This recipe is part of Asif’s Open Kitchen Project where cooks who were evacuated during the war are invited to a home in Tel Aviv to cook a dish that they miss from their own home. Would you like to participate in the project? Register here.
Yasmin Avrahami Skorik’s parents immigrated from Iran, and after their divorce when she was a teenager, she moved in with her father — a skilled cook. “He had a natural talent and he used to cook up incredible dishes,” she says. “He was one of those people who didn’t follow recipes, but had an innate ability to create delicious and flavorful food.” His beet ash, a Persian soup, holds a special place in Yasmin’s heart, and she continues to make it every winter “When I prepare it, I find myself devouring the entire pot. It’s a soup my father used to whip up whenever I had a winter craving — a hearty stew thickened by the rice and meatballs in it.”
Yasmin was evacuated from her home in Sderot on October 7 and has been staying at the Metropolitan Hotel in Tel Aviv with her husband and two daughters since. Mika Madar, a 29-year-old graphic designer who lives in Tel Aviv, welcomed Yasmin to her kitchen for the Open Kitchen Project.
“It’s fun to cook again,” says Yasmin on the day. “I was so excited to come, I miss cooking my own food — I haven’t in over three months.” Her daughters, who eat very little of the meals provided by the hotel, miss her cooking as well, dishes like her meatballs, roasted chicken, and spicy fish.
In Mika’s kitchen, Yasmin comes across a box of recipes from Mika’s grandmother and encourages her host to preserve the recipes. Reflecting on her experience, Yasmin shares: “You remind me of a recurring dream I’ve had ever since my father passed away. I cry and say, ‘Dad, jot down your recipes’; but, of course, I wake up without them. He passed away 3 years ago and since then, I rarely cook Persian food, except for this soup and gondi. The reason is that I used to ask him for guidance while I was cooking. After he passed away, it took me a long time to even get back into the kitchen because I couldn’t call and ask him questions.”
While preparing the meatballs, Yasmin explains that she mildly seasons them so they absorb most of the flavor of the soup. Mika, who is more of a baker, offers to help make the meatballs, quickly mastering the task. After an hour and a half or so, the steaming soup is ready and they sit down for a bowl. The two plan to meet again, this time with Mika teaching Yasmin how to bake.
4 large beets, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes
⅓ cup vegetable oil
1 large bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1 bunch chard, leaves and stems, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
6 tablespoons tamarind or pomegranate concentrate
2 cups short-grain rice
For the meatballs:
2 large onions, grated and excess liquid squeezed out
1 kg (2.2lb) ground beef
1 small bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped
½ cup (60 grams) breadcrumbs
1½ tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon ground cumin
½ cup club soda
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Make the base of the soup: Place the beets in a large, wide pot, add enough water to cover them by approximately 2-3 cm (1 inch) and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low heat, cover, and gently simmer until the beets are semi-cooked and begin to soften, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the meatballs: Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Using your hands, shape the mixture into compact ping pong-sized balls.
- Add the oil, chopped greens, salt, black pepper, turmeric and tamarind to the soup and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning (the soup should be on the tart side).
- Add the rice and bring the soup to a boil over the highest heat. Carefully slide in the meatballs — only cook as many as can fit in the pot without overlapping with each other. (The remaining meatballs can be baked in an oven preheated to 180C (350F) for about 30 minutes and enjoyed as a snack or appetizer).
- Add enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. The soup will thicken, reaching a texture that falls between a soup and a stew. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste. Serve hot.
