Charoset
| Alternative names | duqqa, dukah, dukeh |
|---|---|
| Course | Sweet relish |
| Place of origin | Land of Israel |
| Region or state | Jewish Diaspora, Ashkenaz, Sepharad, Israel |
| Main ingredients | Apples, pears, raisins, figs, orange juice, red wine, pine nuts and cinnamon |
| Variations | Dates, walnuts, sesame, wine vinegar, cinnamon, black pepper, marjoram |
Charoset is a sweet, dark-colored mixture of finely chopped fruits and nuts eaten at the Passover Seder. According to the Talmud, its color and texture are meant to recall mortar (or mud used to make adobe bricks), which the Israelites used during their enslavement in Ancient Egypt, as mentioned in Tractate Pesahim 116a of the Talmud. The word comes from the Hebrew word for clay (Hebrew: חֶרֶס, romanized: ḥéres).
Charoset is one of the symbolic foods on the Passover Seder plate. After reciting the blessings, and eating first maror dipped in charoset and then a matzah "Hillel sandwich" (with two matzot) combining charoset and maror, people often eat the remainder spread on matzah.