Korean pear charoset paired up with some matzah, romaine lettuce and horseradish spiked with beet juice, for the perfect Hillel Sandwich. (Tammy Quackenbush photo)
Last year, I posted a recipe for charoset that was decided non-Korean. This year, I decided to rectify that by making a Korean-style charoset for you. I took my new charoset recipe to our annual Passover seder and it was a big hit.
As I said last Passover,
The traditional Ashkenazi Charoset features apples, raisins, cinnamon and walnuts. I can’t put my finger on the reason that this version of Charoset sets my teeth on edge, but I don’t find it remotely appealing. …I don’t like raisins at all. No amount of cinnamon, sugar or walnuts can change that. I call them “shriveled up, dead fruit.” I’m also not a big fan of apples, at least as the main actor, either.
I still dabble in apples, only in extreme moderation (usually drenched in peanut butter), so this charoset does not use apples. Instead, the Korean pear holds center stage.
Ingredients
- 1-2 Korean Pears, peeled, cored, and finely diced
- 1 1/2 cups Walnut halves, pre-soaked and dehydrated and coarsely chopped
- 2 Tbsp Honey
- 2 Tbsp [amazon_link id="B003MNX6Z8" target="_blank" ]Yuja[/amazon_link] or Lemon Juice
- 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon or Chinese Five Spice Powder
- 1 tbsp packed Brown Sugar
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl well and allow them to mingle for a few hours (or a day) before serving.