Simmering Legacy: Azura, Soul of the Iraqi Market

And the meatball recipe my teenager actually requests

Shalom from Israel,

Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda market is less of an actual market these days, as its produce and provisions vendors are slowly but surely disappearing from the landscape. Without pomp or ceremonies, the lifelong vegetable and fruit hawkers retire, and their bastas (stalls) get snatched up quickly by young entrepreneurs trying to make a quick shekel by jumping on the latest food trend (or an old food trend that just took awhile to get here). And as the main arteries of Mahane Yehuda fill up with street food, cafes, bars, and stores selling overpriced dried fruit tea, the Iraqi Market somehow resists change.

The Iraqi Market is situated in the covered section of Mahane Yehuda, between Jaffa Street and Mahane Yehuda Street. It’s made up of narrow alleyways, arched ceilings, and small stalls that open and close with green, old, metal shutters.

It’s an unassuming place where the chaos of the shuk slows down and where you can experience a complete and remarkably distinct vibe shift. Here, the produce, sold by both Arab and Jews, is less expensive and more authentic including seasonal rarities such as cardoon, mallow leaves, and garden cress.

These days, most people visiting the Iraqi market keep their eyes forward, headed with determination to one of Mahane Yehuda’s most popular destinations, Azura Restaurant, where pots have been simmering over kerosene burners for over seven decades.

From Turkey to Jerusalem: A Story of Survival

The Azura story begins, like many Jewish stories, with displacement. In 1948, after the assassination of Swedish diplomat Folke Bernadotte by the Lehi (also known as the Stern Gang), riots erupted across the Arab world. When the violence reached Diyarbakir in Eastern Turkey, the Scherpler family was forced to flee their home. Among them was 13-year-old Ezra, the eldest son, already known to everyone as "Azura."

Landing in Jerusalem, young Azura found work washing dishes at "Chezki the Syrian's" worker’s restaurant in Mahane Yehuda market. But this teenager wasn't content just cleaning plates – his eyes were constantly fixed on the chef, absorbing every technique, every pinch of spice, every move that transformed simple ingredients into something magnificent.

By 1954, Azura had worked his way up to cooking at a restaurant opened by Rachmo, a former taxi driver seeking a new career. When Rachmo's success meant Azura's skills were no longer needed, he made the bold move to open his first restaurant in the Mamilla neighborhood, just outside the Old City walls.

The Return to the Shuk

It wasn't until 1977 that Azura returned to Mahane Yehuda, opening a tiny space with his wife, Rachel. The setup was humble: pots simmering on petiliyot (small kerosene heaters), but the food was extraordinary enough to draw lines that made neighboring shopkeepers green with envy.

Azura eventually moved with his sons to the Iraqi Market section of Mahane Yehuda, establishing the bigger, better version of Azura that continues to this day. While the prices and food once catered to the working class of the market, these days the clientele has changed. Visitors are no longer working class, but rather tourists from Israel and abroad, and the prices reflect that.

For more than six decades, Azura Scherpler worked tirelessly over his simmering pots, cigarette perpetually dangling from his lips, turning every part of the animal into something delicious long before "nose-to-tail" cooking even became a thing. These days, following Azura's passing in December 2022 at age 85, his sons carry on his legacy and it's a family mission to preserve their father's legacy and the flavors he perfected.

A Legacy of Slow-Cooked Perfection

The menu reflects Azura's heritage with Kurdish, Turkish, and Iraqi influences. Don't miss their exceptional and spicy braised oxtail, the sublime sofrito (a beef and potato dish that melts in your mouth) and the Azura, an eggplant stuffed with spiced ground beef, topped with pine nuts in a cinnamon flavored tomato sauce. For the more adventurous, try the eggplant and lung stew.

Throughout the years, Azura has become a pilgrimage site for many Jerusalemites who find the tastes of their childhood here. The late Israeli poet Yossi Banai, who often visited the restaurant, wrote: "At Azura's restaurant, in the small market behind the big market, I saw in the kitchen, inside pots on kerosene burners, many longings seeking a bit of warmth on low flame; and all the scents of potatoes, rice, and spinach patties that entered my nostrils, brought me back for a moment to my mother, from whom I come, and to whom I never stop going."

It's a repository of memories, a time capsule of flavors, a bridge between generations.

If you find yourself in Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda market, follow the scent of simmering stews (and maybe a little kerosene) to the Iraqi Market. Look for the line. Or just follow this link to Google maps. Here, you'll find a piece of Jerusalem's soul, simmering gently on small kerosene burners, waiting to wrap you in its warmth.

As we transition from winter to spring here in Israel, the weather plays a fickle game for about a month - cold one day, hot the next - until it finally settles on hot and then turns up the temperature even more.

As an homage to the last days of winter, I offer you a hearty dish inspired by Azura. It's earned the distinguished honor of being my oldest daughter's favorite meal, which means I can actually announce, "meatballs with potatoes and peas" and someone will leave her room, shed the teenage indifference, and show up at the table with genuine excitement.

Until next time,

Harry

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Azura-Inspired Meatballs in Rich Tomato Sauce

A comforting winter dish inspired by Jerusalem's famous Mahane Yehuda Market restaurant.

Ingredients

For the tomato sauce:

• 2 Tbsp neutral oil

• 1 large onion, diced

• 100 g (about ⅓ cup) tomato paste

• 1 Tbsp sweet paprika (or 1 Tbsp regular paprika mixed with 1 tsp olive oil)

• 1½ tsp cumin

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 2 cups boiling water

• 1 Tbsp sugar

• 1 cup frozen peas

• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

For the meatballs:

• 1 lb ground beef or lamb (or a mix)

• 1 medium onion, finely diced

• 1 cup shredded carrots

• 1 medium potato, grated

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

• ½ cup breadcrumbs

• 1 large egg

• 2 tsp baharat (recipe below)

• ½ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp black pepper

For the baharat spice blend:

• 2 Tbsp ground black pepper

• 2 Tbsp ground cumin

• 1 Tbsp ground coriander

• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground allspice

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp ground cardamom

• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

• ½ tsp ground cloves

For serving:

• Cooked white rice

Instructions

1. If making homemade baharat: Combine all spices in a small bowl and mix well. Store in an airtight container.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. To make the sauce: Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.

4. Add tomato paste, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper to the pot. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

5. Pour in the boiling water, crushed tomatoes, and sugar, stirring to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground meat, onion, carrots, grated potato, garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, egg, baharat, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands.

7. Form mixture into about 32 equal-sized meatballs (about 1½ inches in diameter) and place on the prepared baking sheet.

8. Roast meatballs for 15 minutes, until browned on the outside but not fully cooked through. Turn over halfway through baking.

9. While meatballs are baking, add the cubed potatoes to the simmering sauce and cook for about 15 minutes until they begin to soften.

10. Transfer the meatballs to the simmering sauce with the partially cooked potatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes.

11. Add frozen peas. Cook for an additional 5 minutes until peas are tender, potatoes are fully cooked, and meatballs are cooked through.

12. Serve hot over white rice.

Notes

• The sauce will thicken naturally from the potatoes - if it becomes too thick, add a little hot water to reach desired consistency.

• No need to thaw the frozen peas before adding them to the sauce.

• The baharat recipe makes about ½ cup. Store extra in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

• Store-bought baharat can be found at Middle Eastern markets or specialty spice shops.

• This dish can be made ahead and reheated gently on the stovetop.

• If you can't find paprika in oil, regular paprika mixed with a little olive oil works well as a substitute.

Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: Serves 6-8

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