice mixture among the squash cavities, mounding it generously. Return to the oven for 10–12 minutes.
6. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of silan and garnish with reserved pomegranate seeds before serving.

Make Ahead: The squash and filling can be prepared separately one day ahead. Stuff and reheat, covered, at 350°F until heated through.

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Crispy Potato, Leek & Pastrami Kugel Cups

Classic potato kugel gets an individual makeover with sweet sautéed leeks and smoky pastrami. Crisp around the edges and tender inside, these are easy to portion and particularly convenient for serving in the sukkah.

Makes 12 kugel cups

Ingredients

• 2½ pounds Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, peeled
• 1 medium onion
• 1 large leek
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for greasing
• 6 ounces sliced pastrami, finely chopped
• 3 large eggs
• ¼ cup potato starch
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ cup olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Generously grease a standard 12-cup metal muffin pan with olive oil, making sure to coat both the bottoms and sides.
2. Trim the leek, discard the dark green portion, and slice the white and light green sections thinly. Wash very thoroughly to remove any sand.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add leek and cook for 5–6 minutes, until softened. Add chopped pastrami and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Using the large holes of a box grater or the shredding attachment of a food processor, grate potatoes and onion. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly to remove as much liquid as possible. This step is important for achieving crisp kugel cups.
5. Place the potato-onion mixture in a large bowl and add the sautéed leek and pastrami.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, potato starch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and ¼ cup olive oil. Pour over the potato mixture and toss thoroughly.
7. Divide evenly among the prepared muffin cups, packing the mixture in lightly. Do not compress it completely; a slightly uneven surface will become crisp in the oven.
8. Bake for 35–45 minutes, until deeply golden around the edges and cooked through in the centers.
9. Allow to rest in the pan for 5–10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges if necessary, then carefully lift out each kugel cup and serve hot.

Make Ahead: Bake completely, cool, and refrigerate. Reheat uncovered on a baking sheet at 375°F for approximately 10–15 minutes to restore the crisp exterior.

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Apple-Silan Upside-Down Cake

Apples and silan create a glossy caramelized topping for this moist, pareve spice cake. It has all the flavors of the season without feeling like another ordinary apple cake.

Serves 10–12

For the Apple Topping

3 medium firm apples, such as Honeycrisp or Pink Lady

3 tablespoons margarine or neutral oil

⅓ cup packed light brown sugar

¼ cup silan

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

For the Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 large eggs
• ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup neutral oil
• ⅓ cup silan
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment.
2. Peel and core the apples. Cut into thin slices, approximately ¼-inch thick.
3. Combine margarine or oil, brown sugar, silan, cinnamon, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes, until smooth and slightly bubbling.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and spread evenly. Arrange apple slices over the mixture in overlapping concentric circles. Set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger.
6. In a large bowl, whisk eggs and brown sugar until well combined. Add oil, silan, vanilla, and applesauce and whisk until smooth.
7. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
8. Carefully spoon the batter over the arranged apples and spread evenly without disturbing them.
9. Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs.
10. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge. Place a serving plate upside down over the cake pan and, using oven mitts, carefully invert the cake in one motion. Lift away the pan and gently remove the parchment. If an apple slice remains attached to the parchment, simply place it back onto the cake.
11. Allow the cake to cool before slicing. The topping will thicken and become glossier as it rests.

Make Ahead: The cake can be prepared a day ahead. Once completely cooled, cover tightly and keep at room temperature.

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Pomegranate-Braised Short Ribs
with Caramelized Onions

These tender short ribs cook slowly in a savory-sweet pomegranate sauce until the meat practically falls from the bone. Even better, the dish improves after an overnight rest, making it particularly convenient for Yom Tov.

Serves 6–8

Ingredients

• 4½–5 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ¾ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large onions, thinly sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups 100% pomegranate juice
• 1½ cups beef broth
• 3 tablespoons silan
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• Pomegranate seeds, for garnish
• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Pat short ribs thoroughly dry with paper towels and season on all sides with salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches so the pot is not crowded, sear the short ribs for 3–4 minutes per side, until deeply browned. Transfer to a plate.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced onions to the same pot and cook for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, until the onions are soft and golden.
4. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and cook for another 1–2 minutes.
5. Pour in pomegranate juice and beef broth. Add silan, balsamic vinegar, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, bay leaves, and thyme. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
6. Return the short ribs and any accumulated juices to the pot. The liquid should come approximately halfway to two-thirds of the way up the meat. Cover tightly and transfer to the oven. Braise for 3–3½ hours, turning the ribs once midway through cooking, until fork-tender.
7. Carefully transfer the ribs to a platter. Discard bay leaves and thyme stems and skim excess fat from the sauce. For a thicker sauce, place the uncovered pot over medium heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes, until reduced to the desired consistency.
8. Return the ribs to the sauce and spoon the caramelized onions over the top. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and parsley just before serving.

Make Ahead: For best results, prepare one day ahead and refrigerate overnight. The hardened fat can then be easily removed from the surface. Reheat the ribs gently, covered, in their sauce.