4,415
edits
Changes
In theory the Passover restriction only applies to products made from varieties of wheat and barley, the cereals that were grown in ancient Israel. But there are other things you can grind into flour and then confuse such flour with one of the prohibited kinds. So, just in case, during Passover it's also forbidden to consume anything made from other cereals (oats, rye, millet, rice, maize), pseudocereals (buckwheat, quinoa), legumes (peas, chickpeas, lentils, beans, soy) and certain oily plants (sunflower, sesame, rapeseed and even peanuts).
But then, what can you eat? Well, you can eat have matzah – crunchy flatbreads made of nothing but flour and water. Note that matzah must be kneaded and baked within 18 minutes lest the dough start fermenting. But how can you celebrate a holiday without cakes, dumplings and other farinaceous treats? How can you rejoice, if the only allowed baked good is a pale flat cracker of no particular flavour? You just can't! But don't worry, there is way. Most Jews (although there are exceptions) believe that once baked, matzah is unable to ferment anymore even if it comes in contact with water. And this means you can grind your matzah into matzah meal, which is a perfectly good substitute for regular flour. One particularly popular Passover dish is chicken soup with matzah balls, which are made from a mixture of matzah meal, water, schmaltz (poultry fat) and beaten eggs. Matzah meal is also used to prepare a variety of porridges, fillings and cakes. In modern times, many Jews use matzah meal for cooking and baking not only during Passover, but all year round, which must be chalked up as a great marketing success for matzah producers.
[[File:Koszerne na Paschę EN.png|400px|left|Kosher for Passover]]