Recipe: Korean Charoset

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 Haroset features apples, raisins, cinnamon and walnuts. I can't put my finger on the reason that this version of Haroset 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 slathered in peanut butter), so this charoset does not use apples. Instead, the Korean pear holds center stage.

Korean Pear Charoset

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 yuja or lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon or Chinese five spice powder
1 tbsps packed brown sugar

Directions

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl well and allow them to mingle for a few hours (or a day) before serving.

Charoset