Let’s help each other. One of the most amazing things I love about our community is the immediate feedback. Whether via Facebook, email or as a JoK.com comment you all let us know how you feel. And I love it, most probably cause the feedback is generally positive and often inspiring – both in the kitchen and in life. Lately though, we have been getting a lot of comments like this one:
I love to read all your super recipes and hints but please — not all of your readers live in America and, as you must yourself know by now, not all the ingredients you mention are available here in Israel.
-Laura B.
So while I do live in Israel, I live in an American community with an American style store that stocks lots of my favorite American brands and products. Additionally I travel back and forth often and have lots of products sent to me for recipe development. So I can’t say that I have become an expert in cooking like I live in Israel in the last 10 months. I can’t even claim to know what products are not readily available in stores across the country not situated in Anglo-communities. So here’s where we help each other.
Please comment below with any and all cooking in Israel substitution Qs or otherwise and my new friend Dvora Rotter and I (OK mostly Dvora) will create a cheat sheet post listing substitutions – that we will research and test together. This post will be a living one that we will constantly be adding to as your queries continue. And you too can help by offering your tips and suggestions for substitution to each other in the comments. We hope this will help you from getting frustrated with recipes using ingredients you can’t find.
How does that sound?
Start asking your questions now!!
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My friend told me that frozen cigar wrappers make a nice substitute for egg roll wrappers. Otherwise, make your own. Very easy: http://www.pennilessparenting.com/2010/10/homemade-wonton-and-egg-roll-wrappers.html
thanks for helping!
I often use veg broth or chicken broth (Imagine soups are available in BEST Market in Ramat Beit Shemesh) or you can make “broth” using the Osem no MSG consomme mix dissolved in boiling water. I believe it’s 1 TBS to 1 cup. Or try subbing in wine or beer.
I thought the conversion was 1 teaspoon powder to one cup water.
I use 1 TBS to 1 Cup but if you use 1 tsp and taste it and like it (find it flavorful enough) then good!
Tofutti pareve sour cream and cream cheese are available – it’s a staple at BEST market in Ramat Beit Shemesh Aleph on Dolev.
Michal Mazel Tov and welcome home!!!! Happy to help :-)!
thanks for the heads up and HOW cool of you! how is the growing going?
that’s funny (although of course it’s really not!) Right now I am only using #3 – and cooking it like a Brisket.
Ahhhhh I am so thrilled for this!!!
I am a young newlywed living in israel, far from our families in Monsey, and this is sooo what I need to make my cooking experience here easier! THANK YOU!!!
I am growing my own tomatillos, poblano peppers, and jalapenos, because I haven’t found them here, and we want Mexican food. Otherwise I go to “Tres Pesos” in Holon. They have a lot of Mexican products.
my husband and i joke that the butchers here arent really butchers- theyre more like ice cutters….most butchers wont actually know the difference between first cut and second cut meat…they either defrost the meat or put it through the saw….its important to know what number you want before you go, because “butchers” dont always know what cut you are referring to when you give them the english names for the cut…i personally buy my meat in bulk-saves TONS of money (almost half the price) and tons of hassle of trying to explain meat to a butcher…
Where can one buy guar gum? I want to get some so that I can make a softer version of sherbet (ices). I saw that Freeda vitamins sells this, but does anyone know where I can find this in Israel? I’ve also heard of Locust bean gum (I did a wiki search and discovered that it actually comes for carob, which grows all over Israel)…But can you get this product here?
Are they whole peppers or the crushed red pepper (pizza pepper)? If it’s whole pepper,is it more like cayenne or Thai bird or could I use just about anything? What’s the closest American equivalent?
oh I wish Chavsg would come back and let us know. I am frustrated not having cayenne pepper – I have been using chili pepper flakes or just omitting the cayenne. I wonder if Shatta Chilli is a good sub for Cayenne? I will have to look for it.
Shatta chilli, is dried chilli peppers you can find it in the spice sections in the supermarkets.
There are various lists of meat cuts online. Keep in mind that it’s not just a translation issue, the cuts are actually different than those in the US. When you see a one-to-one comparison of cuts, it should be considered approximate (unless you go to a butcher who does US cuts of which there may be a few). Here are a few links:
http://cooking.marcgottlieb.com/2011/12/meat-cuts-by-the-numbers/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/israel-food/message/11484
http://israeleasy.blogspot.co.il/2007/11/meat-cuts-explained.html
http://nonrecipe.blogspot.co.il/2011/12/buying-beef-in-israel-guest-post.html
i’ve found Israeli brand bay leaves and the berries (forgot what they’re called) in seperate containers in the spice aisle but if your makolet doesn’t carry it you can probably go to a spice store and they’ll have it
What can I use instead of beef stock in beef dishes. bought some when I first arrived 11 years ago but have not seen it since.
What about parve sour cream?
You can find dry yeast in vacuum-packed packages at some supermarkets. One packet of dry yeast is equal to 2-1/4 teaspoons. I put it in a jar and keep it in the freezer. I’ve never had any luck with the Israeli bags of yeast. I asked someone once and they told me that for six cups of flour I needed the whole bag (which was 3/4 to 1 cup.
it’s 2 tbsp dry yeast for 1 kg flour
I use 2 oz/4 TBS dry yeast for 2.75kg flour (6 lbs) as per my Challah Recipe: http://bit.ly/1mCwzfK
You can find a decent assortment of Asian products at the Mizrach u’Ma’arav stores near Machane Yehudah in J’salem and the Carmel Market in TA.
Here’s a reverse question, though. I translate a lot of Hebrew recipes and keep coming across “shatta chili.” What is that and what is the closest American equivalent?
As far as I know, Brisket is Breast of cow (“Chazeh” in the butcher, or Number 3/Mispar Shalosh).
Thanks. I had been told to look for 15, and I got strange looks.
And I see my message went through twice – trying to delete one.
As for duck sauce: I finally found in Chashmonaim and at Tzomet Shilat, I hit jackpot at the store שום, פלפל שמן זית – they even carry Cream of Tartar.
I just started buying cigar wrappers her in NY, but they are from Israel, and while they are very different, I actually really like them.
Check out this wholesaler’s catalogue. http://www.tayari.co.il/
Chuck is #2 and brisket is #3. More or less. I think they cut it differently here but those are where the cuts come from. I think the American butchers can cut a proper brisket but to me, it’s not worth the money when I can get what is probably a 2nd cut brisket, just as good, 3 kg for 110 on sale.
Around Shavuot time, people are always asking for a decent substitute for farmers cheese. You can get pre-packaged Cna’an or Tuv Ta’am (Tara brand) cheese OR get Tvorog at the cheese counter by weight, which comes out less expensive. I guess you can probably buy Tvorog pre-packaged as well, but I’ve never looked for it.
Frozen aisle at a good supermarket. You can look for “cigar” wraps. They do the same job.
http://cooking.marcgottlieb.com/2011/12/meat-cuts-by-the-numbers/
I use this – hope it helps!
Not too many prepared sauces here – ones you can find are VERY expensive. Most of the stuff I used to use in America, I search for homemade recipes online – even Taco Seasoning. Never can find graham crackers – I just use the “cheesecake cookies” for crusts and such. As for onion powder – I use real onion, or the onion soup mix in a pinch.
I’ve seen them in most of the major grocery stores, they’re called cigar wrappers, but the packaging states that they’re good for eggrolls too.
I would love to see a list of meat cuts to their corresponding numbers.
Another note, I know most people suggest using shamenet instead of sour cream, but the taste and texture are off. In our family we think Gvina Levana is the perfect substitute. I know it’s really a cheese and not a cream, but the taste and texture are right on and it works.
Not sure about eggroll wrappers specifically, but you can find moroccan cigar wrappers in the freezer sections of any supermarket, and they are similar.
I have been substituting paprika harifa (which sometimes calls itself cayenne, but I don’t think it’s the same) for cayenne, watered down tomato paste for tomato sauce, petit beurre cookies for graham crackers. I find I have to wait for a trip to the States to stock up on dry chives, chili powder, dry mustard. I also bring back crisco sticks and brown sugar for baking. White sugar here is more coarse, and I find I have to do a better job creaming it with other ingredients for cakes and cookies. And I’ve started making my own vanilla, which is the best ever. I’ve never been able to figure out the correct amounts of dry yeast–no little square packets here–so now I use fresh yeast.
Where can I buy eggroll wrappers in Israel?
need substitutes for bouillion(chicken stock) and tomato sauce(can find here but expensive).
Many recipes have berries. In Israel, fresh berries are seasonal (only a few weeks for blueberries and raspberries). They are almost impossible to find and very expensive.
Also,I’ve seen great recipes for brisket/chuck but most butchers in the country don’t have those cuts of meats. Most sell “Number 1 – Number 8” since the meats are categorized by number. I’d like alternative meats/corresponding Israeli numbers for the cuts of meat.
Where can i get egg roll wrappers in Israel?
I’d like to know what combination of spices to use instead of pickling spice. or if anyone knows where it can be purchased
Two things commonly pop up in recipes I see.
1. Berries – finding blueberries/raspberries in Israel is seasonal, and practically impossible year round.
2. Meats: I saw great recipes for certain cuts of meats that you can’t get in most stores/butchers. ie. I’ve seen the brisket recipes, but go find it here. Most meat counters say they don’t stock things like chuck. You can get meats numbered 1 – 8.
They sell cheddar cheese at the cheese counter at all supermarkets. Tnuva makes a mild one with Rav Vitman’s hechsher. There is also imported Le Prefere sharp orange and white cheddar that is Chalav Yisrael.
Taco seasoning is equal parts chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder, and salt to taste.
Duck sauce cab be found at stores that sell a lot of American products.
How about most prepared sauces/spice mixes, and
duck sauce
taco seasoning
graham crackers
onion powder
cheddar cheese
This is not a substitution, but there’s a great listserv called Israel-food for anglos who are adjusting to Israeli cooking. The question frequently comes up of where to find x or what to substitute for y. I recommend joining the listserv and searching their archives. You’ll probably find all the information you need there.
What can we substitute for a can of cranberry sauce in a meatball recipe? We can get it here in Modiin, but it’s expensive and high in sugar.