Shayndel's Jacob's Red Stew--Parsha Toldot

From Abraham and Sarah, to Isaac and Rebecca, embroidered on the Challah cover cloth, this week in the Torah we read parsha Toldot, the story of the generations of Isaac.

Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the open, famished.  And Esau said to Jacob, "Give me some of that red stuff to gulp down, for I am famished"--which is why he was named Edom.  Jacob said, "First sell me your birthright."                   ---Genesis 25:29~31

This past week in the Torah we read parsha Toldot.  The story of the generations of Isaac.

If you come by my house for Shabbat on erev Shabbat for this parsha, you can try some of Shayndel's Jacob's red stew!!

I can't help it, I just have to make a red stew on this day!!

As you know in this parsha Rebecca finds out that she will have twins, two nations, who are struggling with each other in her womb.  There is the  story in the parsha of Jacob and Esau and the birthright and the blessing and  two meals --- Lentil soup for the birthright; fresh Game stew for the blessing  --- Gen. 25:27~34, and Gen. 27.   Two hearty meals through which the Torah reveals how the course of the generations was destined.
 There is a lot to digest in this parsha,  with the deceptions involved, what it must have been for Rebecca for giving birth to twins who would come to be two opposing nations.  How we can understand it is always difficult each time we read it, but also in the Torah the things that are written are there tell us things that we don't always understand.  But it gives us a place from which to seek God's heart in everything,  and surely each reading can teach us things and help in our prayers for reconciliation and seeking Shalom in the world. 

So I won't  talk a lot, but will rather will share an original recipe inspired by the parsha.

Please  have some , try making it, share any thoughts what the parsha speaks to you, or  how you like the stew.

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For today I will share with you how to make a stew that will bring on blessing, as its taste is really quite heavenly, in an earthy kind of way!

To make Shayndel's Jacob's Red Stew
You will need:
1.  Red Lentil Curly Pasta, or if you cannot find it near you, look for any pasta or legume that is made from red lentils.

2. Other Ingredients:
Beef for stew
Vegetables
      Note: you can adapt by using the vegetables local to your area and in season, as this stew should bring about the tastes of freshly brought in ingredients, as Isaac sent out Esau to gather the game for the stew! Isaac has a good tongue to know what he likes, so when making this, bring home the ingredients that are fresh to where you live!
We used these local / Japan grown vegetables in season.  Cut them in appropriate stew sized pieces:

Pumpkin
Mushrooms
Spinach
Ginger

Olive oil
Can tomatoes
Sake or red wine
 Salt and pepper, spices

3. Boullion or soup stock of your choice

4. Also include any spices you like , rosemary , thyme, and again if any from your garden or local that is even better!

How to make:

1.  Cut ginger into small sliced pieces and sautee in olive oil.  Add beef chunks and sautee until brown on all sides.
2.  Add soup stock to cover and with enough liquid to accommodate vegetables and pasta.  You might need to add more soup stock as you add the other ingredients.
3.  Add sake or red wine and canned tomatoes (and or fresh tomatoes if you prefer!)
4.  Once it all boils, lower heat to medium to simmer
5.  Add salt, pepper and spices
6.  Add vegetables by stages, the longer cooking ones first.  Spinach and green leaves can wait to go in at the very end.

7. Here you will have to time with the pasta cooking instructions.  When you sense that everything should be at the right softness and perfectly cooked  in 5 to 7 minutes, add the pasta.  You don't want the pasta to cook too long, but has to be long enough to be the perfect consistency.  Also you want to make sure the vegetables and meat will be cooked just right in timing with the pasta!! Alternatively, you could cook the pasta separately and add at the last minute, but I recommend the precision timing method, as it cooks together more like a stew.

8.  Put on the finishing touches on the table.
Gather to light the candles.   Recite the Kiddush and Sabbath prayers.

9.  Serve and enjoy with a beautiful and fragrant Challah!!

10.  Be blessed!!

Note  This week I used Dassie's recipe for the Challah from HIS ISRAEL.
Thank you His Israel for THIS POST and video about CHALLAH and for sharing your recipe!!

 Note on the red lentil pasta (pictured above and a main ingredient in the recipe):  There is background story HERE if you would like to read it , from last year, the surprise of finding this pasta in our local shopping mall.  I had been looking everywhere for red lentils, to make a red stew, but to no avail.  So it definitely seemed to have put there by the heavenly hosts for this Parsha.!!  It made me to think that on Shabbat Toldot, everyone in heaven is around a table eating the red lentil stew with curly red lentil pasta.  All parties reconciled and rejoicing in the knowing that everything was planned for a purpose and will turn out for the good. 

I have observed the business that God gave man to be concerned with: He brings everything to pass precisely at its time; He also puts eternity in their mind, but without man ever guessing, from first to last, all the things that God brings to pass.

Ecclesiastes 3:10~11

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