This month I chose to make Lekach from Claudia Roden's The Book of Jewish Food. This is a Jewish honey cake made since the middle ages in Germany. It is customary for young boys attending heder to bring a piece of honey cake on the first day. They are also eaten at festive occasions in Eastern Europe and it is the traditional cake of Rosh Hashanah.

This is as delicious as claimed in the book and is one of the reasons I now need to go to they gym.

Lekach
2 eggs
7 oz sugar
4 fl oz vegetable oil
90z dark liquid honey
4 fl oz strong black coffee
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp powdered cloves
grated zest of 1 orange
10oz plain flour
2 oz chopped walnuts
1.5 oz sultanas

Beat eggs with sugar till pale and creamy. Beat in oil, honey, brandy and coffee.

Mix baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and zest with the flour. Add to egg and honey mixture gradually, beating to a smooth batter.

Dust sultanas and walnuts with flour.

Line 9" sq pan with parchment paper (essential as cake is sticky). Grease and flour pan. Add batter and sprinkle on sultanas and walnuts - this helps them not fall to the bottom of the cake. They will sink in baking. Bake at 350F for 1.25 hrs

More Ruff

This is definitely the best fried chicken ever. It is from Sri Owen's Indonesian Regional Food and Cookery. It is marinaded in coconut water - not coconut milk. At home we have a coconut tree, which has lots of green coconuts. I once found young coconut at Walthamstow Carnival, no that is not a euphemism for tasty young men. Not having fresh coconuts I had to use this coconut juice, which was a pretty good substitute.



Ayam Mbok Berek
1 chicken cut into pieces
1.5 pts coconut water
5 shallots chopped
2 tsp chopped ginger
1.5 inch galangal
.25 tsp tumeric
2 bay leaves
1 tsp salt

Marinade chicken in the above for 4 hours, then simmer till tender, as below. Leave to cool then dredge in flour shake and bake style. Fry till crispy.

I served it with Pancit Bihon, which is dish from the Phillipines made with rice noodles. I added cabbage and carrots. English Patis and Kusina ni Manag blogs have lots of good recipes for this dish.