olive podcast: 10 things you need to know about Tel Aviv food
This week, Oded Oren takes us through what you need to know about Tel Aviv food and cooking
Listen to Oded Oren share the 10 things you need to know about Tel Aviv food and cooking, including stories and recipes from this vibrant, culturally diverse city.
Chef and author Oded Oren shares his favourite eating experiences in his home city
Hanan Margilan
One of my favourite restaurants is Hanan Margilan. I discovered it about 10 years ago but it’s been around forever. The owners are from Bukhara, and the food is fascinating because they do simple grilled meat skewers on one hand but also have dishes like special dumplings stuffed with lamb that come in a meaty broth that’s so delicious. It’s similar to a Chinese dumpling in a soup but the flavours are different. It’s very deep and meaty but also really fresh, because they use a lot of coriander and lemon. It’s a simple, casual place. There’s a term that we don’t really use here but they are called ‘workers’ restaurants’ because they used to be a place for workers to go and have something to eat during their break – small restaurants to feed the community. But these days it’s more a trendy place to visit.
After hours
Timings are different in Tel Aviv. You can go out and eat in a restaurant at about 7pm but the restaurant will probably be empty. People start to go out to eat at 9.30pm or 10pm, and kitchens are open until around 1am. I think what’s more fascinating is the street food and night culture. If people go clubbing or just go out late in Tel Aviv, you can visit these small places that are a hole in the wall selling food in a very simple way to nightgoers. There’s one place called Jasmino that’s in a very famous street called Allenby Street – it’s open from noon and closes around 4am. And you can find yourself at midnight or 1am queuing for pittas filled with veal sweetbreads, grilled over charcoal and served really simply with some tahini and salad. There are a lot of places like that with a street food speciality or a take-off of a street food staple.
Hummus
In Tel Aviv, you don’t eat hummus after 11 in the morning – it’s eaten as a breakfast food. Jaffa is a district that’s famous for it. There’s one place there that I really, really like, and is considered one of the best – Ali Karawan/Abu Hassan. I used to go there when I was a kid and it still exists – still the same flavour and same family running it. It’s very simple but unique, nobody can copy it. And, if you go there, you’ll understand why. You get a plate of hummus served with raw onions and a couple of pittas. It’s the best hummus you’ll ever have. They only serve three types of hummus dishes. One is not actually hummus, but ful, which is slow-cooked fava beans with olive oil. The second is plain hummus with spices, and the third is msabbaha, which is like a deconstructed hummus – warm, crushed chickpeas with tahini, spices and olive oil. So, it’s a bit more rough in texture.
Oded’s top 3 effortless hacks
TOMATOES To improve the flavour of a mediocre tomato, grate it on the coarse side of a grater, then tip into a sieve and leave to drain. Mix the pulp with salt and olive oil, then serve with warm flatbreads.
SALAD To avoid soggy salad, wash and soak lettuce in ice-cold water for 5-10 minutes, then spin dry in a salad spinner – this will give you the freshest, crispest leaves that will be able to carry a dressing.
HUMMUS For the best hummus, blend cooked chickpeas in a food processor with some of the cooking liquid while they are still just warm – that way, you will get a silky smooth finish.
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