The concept of kosher food came to us from the Jews. These people adhere to kosher in culinary and legal matters. In our article, we will focus only on food and find out what is kosher food.

These laws have been defined by the Torah for more than 3,500 years, and the Jews strictly adhere to them for the same amount of time. The very first thing a culinary kashrut begins with is that dishes for eating meat and dairy food should always be stored separately, even they need to be washed in separate sinks or dishwashers. Meat should not be stored in the refrigerator where fish and dairy products are stored. Jews have breakfast with eggs, fish, dairy products, vegetables. In the afternoon, for dinner, you can eat meat, desserts that do not contain protein and dairy products, vegetables, fruits. Now let's take a closer look at food.

Meat and fish

• Meat - you can eat any animal, except pork. An animal that is sick or killed during a hunt, fat, thigh is strictly prohibited. He monitors the kosherness and origin of the meat - a specially trained carver, he knows how to properly butcher, remove fat and blood. Then he puts a seal on the meat, which confirms the kosher. An interesting fact about meat kashrut is that McDonalds has changed the technology of making burger patties specifically for Jews. Meat is not cooked in a pan, but exclusively on coals.
• Poultry is kosher, and pigeons are also included in it. Grilled or fire-cooked turkey and chicken hearts are considered kosher. Delicacies in the form of insects, worms, frogs are strictly forbidden to eat. But several species of locusts are allowed.
• A fish that is kosher in the presence of scales and fins. Cook it on fire or in the oven. Marine life such as lobsters, crabs, eels are forbidden to eat. Red caviar is considered kosher, while black caviar is not.

Cereals and fruits

• Any cereals: wheat, barley, oats, yeast products and alcohol can be eaten on any day except Easter. On the days of Passover, these specific prohibitions are added to the usual kashrut.
• Before eating fruits that are susceptible to worm damage, such as apples, pears, peaches, apricots, etc., they are carefully checked.

Dairy products, bread

• Do not mix dairy products with meat. The break between taking meat and milk should be at least 6 hours, and between milk and meat - 2 hours.
• Bread is considered kosher only if it is made from kosher products.

Alcohol

Wine made by a non-Jew is not kosher. Alcoholic drinks such as beer are considered kosher if they are prepared according to a certain technology.

Traditional snack of kosher cuisine

Hummus is a traditional addition to Jewish dishes. This is nut butter. It is eaten with absolutely any food from bread to salads.

While preparing kosher food in a restaurant or in their own kitchen, Jews must read a prayer. The taste and appearance of kosher dishes and products are no different from ordinary ones.

Almost everyone who is going to travel to Israel, or those who have already visited this country, have heard that food in Israel is kosher. Some believe that this is a special, dietary or separate diet. In fact, kosher food is food prepared according to the rules of kashrut.

kashrut- a term in Judaism, meaning the permissibility or suitability of something from the point of view of Halakha (the totality of laws contained in the Torah and Talmud). In Judaism, the term "kashrut" is used not only in relation to nutrition, but is also used in other aspects of traditional life - from legal to domestic.

Since ancient times, Jewish laws have strictly controlled every aspect of a person's life, this also applies to food and to the methods of their preparation. The laws of kashrut state that Jews are forbidden to eat anything, and even permitted food must be prepared according to the rules.

What are these rules?

Animals:

Kosher animals have two characteristics: they must have cloven hooves and chew the cud. They are herbivores such as cows, sheep and goats. Many wild herbivores: moose, deer, gazelles, mountain goats, etc. also kosher. The Torah lists four types of animals that have only one of the two signs of kosher: pig, camel, hyrax and hare - these animals are forbidden for food. An animal that is sick or killed while hunting is not suitable for food. Fat is forbidden near the stomach and intestines, as well as the thigh, from which the sciatic nerve has not been removed (in memory of the forefather Jacob, whom an angel wounded in the thigh).
The laws of kashrut also apply to the process of slaughtering an animal. For meat to be fully kosher, it must meet certain requirements. A shochet (skilled carver) usually studies for many years to gain a general knowledge of Jewish law. Then he takes a special course for carvers, lasting about a year and culminating in an exam. Only after that he gets the right to slaughter the animal. The laws on shechit (slaughtering an animal) and checking the carcass of an animal for kosher are very numerous and complex, therefore only a person who has thoroughly studied them and received an appropriate diploma is entitled to engage in this craft.

Bird:

The Torah does not define any signs for kosher birds, so only domestic birds that are traditionally confirmed as kosher are eaten. These are chickens, turkeys, quails, ducks, geese and pigeons.

Eggs also have a sign of kosher: they must be from kosher birds, have different ends (one is sharper, the other is more rounded). Since blood is strictly forbidden for consumption, eggs in the yolk of which there is a blood clot are unusable, but such eggs are not necessarily thrown away, but simply freed from blood and eaten.

A fish:
Kosher fish have two characteristics: they have scales and fins. Only fish species that have both of these characteristics are allowed.

All crustaceans (crabs, crayfish, lobsters, shrimp) and shellfish (octopuses, oysters, squids) are non-kosher and prohibited.

Insects and amphibians:

Kashrut strictly forbids eating insects (except locusts), amphibians and reptiles. This restriction requires careful selection and processing of greens, vegetables, fruits, as well as flour and cereals.

The only exception to this rule is honey, a non-kosher insect product, which is allowed to be eaten because (according to kashrut) it is a flower juice processed by a bee, and therefore is considered a product of plant origin, and not a waste product of the bee's body.

Beverages:

Basically, the kosherness of drinks is associated with the consumption of wine. Since all the agricultural laws of the Torah are exclusively related to the Land of Israel and do not apply in other countries, wine grown only in Israel, exclusively by religious Jews who observed all the rules of kashrut, is kosher.

Separate meat and dairy: this rule is one of the well-known kashrut rules. It is forbidden to mix dairy and meat products: cook or eat them together. Because of this, a kosher kitchen should have separate utensils and, preferably, separate kitchen equipment for cooking meat and dairy.

In addition, the laws of kashrut establish the need for a time interval between the intake of meat food and the intake of dairy food.
Kosher food is connected not only directly with food, but also with utensils. All new utensils are kosher. Non-kosher dishes can become if non-kosher food was cooked or stored in them, such dishes can be koshered by boiling them or calcining them on fire. But this applies only to metal and glass utensils: dishes made of porcelain, wood or clay cannot be koshered.

What explains such a set of rules for cooking and eating food? At the moment, there are several explanations for the commandment of kosher:

Will of the Almighty: the observance of the laws of kashrut is performed solely as a sign of submission to the will of God.

Health (usefulness of kosher food): observance of the rules of kashrut is a sign of trust in God who created the world, who gave mankind the Law, in accordance with which one should live. He knows better than anyone what is good and useful for the spiritual well-being of a person and his physical health. Kosher food is traditionally considered healthier and safer than regular food, as the entire production process is strictly controlled and all technical and hygienic requirements are met.

Mercy (moral values): Cruelty to animals is expressly prohibited by the Torah. Hunting and killing animals for fun is prohibited. According to scientific research, "shechita" (slaughter according to the Torah) is one of the most humane methods of killing an animal. According to the laws of kosher, any injured animal is no longer kosher. Therefore, the slaughterer kills animals in one motion to reduce pain to a minimum, while the animal loses consciousness in a fraction of a second.

Striving for Holiness: wherever kosher is spoken of, the Torah speaks of holiness. According to this view, the purpose of the laws of kashrut is to instill qualities such as self-discipline and the ability to self-restraint. By controlling his diet, a person learns to control his desires and passions and, thereby, grows spiritually.

Maintaining Unity: kashrut brings Jews closer together wherever they are. When a kosher Jew travels to another city or country, he will look for a synagogue, a rabbi, and a community where he can get kosher food. Thus, a kosher Jew will never find himself alone in any Jewish city in the world.

Since the kosherness of foods cannot be objectively verified, some Jewish communities rely on the judgment of a rabbi, who is recognized as an authority in that community, in matters of kosherness.

Many have heard such a thing as "kosher". What does this term mean? In what cases is it used? What is the origin of this concept? The article will provide answers to these questions.

"Kosher" means "suitable" in Hebrew. Therefore, the concept of "kosher nutrition" today should be understood as the process of maintaining life and health with the help of food that does not harm a person.

Judaism - the oldest monotheistic religion in the world - involves the observance of religious prescriptions, norms and rules - kosher, which apply not only to clothing, cosmetics, but also to products. According to this setting, Jews must prepare food in accordance with the laws of kashrut and strictly at a certain time.

The main goal of the law is that kosher is a rational and healthy diet that creates harmony in the development of the human body.

Kosher food

In the instructions of Moses, which are reflected in the written five-book law "Torah", it is indicated that non-kosher food has a bad effect on the health of the individual, his religious level decreases and his sensitivity worsens, therefore he is not capable of spiritual perception.

This law says that a person who has tasted the meat of a predator is capable of showing aggression and is able to stray from the true path. Therefore, only the fillets of herbivorous animals will be considered clean food. The meat of predators is classified as treif products, i.e. prohibited.

Features of kosher food and products

Kosher food involves the use of strictly pure food by a person. According to Jewish precepts, all types of plants are foodstuffs suitable for consumption. However, not all fish, poultry or animal meat will be kosher food.

The blood of birds, animals or fish slaughtered in a certain order must be absolutely excluded from the diet, except for fish. A prerequisite for killing animals is the use of a sharp knife cutter: so that the animal does not suffer, the slaughter process must be carried out quickly.

Before proceeding with the process of boiling or frying meat, it goes through the stages of soaking in water, then aging in a special brine, and finally it is well rinsed.

The process of cutting and checking compliance with the conditions and criteria of kosher is carried out by a special qualified specialist - a shochet, who has a certain permission to slaughter the animal. In addition, the pig is considered unclean by the Jews, so pork will never be kosher.

Thus, the teaching of the "Torah" instructs a person in discipline and restrictions, instills antipathy to the shedding of blood and cruelty.

List of kosher foods and dishes

Kosher food is divided into three categories: meat (basar), dairy (free), and neutral (parve). The basic principle of kosher nutrition is the complete separation of dairy food from meat. Especially in order for the position of kosher to be observed, special cutlery and kitchen utensils and utensils are used. Kashrut requires some utensils to be dipped in the mikvah before their initial use.

The process of preparing such products according to these principles involves the preparation of food in specially designated places.

Category neutral foods can be eaten at the same time as one of these categories. This variety includes those fruits and vegetables that have not come into contact with non-kosher foods or are not worms.

The list of clean foods is quite long. These are pasta and legumes, fresh, canned or frozen fruits and vegetables, lean, peanut and olive oils, certain types of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, certain brands of tea and chocolate.

This list can be continued, but in any case, it is necessary to pay attention to the packaging of the product: it will definitely have a kosher sign on it. In the event that the sign is missing, consultation with a rabbi is necessary.

How to prepare kosher meals? Suitable are those in the process of preparation of which certain products were used. Therefore, a dish that has been vetted by a rabbi or prepared in an Israeli kitchen or Jewish restaurant will not necessarily be considered kosher. Not at all. It is very easy to prepare a kosher dish yourself, given all the signs of kosher for the products that you have in the refrigerator in the kitchen. However, the main and main feature is, of course, the purity in their preparation.

We will talk about the features of products that are suitable for use in food below.

kosher meat

Jewish cuisine involves the use of the meat of artiodactyl ruminants that feed on grass. They, thanks to the muscular and glandular sections of the stomach, have a thorough digestion of food. These are cows, and sheep, and goats, and elks, as well as gazelles. In addition, animals that do not have a cut of hooves are included here: rabbits, camels and hyraxes. In the "Torah" you can find a complete list of kosher animals.

According to the Torah kashrut, kosher meats are chickens, geese, ducks and turkeys. However, there are still exceptions: the meat of carnivorous warm-blooded egg-laying animals.

Kosher dairy products

Does the concept of "kosher" apply to dairy products? What does it mean? Suitable products are considered milk, which is obtained from clean animals. Only in this case the product is acceptable for consumption. Otherwise, it cannot be used for food.

Kosher food has a number of specific customs and traditions. The principle of kosher states that after drinking milk or other dairy products, you should rinse your mouth and eat solid, neutral food that will not stick to your palate.

It is considered a very common custom to take breaks between meals of different categories of kosher food. To eat meat, you need a break of 30-60 minutes. After eating hard cheeses and between eating “basar” and “freebies”, you must wait 6 hours. Milk can be eaten with fish, but from different dishes.

Fish classified as kosher

She does not need to be killed in a special way. However, there are exceptions here too: kosher fish must be with an external horny cover and limbs. These are cod, flounder, tuna, pike, trout, salmon, herring, halibut, haddock. You can not eat crustaceans arthropods and soft-bodied. Insects, snakes, and worms are also not pure food types.

Jews do not eat fish along with meat products, but they can be put on the table together.

Kosher "parve"

As noted earlier, even unprocessed fruits and vegetables belong to the parve category. The only condition for keeping kosher in this case is the absence of insects in these products. Therefore, fruits and vegetables that are susceptible to damage by bugs and other insects are carefully checked and processed.

Bird eggs also belong to the neutral category. However, mainly poultry products with unequal ends are allowed for food, namely chicken, goose, turkey, pheasant and quail are also allowed. Jews consider the eggs of predators or those that feed on carrion to be unclean. Bloody foods are non-kosher. Therefore, they are checked before use.

These types of pure products do not even require a special mark and can be mixed with others in any combination. However, if they have been mixed with dairy or meat species, they are no longer classified as parve.

Where can you find this product

Kosher products are marked with a special sign, which guarantees compliance with the principles of such nutrition, their usefulness, environmental friendliness and high quality. Due to some difficulties in preparing such food, the price of goods suitable for Jews differs significantly from the prices of food products that can be found in the market or in the supermarket.

Where is kosher food most often considered traditional? Mostly suitable products can be found in Israel, but recently even the population of other countries attaches great importance to proper nutrition, so you can find such products almost everywhere. And to make sure of its quality, the presence of the kosher sign of the rabbi, who controlled the production process of the product, will help.

Religion is not only the observance of certain traditions, but also the rules of nutrition. Kosher food is a term taken from Judaism and is commonly consumed by Jews, but has recently begun to appear in stores in many countries.

What does kosher food mean ^

Kosher food is food prepared according to the laws of kashrut, which, in turn, is included in the list of rules of the Halacha.

According to this code, dishes must be prepared in accordance with certain customs, and Jewish organizations, which put their stamp on the packages, control their preparation.

What is kosher food

In general, kosher foods fall into three groups:

• "Basar" - meat products;
• "parve" - ​​neutral;
• "freebie" - dairy.

The very concept of "kosher" means that such food is healthy and suitable for consumption, so the products used by Jews can now very often be found on store shelves.

Kosher Food: Benefit or Harm

Is kosher food healthy? Of course, it only has a positive effect on health, because it does not contain dyes, preservatives, stabilizers, GMOs and various drugs, and the packaging in which the products are stored is absolutely sterile.

As for the harm from Jewish kosher food, it was once announced by experts from the United States who compared such food with ordinary food. They were able to find out that a bird cooked in the usual way contains less harmful bacteria than one that was made kosher.

Kosher food: how to prepare meals

According to kashrut, you can not mix milk and meat in one meal: the time interval between their use should be at least five hours. In addition, separate requirements are imposed on the method of slaughtering animals: only a specially trained person should do this, and before the meat products fall into the hands of the cook, blood is pumped out of it by soaking.

It is strictly forbidden to eat the meat of sick animals, and dairy and meat food is prepared not only in different dishes, but also in rooms. That is why Jewish families have two kitchens, but if this is not possible, you can cook on two stoves.

What food is considered kosher ^

Kosher food: food list

To eat kosher, you need to know what foods are customary to eat in accordance with kashrut:

• Meat: this includes beef, goat meat, as well as moose, giraffes, gazelles and sheep - i.e. animals that have cloven hooves and eat plant foods. From those who do not have cloven hooves, hyraxes, camels and rabbits are allowed, and from non-herbivores pork is allowed. The most important thing in such products is the absence of blood: according to the Jews, those who absorb it inside can become aggressive and cruel. Eggs with blood clots are also prohibited;
• Bird: owl, eagle, pelicans and hawks are prohibited, because You can eat only homemade food: geese, ducks, chickens. The only exceptions are pigeons;
• Eggs: they should have a special shape - be sharp at one end and rounded at the other. If both of their ends are blunted, they cannot be eaten, because. it is quite probable that they belong to carrion-eating birds of prey;
• A fish: it must have fins and scales. All seafood (octopuses, shrimp, worms, etc.) is completely prohibited. they have neither one nor the other;
• Milk only that which was obtained from kosher animals is allowed, otherwise it cannot be consumed;
• Vegetables and fruits: there are no restrictions here, except when they are wormy or have come into contact with non-kosher products.

Kosher food: what to eat kosher, halal and delicious

Non-kosher food: what to eat is not kosher

Kosher food recipes

Forshmak recipe from herring:

• We divide the herring into fillets, soak it in milk for 40 minutes, then take it out and grind it;
• We clean and remove the seeds from the apple, rub it on a grater;
• Boil eggs, three on a grater;
• Finely chop the onion, grind the potatoes boiled in their skins;
• We mix everything, chop with a knife to a creamy consistency;
• Add melted butter to the mass, pepper;
• Serve chilled.

Shakshuka Recipe:

• We cut into cubes a couple of sweet peppers, peel the tomatoes;
• Fry chopped onions in olive oil in a pan, then add pepper and fry for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally;
• We crush the garlic in a garlic press, mix with cumin, turmeric and hot pepper cut into small pieces, put everything in a pan for one minute;
• Add tomatoes there, fry for 3 minutes;
• We make a small indentation in vegetables with a spoon, drive eggs into it;
• Salt and pepper, cook until the protein is cooked;
• Sprinkle with herbs before serving.

Charlotte recipe:

• Peel apples from seeds and peel, cut into cubes;
• Beat the raw proteins with a mixer, while pouring sugar in small portions;
• Add the yolks, melted margarine and vanillin, add flour, salt and baking powder;
• Lubricate the mold with oil, pour a layer of dough there, place apples on top and add the remaining mixture;
• Lay the apple slices on the surface, grease with oil and sprinkle with cinnamon;
• Bake for half an hour in the oven at 200 degrees.

Is kosher cuisine useful: the opinion of doctors ^

According to doctors, kosher dishes are of great importance only from a religious point of view, however, in medicine in general, such products are not so categorical, arguing that the method of preparation and the ingredients themselves can affect health.

In the past, Jews faced many culinary difficulties during travel and flights, but now kosher food on planes is not uncommon, and it is provided by some airlines, so it is possible to observe religious traditions and rules, even when far from home and not being able to cook food yourself.

Eastern horoscope for April 2019

Many at least once in their lives heard the definition of "kosher". Most associate it exclusively with Jewish cuisine.

In fact, the meaning of the word "kosher" is much broader. What does this concept mean in Israel and how does it relate to food and drink?

Kosher means natural

The word "kosher" comes from the concept of "kashrut" - laws and regulations relating to the life of Jews. The set of these provisions is described in the Torah, the main Jewish collection of religious texts. Of the more than 600 commandments, over 50 relate to food and define what a kosher food is.

The requirements are mainly imposed on the cultivation of crops, slaughter of livestock and pre-treatment of raw materials, the composition of products. The content of any foreign impurities and non-natural additives is almost always excluded. In other words, kosher means that it corresponds to the accepted canons, natural. Therefore, you should not be afraid of kosher food at all.

The concept of "kosher" in the world has become synonymous with naturalness and health benefits. So, kosher cosmetics can never contain parabens and other artificial ingredients.

Animals, plants, and even insects can be kosher.

Meat and fish

So, what is kosher food for Jews? The Torah allows you to eat mammals that simultaneously correspond to two characteristics - ruminants and artiodactyls (goats, sheep, cows, deer, roe deer). This means that horse meat, hare meat, camel meat are immediately banned.

As for birds, the book lists 24 non-kosher species. Basically, these are those winged ones that we would hardly eat every day anyway: crows, owls, cuckoos. Jews traditionally cook chicken, duck, goose and turkey.

The answer to the question of what a kosher food product means has another important condition. Meat must not contain blood. Therefore, the slaughter is carried out by a specially trained rabbi (shochet). Among other things, he must know how not to hurt the animal - this is one of the strictest prescriptions.

The fish should also have two differences: scales and fins. Jews consider catfish, sturgeon, eel and seafood (crayfish, shrimp) unfit for consumption. Caviar is recognized as kosher if it is obtained from fish allowed for consumption.

The list of unlawful food among the Jews includes tigers and other predatory animals, as well as reptiles, worms and insects, with the exception of some types of locusts. Interestingly, honey is also included in the list of kosher products, although bees are not considered kosher.

Vegetables, fruits and other plants

Vegetable food should not be poisonous (potato tops, tomatoes, raw plum, peach seeds, apple seeds) and contain insects. Compliance with the latter requirement is achieved by a special check of vegetables.

Basically, all vegetable, fruit and grain crops among Jews are recognized as kosher. There are several regulations for the cultivation and cultivation of the soil, planting plants, but they are not of fundamental importance for tourists.

Dairy and flour products

Since cereals and the flour made from them are recognized as kosher, the main requirement relates to the composition of finished food products. Jews consider unacceptable the use of animal fats, flavoring and aromatic additives.

An additional standard is set for the baking of "Jewish bread" (pat-yisrael), which involves the use of certain cereals and the obligatory participation of a Jew, for example, in lighting a fire. But this prescription more often affects the household.

With dairy products, too, everything is quite simple. Everything that is given by kosher animals is considered permissible. This means that Jews do not have categorical prohibitions on milk and eggs. The main thing is that there are no non-kosher additives in the composition - they can be, for example, some thickeners or flavors. It is strictly forbidden to mix meat and dairy products.

Beverages

- in the list of the most stringent restrictions. Non-kosher wines are all wines produced outside of Israel. Only Jews should participate in the process of their manufacture. Special requirements apply to the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. For example, you cannot take the fourth crop for production. In addition, many pasteurize - in this case, even if a non-Jew opens the bottle, it will not lose its kosher.

Also on the list of prohibited drinks is alcohol that has been aged in wine barrels, such as cognac or whiskey, or contains non-kosher additives. Most of the beers, rum, vodka, tequila, gin do not cause any complaints.

Any coffee, tea, and most juices, as long as they do not contain dairy or wine components, are kosher drinks.

Kosher foods can be recognized by the sign

In order not to make a mistake in choosing and not to memorize the list of what is permitted, when buying, you need to look for kosher signs on products - “echsher”. They have the right to assign only Jewish organizations that control the quality of goods. There are at least 100 variations of such signs in the world.

The most common word on food labels is “kosher”. In European and American versions - the letters "K", "U" or a combination of "KS".

As for catering, there are practically no non-kosher restaurants in Israel. Even McDonald's hamburgers are subject to certification.

Kosher and Halal are different products

There is an opinion that kosher and halal mean the same thing. In a broad sense, this is true. Both terms are related to food and are regulated by the main religious law - the Jewish Torah and the Muslim Quran. But if you look deeper, there are differences. How is kosher food different from halal food?

In both Judaism and Islam, the slaughter of an animal is a whole ritual that is carried out by a specific person. Similar are the prohibitions regarding food, for example, in relation to the blood of animals.

Also, in Muslim countries they do not eat pork (you can cook the meat of any herbivore with a "split hoof"). The meat of land-dwelling carnivores and birds of prey is prohibited, while fish and seafood can be served without restriction. Finally, Muslims do not drink alcohol.

Like kosher, halal cosmetics can only contain natural oils, minerals and extracts. It is strictly forbidden to use animal fats, unhealthy additives, alcohol, glycerin in the production.

Orthodoxy does not exclude kosher products

Many people wonder if Orthodox Christians can eat kosher food? If we turn to the canons of the Christian religion, there are no food prohibitions in Orthodoxy. Restrictions are set for special periods of humility and spiritual renewal. Christmas, Great, Petrov, Assumption fasts, as well as all Wednesdays and Fridays - the time of complete abstinence from meat and dairy products. So, nothing forbids an Orthodox tourist to try kosher products in Israel.