Israeli Recipes in Translation is a monthly series that brings authentic Israeli recipes—often shared only in Hebrew—into English. Each recipe is selected and translated to help bridge the gap between Israeli home kitchens and readers in the diaspora. Alongside each dish, I’ll share its cultural v, seasonal significance, or the personal story behind it. This is my way of staying connected to Israel—and inviting you to do the same, one recipe at a time.
By translating and sharing these recipes, I hope to bridge the gap—so we can all join the conversation, celebrate Israeli food culture, and bring these flavors into our own kitchens.
Each recipe will be introduced with a bit of background—what season or holiday the dish is typically eaten during, which ethnic group or groups make the dish, and sometimes, as in this case, a personal story about how the recipe came to be served at the author’s table.
Today, on Israeli Independence Day, these chubeza patties are a simple, fitting way to commemorate. Most likely, you will not be making these but reading about them is a good way to connect with the history of the holiday too.
Chubeza, the Arabic word for what is called in proper Hebrew chalmit and in English, ‘mallow’, has a kind of “celebrity” status in Israel– and like many famous things in this country, it earned its fame for something related to war. During the siege of Jerusalem during the War of Independence, a complete siege on the city that lasted for three months, hubeza was almost the only vegetable available to the city’s residents, and proved a life-saving part of their limited diet.
Since then the story of its importance is widely known in Israel. There is even an organic vegetable distributor that chose hubeza as its name, and on their website they relate the following story:
“In 1948, in besieged Jerusalem, the residents picked chubeza and ate the leaves and fruit and made chubeza cutlets.”The Voice of the Defender”radio station used to broadcast recipes, cooking guides, and food shows. These broadcasts were picked up in Jordan, and Radio Amman announced “The Jews are eating mallow, a food for donkeys and animals–a sure sign that Jerusalem is about to fall into our hands as the Jews are dying of starvation.”
Thank God, the siege was broken, Jerusalem did not fall, and years later Israeli still remember and honor this “weed” that was a life-saving source of nourishment for Jerusalem’s residents in the earliest days of the state.
However, hubeza is not only a plant to use in desperate times–it has great nutritional value, and it is quite delicious. Today, in a time when food prices are so high, it is quite fun to go outside and find something so healthy for free!
Research taught me that mallow grows wild both in Europe and in the US, so perhaps you can find it growing wild near you as well!
The recipe below comes from the website “In My Kitchen”, but first I bring a translation of an introduction to a menu that appeared in an Israeli newspaper for Israel Independence Day many years ago. (The introduction I found did not include the actual recipe.)
A translation of the above introduction:
“A Recommended Menu for Israel Independence Day
As the festive family meal for Israel Independence Day approaches, the Nutrition Department of the Education Ministry suggests two menus that recall different events of the War of Independence, the state’s establishment, and the ingathering of the exiles (to the new state)...
The first course- consisting of chalamit (hubeza) to recall the siege on Jerusalem. This wild plant, that grows in every courtyard and garden in Jerusalem, served as the almost only available green for the city’s residents during the siege of Jerusalem. It is possible to find chalamit/hubeza in different forms, for example: in the form of a fried patty served in tomato sauce, or as a salad with tehina, or in any possible way you might prepare spinach. “
Ingredients:
Half a kilo chubeza leaves, stems removed
1 egg
4 Tablespoons whole spelt flour
2 Tablespoons yogurt
¼ cup grated Parmesan
2 pinches pepper
2 pinches salt
2 pinches cumin
Instructions:
Heat a pot of water until boiling and add the leaves for about 3-4 minutes.
Transfer the leaves to a bowl of cold water and after a minute, gently squeeze out the liquid with your hands.
Finely chop the leaves with a knife, then transfer to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Heat a frying pan with a little olive oil, form balls from the batter with your hands and flatten slightly before frying.
Sear until browned on both sides and remove to absorbent paper.
** It is recommended to squeeze a little lemon over the top when serving.
** Chubeza season lasts from December – April, take advantage of it ☺
Each recipe tells a story, connecting us to moments in time and the experiences of those who came before us. This one connects us to Israeli independence day!
