Bene Appétit

This lovingly researched book shines a light on a cuisine that has been undocumented for too long. With a focus on the five Indian Jewish communities — the Bene Israel Jews of Western India, the Cochin Jews of Kerala, the Baghdadi Jews of Kolkata, the Bene Ephraim Jews of Andhra Pradesh, and the Bene Menashe Jews of Manipur and Mizoram — David describes how regional produce has influenced keeping kosher (such as coconut milk instead of cream). Filled with dishes like the kanavali, or Sabbath cake (made with roasted semolina and jaggery), of the Bene Israel Jews, and the Bene Menashe community’s chak-hao, or black rice pudding, this volume celebrates traditions that have shifted, over centuries, to reflect a new home.