Kugel (pronounced koogle where the ‘oo’ sounds like the ‘oo’ in book) is a food that I grew up with and never really questioned the oddity of it. Kugel just showed up at every Jewish holiday in one outfit or another. The New Year saw it as a sweet, casserole treat all noddley and cheesy topped with syrupy strawberry sauce. On Passover, it would be whipped up as a savoury dish with onions and Matzo meal. Around Chanuka, the Kugel is generally comprised of potatoes and served with sour cream (because it is not a true Chanuka celebration without at least a half dozen manifestations of the potato).
It wasn’t until I served it last week at my girl’s gathering of eco-cuties that I was actually asked to explain what a Kugel was, and then I didn’t know how to explain it. Kugel is defined as a traditional Jewish casserole served desert or side dish. Can anyone else offer foods from your traditional background that can easily fall into either the dessert or side-dish category? And jello-mould doesn’t count.
The first kugels were made from bread and flour. In the 17th century sugar was added to the mix. In Poland, the Jewish women would sprinkle cinnamon and raisins into the recipe while the Hungarians took the dessert to the limits and served it up with a hearty serving of sugar and sour-cream. Seems to me that people don’t know what to do with their kugel anymore and have just made it a free for all- throwing all optional ‘toppings’ on the table allowing the arteries to sort out what to do with this sweet, salty, starchy, sour creamy heart attack in the making.
Rumour has it that today it is not uncommon for the Bubies in the kitchen to accessorize their kugel casseroles with corn flakes, graham cracker crumbs, ground gingersnaps or caramelized sugar, layer the dish with sliced pineapples or apricot jam. Oye Vey!
Either way, with the holidays upon us and Chanuka starting in just over a week, I thought it time I share my favourite cleaned up, delicious version of Sweet Potato Kugel courtesy of The Organic Kosher Cookbook by Aviva Allen, that deliciously falls into the side dish/dessert category.
Sweet Potato Kugel
6 small sweet potatoes – grated
3 apples, peeled, cored and grated
1 cup raisins
1 cup brown rice flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups water
Topping
1 1/2 cups raw pecan halves, chopped
2 Tbsp maple syrup
pinch of salt
pinch of ground cinnamon
1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Mix all ingredients (not topping)
3. Mix topping ingredients
4. Place in baking dish for 35 minutes
5. Remove and add topping- bake another 20 minutes.
This recipe can be cut into single servings and frozen.
My mom used to pronounce it “KI-gul” (with a soft “i” like “mitt”)–her Russian heritage, apparently. Yours looks fantastic! I adore sweet potatoes any which way, and I’m sure this would be irresistible.
Ha. Kugel. It is weird. I’m really glad you posted this though, as I just bought this bag of sweet potatoes and was debating what to to with them. You have decided for me. Now I have to get that brown rice flour though . . .
Yum. Now what’s the diff between a kugel and a tzimme? Because I made one of those recently and it was great! http://doesabodygood.blogspot.com/2008/10/solving-dinner-and-your-sweet-tooth.html
[...] on, cook yourself a whole foods based dinner. Some chicken soup perhaps, or maybe quinoa with some sweet potato and cauliflower. A sweet cookie for dessert perhaps and maybe, you just might share the meal at the [...]
[...] holiday recipe for me (though likely will be eaten all year round). I am now off to make my Sweet Potato Kugle for tonight’s [...]
I love your recipes, but want to check on a suggested substitution for 1 cup brown rice flour as I’m completely grain free. Almond/coconut flour suggestions?
Thanks!
Yeah, I’ve only ever heard it pronounced “koo-guhl”, as in “google”, not “book” or “cook”. But maybe that’s what you meant, just a bad example?
I like how this is gluten free! I’ll try it ; ]
I made this for a potluck last night! A very festive dish for the holidays… It was so simple and totally delicious! A big hit!!
I made it with an all-purpose gluten free flour (Red Mill’s potato, bean, rice mix). And it turned out great!
I have frozen the leftovers!!
Just came across this recipe, looks really good and can’t wait to try it. I might make it for Passover because my son has a problem with too many foods made with matza or matza meal.
I think the pronunciation of “kugel” depends on where you are from in the US and where your ancesters are from. I’ve never heard it pronounced “koogel”. We call it “kug-el”. Whichever way you say it, I love a good sweet kugel, no raisins or sour cream.
I made this for Passover dinner last night, and my 10+ guests and I were all blown away by how great it is! I had a huge pan of it, and in the middle of dinner, I went into my kitchen, got a jar, and put some away for later, because I knew if I didn’t do that, my guests would devour every single drop, and they did!
Thank you!
Awesome! I love reviews like that!!!
This looks like Aviva Allen’s recipe…it is excellent!!
http://jcarrot.org/pesach-friendly-recipes
You are right ~M. This is exactly my recipe. If you enjoy it, you can find more like it in my books: The Organic Kosher Cookbook, and the new Holiday Edition. Visit http://www.organickoshercookbook.com.
just spotted this comment… i think you mean a tzimmes? because the main difference, is one is baked and is rather ‘liquid’… both are veggies and fruit… and the kugel is baked and firm.