1 cup plain yogurt
1 large English cucumber
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
2 tablespoons fresh dill

1. Cut unpeeled cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds.
2. Mix yogurt with garlic, lemon juice, oil and dill. Add half a teaspoon sugar if necessary.
3. Mix all ingredients together, coating the cucumber.
4. Refrigerate and serve cold.

Makes 4 servings

19 ounces canned chickpeas, drained
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 medium onion, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
salt and pepper

1. Heat oil in skillet and cook onions until translucent.
2. Add garlic and chick peas and stir until mixed.
3. Stir in peanut butter and seasoning until coated.

Makes 4 servings

1 large eggplant
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1. Bake whole eggplant in 400 degree oven until tender.
2. Remove eggplant from oven, halve and scoop out flesh.
3. Blend eggplant and lemon juice in a food processor until smooth.
4. Combine the rest of the ingredients to mixture.
5. Let cool before serving. Drizzle with olive oil.

Makes 4 servings

Munich (the movie) opens tonight and I've wanted to see it for some time. The '72 Olympics and the tragedy that occurred happened before I was born and was far less publicized than, say, World War II, so I know little about it. What I do know is that the Israelis were involved and they've conjured up some mighty fine cuisine in their time.

So I looked up classic Israeli meals and found an overview of the classic Shabbat Friday Night Dinner. It being Friday night, I thought this would be perfect. It turns out to be quite the ordeal. Challah, then fish, then soup, then chicken, then kugel, then vegetables and finally dessert.

By the time I consult the internet to determine what challah and kugel are, (a bread in need of a massage and a rich noodle dish, respectively) I'm already pressed for time to determine what we're actually going to eat for dinner before the movie starts.

One of the specifications on the Shabbat page was to make the meal yours and prepare your favorite foods. Well, I love falafel. I could make a meal out of falafel alone. However, I am not particularly good at planning ahead to make it. Canned chick peas have always resulted in an enormous mess and you have to soak the dried ones for such a long time before they're even remotely usable.

So instead we had simplified versions of everything. Falafel Flavored Chickpeas, a Tzatziki Flavored Cucumber Salad and Baba Ganoush. Ok, there were no corners cut on the baba ganoush (it's as easy to make as an eggplant salad or something would be), but I did buy my pita bread from the supermarket.

I hardly think that anything is lost by failing to puree these dishes. I actually think it's easier to eat a bowl of falafel flavored chick peas than it would be to eat an equivilent bowl of falafels. They're not as dry, but just as tasty. They do have a tendency to roll out of your pita, though. The tzatziki salad's residual dressing could be used as tzatziki itself, which is really good on top of everything from potatoes to lamb to another salad.