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My husband and I are often invited to share  Shabbos and Yom Tov meals with a particular family in the Old City who are bastions of hachnasas orchim, hosting guests. Their Shabbos table usually overflows with visitors. Often their guests have never seen a Shabbos table, while another may have raised an observant family based on one life-altering encounter with our host decades ago. I don’t even ask what I can bring to the meal anymore, I know a couple of simple side dishes are more appreciated by these excellent cooks than an exquisite bottle of wine. Even with the addition of a new kosher cookbook to the scores on our shelves why is it that we’re so often stumped for a side dish? Just how many variations can we devise for rice, and how often is too often to serve potatoes? It’s always a challenge to find a winning vegetable recipe. (So try these!)
Cooking for Complements
While the main course defines the meal, the accompaniments make the meal a satisfying one. These side dishes are often referred to as the complements. We want the flavors of each dish we choose to bring out the best in the other foods we prepare. The colors, seasonings, textures and style of ingredients work together to complement- and complete- a well-rounded meal. To complement means to provide a component that is lacking or needed in the whole. Not only is this concept important when planning our meals, it is crucial when building relationships. Every Jew is lacking something that another has. Therefore, every Jew is connected-one to another-a necessary complement to the complete whole of the Jewish people.
Shalom means Complete
The word for “complete” in loshen hakodesh is shalem. The word Shalom is derived from the same root. While peace is usually seen as the absence of discord, true peace occurs when entities of different natures unite to complete the other. This is the way of Israel. In the desert, each tribe with its unique traits camped and traveled under its identifying flag and held a specific place in relation to the Mishkan. About this arrangement, Hashem says, “I will dwell within them.” Rather than the differences among the tribes causing divisiveness, these differences created a whole, one complete entity, a dwelling for place for Shalom-which is one of the names of G-d. When we greet one another by saying, “Shalom,” we are really saying, "You complete me," and, "I am here to add something to your life."
Choosing Recipes and Your Thoughts
A Jewish woman has the opportunity to build her Torah home and strengthen her family in all of her tasks. When choosing recipes and selecting ingredients, chopping, cooking and serving, we can try to appreciate the various shapes and colors, textures and tastes as each of the dishes we prepare comes together to create a complete meal.Thinking like this is practice, so-to-speak, that helps us to identify the integral contribution each neshama in our home makes. Our lack spotlights another’s strengths, our skills overcome their weakness. We anticipate our spouse’s needs, we extend help to a friend in a trying time, we smile and give genuine praise to a child. We try to think of ways each child brings out the best in us. It helps us to appreciate the unique qualities of every person Hashem places in our lives; those in our family and those He brings to our table as guests to eat the healthy, beautiful food He provides. This awareness is the final complement that makes any meal fit for a King. 
 Think of how the different qualities of each of the neshamos in your family complement one another. May this be a home of shalom, a home in which Hashem can dwell.
See more of The Side Dish Recipes from Cooking for The King
Cooking for The King: The book of Torah insights, recipes and practical tips designed to bring majesty to the mundane.
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