Hilbeh - Israel

(Tomato and Spice Paste/Dip)

This is a common dip used to accompany flat breads or falafel in Israel

Yield – 1 pint of Prepared Paste/Dip

Pre-preparation Method – Soaking Fenugreek Seeds

Mixing Method – Crushing in Mortar and Pestle

Ingredients

For Soaking the Fenugreek Seeds

3 tbsp Fenugreek

1 pint Water

For Making the Hilbeh Paste

.5 oz Garlic Cloves Minced

1 tsp Salt

Soaked Fenugreek from Above

3 ea Cardamom Seeds

1 tsp Caraway Seeds

1 tsp Coriander Seeds

1 tsp Crushed Red Chilies, dried

1 lb Very Ripe Tomatoes

Procedure

For Soaking the Fenugreek Seds

1. Soak the fenugreek seeds in the water over night 2. Drain the water from the soaked fenugreek seeds before using

For Making the Hilbeh Paste

1. In a mortar and using pestle, crush the garlic cloves with the salt until a paste like

consistency is achieved

2. Once the garlic has been well crushed add the fenugreek seeds, cardamom,

caraway, coriander and chilies and continue to crush in the mortar until they too

begin to crush into the paste.

3. Once all of the spices have been well crushed and blended into the paste, chop the

tomato small and add it to the mortar (if it will fit, if not transfer the mixture to

another container and do the following step inside the container) and crush the

tomato into the spice mixture.

4. At this point the paste is done, (a variation of this paste is to drizzle in some olive

oil to the mixture as the final crushing of the tomato is done for a richer flavored

dip)