Freekeh

Freekeh (sometimes spelled farik) is wheat that’s harvested while young and green. It’s roasted while the grains are yellow and the seeds are still soft.  The piles are then carefully set on fire so only the straw and chaff burn and not the seeds. Under these conditions, the high moisture content of the seeds prevents them from burning. The grain on the inside is too young and moist to burn, so what you’re left with is a firm, slightly chewy grain with a distinct flavor that’s earthy, nutty, and slightly smoky. This threshing or rubbing process of the grains gives this food its name, farik or “rubbed”. Finally, the seeds are now cracked into smaller pieces so they look like green bulgur.

It is an ancient Arabian dish that is popular in Arabia and North Africa.

In Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine freekeh usually is prepared with lamb, onion, butter, almonds, black pepper, cinnamon, cumin, and salt.

In Egypt, freekeh is served as pigeon stuffed with green wheat. Also as a soup with onion and tomato, and sometimes, with chicken.

In Tunisia and Algeria, freekeh is usually prepared as a main ingredient in a tomato-based soup called “chorba’t frik”, which is considered a traditional national dish.

In Turkey, where this food is known as firik, it is combined with bulgur; legumes such as chickpeas and various herbs and spices, and sometimes meat, may be added

Freekeh is low in fat and high in protein and fiber. This power-packed grain is high in iron, calcium, and zinc, and acts like a prebiotic, promoting the growth of good bacteria in your digestive system.

Freekeh has several nutritional attributes that are comparable to other cereal foods. It has at least four times as much fiber as some other comparable grains, consisting mostly of insoluble fiber. It also has a low glycemic index so is suitable for managing diabetes.

 

Ingredients:

1/ 2 cups freekeh

2- 1 medium free range chicken (about 1.5 kg)

3- ½ brown onion, quartered

4- 3 cinnamon sticks

5- 4 bay leaves

6- 6 cardamom pods

7- salt

8- 2 tbsp clarified butter (ghee) or olive oil

9- 1 red onion, finely chopped

10- 300 g minced lamb or beef (optional)

11- 1 tsp baharat

12- butter

13- ½ cup almonds

14- ½ cup pine nuts

15- 1 tsp  ground cinnamon

 

Preparation:

1. Wash the freekeh and remove any burnt grains or stones.

2. Put the chicken in a pot and cover with water. Add the brown onion, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, cardamom and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Simmer for 30 minutes or until cooked through.

3. Remove the chicken from the pot (leaving a light stock) and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the skin and break the meat into large pieces, removing the bones.

4. Bring the chicken stock back to a slow simmer. Heat the ghee or olive oil in a large saucepan and add the red onion. Fry until beginning to soften, then add the lamb or beef, if using, and cook until browned. Stir in the freekeh. Add the spices and 1 heaped teaspoon of salt and stir through. Add 1 litre of hot chicken stock and bring to the boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes.

5. Melt a little butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the almonds and cook until lightly toasted. Remove from the pan and repeat with the pine nuts. Remove from the pan and add another knob of butter. Add the chicken pieces, ground cinnamon and 500 ml of hot stock. Bring to the boil, reheating the chicken.

6. Spoon the freekeh onto a large serving plate. Place the chicken on top and scatter with the nuts.

 

Lara Kh.