Another Side Of Traditional Jewish Fare

There's more to Jewish cuisine than kugels, bagels and briskets, which most Americans think of as Jewish soul food.

Dishes such as these - hearty, stick-to-the-ribs foods - were brought to our shores by the Jews of Central and Eastern Europe during the great immigrations of the late 1800s and early 1900s. These were the Ashkenazic Jews and their recipes are what we think of as Jewish food.

But there's a lesser-known side of Jewish cooking. Exotic, colorful and spicy, with an emphasis on fresh produce, grains and low fat, it fits in perfectly with the contemporary recommendations of nutritionists. Tangerine chicken, white bean salad, roasted peppers or a soothing mint tea - they all represent Sephardic Jewish cooking. The Sephardic Jews have been cooking this way for hundreds of years.

The ancestors of Sephardic Jews fled Spain in the 15th century during the Inquisition. Most resettled in the warmer climates of North Africa and Turkey, where they created a cuisine suitable to their new environment. Although their cuisine differs from the more familiar dishes of the Ashkenazim, all Jews share one common ancestor: the ancient Hebrews. They worship the same God and observe the same dietary laws.

Andree Broudo, 50, is one of about 5,000 Sephardic Jews in Philadelphia. Warm and vibrant, she speaks English with just a slight French accent. Listening to her chat in her sunny living room in the Northeast, one might guess that she has lived most of her life in chic Parisian society.

Not so. Broudo was raised in Cairo, Egypt, and was educated at a French school there. Her family was part of the 150,000-strong Sephardic Jewish community before the expulsion of Jews from Egypt in 1956. "We went back about five years ago," she said, "and there were less than 60 - all old people."

The Jewish festival of Rosh Hashana begins Friday evening, but the well- organized Broudo has been preparing for weeks. Her grandmother's recipes for the traditional New Year's menu are already cooked, wrapped and frozen. Everything is ready, except for a salad. Cooking ahead is especially important this year, when the first day of Rosh Hashana falls on the Sabbath, the traditional day of rest.