Kra, the Aramaic name for “gourd” or “snake squash,” can be translated as “to tear,” as in “tear up any evil decrees” (kra roa gzar dineinu). Kra can also be translated as “to read or to proclaim,” as in “Let our good deeds be read or proclaimed” (Veyikriu lefanecha zechuyoteinu). May it be Your will . . . that the evil of our verdicts be ripped, and that our merits be announced before You.
Like karti (leek) and silka (beet green), kra is customarily grated into patties or latkes. 1 medium-size gourd or snake squash 1 small onion 3 large eggs ¼ cup matzo meal Salt and black pepper to taste Vegetable oil for frying Peel gourd or snake squash, cut lengthwise in half, and remove seeds, then cut in chunks. Cut onion in chunks. Place all chunks in food processor along with eggs, matzo meal, and salt and pepper. Process, using blade attachment, until the ingredients just about bind together — you should still see vegetable pieces — a bit lumpy, not a puree. Heat oil in a skillet over a medium-high flame. With wet hands, form gourd mixture into thin pancakes about the size of a silver dollar. Fry pancakes, in batches without crowding, until golden brown, approximately 2 minutes per side. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve immediately. Does not freeze well.
Ungar, Carol. Jewish Soul Food: Traditional Fare and What It Means (Kindle Locations 890-893). Brandeis. Kindle Edition.
Ungar, Carol. Jewish Soul Food: Traditional Fare and What It Means (Kindle Locations 884-890). Brandeis. Kindle Edition.
Ungar, Carol. Jewish Soul Food: Traditional Fare and What It Means (Kindle Locations 880-884). Brandeis. Kindle Edition.