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About
The exotic, kosher cuisine of the Cochinis is part of an important story about a microscopic community of Jews that had a joyful existence in a remote corner of India called the Kingdom of Cochin for two millennia. Living on the lush, rain-swept Malabar coast, they flourished without discrimination of any kind, in proximity with their Hindu, Christian and Muslim neighbours, mutually dependent on each other and transferring cooking styles and ideas throughout the centuries. What stood out, however, was the strict adherence to the dietary laws of the Bible. With coconut and rice, jaggery and cane sugar and an abundance of fruits like mango, jack fruit, banana and guava, it was festive season throughout the year. They made and enjoyed jewel-like confections ranging from the 'motta salada', a unique and ultra-sweet egg yolk string delicacy, to golden-brown rice dumplings called 'neyyappams' along with a rich array of nut brittles, puddings, stuffed crepes, cakes and other sweets they describe as 'sublime'. The Cochinis, most of whom who made 'aliyah' and settled in Israel in the 1950s continue to make and enjoy these dishes today. Retired Gynaecologist. Born in the erstwhile Kingdom of Cochin in Kerala; was Specialist Associate Professor at Calicut Medical College, when she volunteered for duty in Israel during the Yom Kippur War, serving at Telashomer Hospital in Ramat Gan; Later became Deputy Head of Department at Barzilai Medical Centre in Ashkelon, where she now lives. Twice honoured for meritorious service, Dr. Sassoon now devotes her time to her hobbies - cooking, sports and folk dancing.