Shkedei marak — Palestine

Shkedei marak are small, crisp squares of dough, pale yellow in color, used as a crunchy garnish dropped into soup at the table just before eating. Despite a name that translates as “soup almonds,” the recipe contains no almonds at all; the name refers only to the small, rounded shape of the pieces. This preparation is common in home kitchens and shops in Palestine and across the wider region, where it is also known as mandlakh in Yiddish, and called simply soup mandels or soup nuts in English. It is treated as a pantry staple rather than a dish on its own, kept on hand to finish a bowl of soup. To prepare it, a simple dough of flour, oil, water, and a little salt is mixed until smooth and slightly elastic, then rolled out thin and cut into small squares or short strips. These pieces are fried in hot oil, or baked in a hot oven, until crisp and lightly golden, then left to cool completely before being stored in an airtight container. Because the dough contains no dairy or meat, the pieces can be dropped into either milk-based or meat-based soups without restriction, which is part of why the garnish is so widely kept in the cupboard. Cooks vary the color with a pinch of turmeric, and choose baking over frying for a lighter, less oily texture.