The literal translation of the word kosher is 'fit'. Kosher is primarily used in reference to food that has been prepared and eaten according to 'kashrut' or Jewish dietary laws.
The basic rules to follow are:
* Land animals must have split hooves and chew their cud.
* Fish have to have scales and fins.
* Birds cannot be amongst those listed as forbidden in the Torah and cannot be hunters/scavengers
* Animals must be killed in a specific manner and must be free of all disease
* Any meat or poultry has to be certified kosher.
* Fish has to be from a kosher species, skin on. If the packaging the fish is in has kosher certification, it doesn't have to have the skin.
* Meat and dairy cannot be combined in any way, poultry qualifies as meat in this case. Even products that contain dairy byproducts (whey, etc) cannot be combined with meat.
* Fish and meat cannot be served on the same dish or at the same time.
* In North America, milk is considered acceptable by most groups. Some groups do require kosher certification for milk. Almost all require kosher certification for dairy products (cheese, etc). There is a higher level of certification for dairy products called Cholov Yisroel.
* Any processed ingredient must have kosher certification.
* Some groups do not eat certain vegetables because it's too difficult to clean them of all bugs and dirt (broccoli, cauliflower, romaine lettuce, asparagus, etc).
* Some groups require that a Jew is involved in the food preparation process of cooked food in some way, even turning on the stove/oven qualifies.
It is kosher so long as it is certified kosher.
Fox meat is not kosher. See:More about what is and isn't kosher
It needs to be cooked in a kosher vessel and have kosher ingredients. If purchased, it (or the bakery) should have kosher-certification.
Yes and no. There are many recipes that can be made kosher with kosher substitutes.
Delicatessen places serve kosher food. And if you are talking about 'deli' food, it is usually kosher. _______ Delis are only kosher if they're kosher certified. Most delis aren't kosher.
Yes! You don't need a kosher cookbook. Just remove the non-kosher ingredients.
They can eat a kosher diet, and be slaughtered the kosher way.
It would be kosher if it came from a kosher animal.
It can be if it's made with kosher ingredients in a kosher kitchen.
Fish and chips can be kosher so long as the fish used is a kosher species and the food is prepared in a kosher kitchen with all kosher ingredients.
No. Turtles are not kosher.
Alligator can be kosher