Freekeh is an excellent source of fibers very important for the digestive system. It has been used in numerous recipes, traditional and “novel” ones. Freekeh chicken soup offers a number of benefits. It is a great source of proteins, fluids and minerals. It helps in boosting the immunity system and providing energy and nutrients to the body.
Freekeh soup
Region: Bednayel – Bekaa
Number of persons: 6 persons
Calories: 280 Calories/portion
Preparation Time: 90mns
Ingredients:
1 cup of Freekeh
1 big onion, finely chopped
8-10 cups of chicken broth
1 tbsp. of vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation Steps:
Under running water, rinse the Freekeh to clean it from dust and debris
In a cooking pot, stir fry the onions in the vegetable oil until golden
Add the Freekeh and stir well then add the salt and pepper
Pour the chicken broth and leave on a low heat until it boils
After boiling, leave the soup to simmer on a low heat for around 30-35 minutes until the Freekeh is well cooked
Undoubtedly one of Lebanon’s delicacies, a product of thousands of years of culinary refinement, “kishk” equals the world’s most renowned dairy products.
The name “Kishk” originates from the Persian word “kashk”, referring to a mix of cracked wheat and cracked Barley.
Characterized as a fermented milk product, “kishk” is made of bulgur – cracked parboiled wheat – mixed with either milk or yogurt.
A common food in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Turkey, “Kishk” season starts in the summer, when milk production is at its best and sun heat at its peak. Cracked wheat is soaked in milk or yogurt for almost a week and fermentation is kept under control by adding small amounts of dairy every few days. After cracked wheat soaks in the dairy products and fermentation reaches the right degree, the pre-final product is an edible dough named “kishk akhdar” or “green kishk”. At this stage, this type of “kishk” can be formed into small balls and conserve them in olive oil for consumption in wintertime.
To get to the final “kishk” product, the dough is spread onto clean white sheets, on village rooftops, for the heat of the summer to dry it rock hard. Once totally dry, tradition calls for women to come together for a wonderful communal work: rubbing off dried “kishk” with the hands to obtain a fine, off-white powder, winter’s most nutritious preserve.
Not all “Kishk” varieties taste the same: producers, kishk peculiarities and specialty dishes
Though all “kishk” in Lebanon is powdery in texture, the taste varies widely depending on the type of ingredients used in “kishk” making. It can be made out of cow, goat or sheep milk or yogurt or an alternation between milk and yogurt, or yogurt and strained yogurt, better known as “Labneh”. The type of wheat used equally affects the taste and color of “kishk”. Baladi wheat, salamouni wheat and white wheat confer different flavors, texture and color to the final product.
Halima making her famous “mankoushe b kishk” at the Garden show 2016
From Aarsal: Halime el Houjeiri and Kishk with vegetables
Aarsal’s mountainous community has a long pastoral history, and goat and goat milk products are highly valued by local people.
Halime Al Houjeiri, president of the Women Coop on Aarsal takes pride in the “kishk” quality the women produce. Her “kishk” is sour in taste, a reflection of the high quality milk produced by goats grazing on wild herbs and highland thistles.
[quote]A taste from Aarsal: Kishk with Khodra[/quote]
“kishk” powder is mixed with cold water to form a soft dough to which chopped tomato, cucumber, radishes, onions, mint and crushed garlic are added, with a generous drizzle of olive oil.
From Kherbet Qanafar: Lina Haddad and “Kishk Akhdar”
Food producer for the longest time, Lina recently established her table d’hôte as part of a “darb El karam”, a growing food tourism network in West Bekaa. Lina’s brothers owns a dairy farm and Lina makes her dairy products at home. One of her bestselling products is Kishk and Green Kishk. In season, visitors of her table d’hôte can enjoy this delicacy and other kishk specialties.
[quote]A taste from Kherbet Qanafar: Kishk Akhdar with Walnuts[/quote]
“Kishk akhdar”
kishk akhdar is spread in a plate and adorned with chopped walnuts, onions, mint and tomatoes. The tangy taste of Green Kishk combine heavenly with the nuttiness of the walnuts.
From Maasser el Shouf: Elissar Temrez and “Omayshe”
Farmer and food producer, Elissar specializes in items solely cultivated in her land and processed by her and her husband. Her “kishk” is a mixture of cow and goat milk with baladi wheat, softening the strong taste of pure goat “kishk”, a perfect match to the locally known dish “Omaysheh”
[quote]A taste from Maasser el Shouf: Omayshe with grilled onions[/quote]
Omaysheh served with roasted onions
Omaysheh is a dish widely known in the Shouf area and the regions of Hasbaya and Rashaya. It is simply made of “kishk” and fine bulgur mixed with lukewarm water then combined with olive oil to soften the dough. The dish is eaten along with grilled onions.
You can sprinkle more cumin on the soup before enjoying it hot
Enjoy your red lentil soup with a dash of lemon juice and oven-toasted pita bread
Lentils in general are a great source of protein. They are rich in fibers and micro-nutrients and low in calories. Red lentils are hulled lentils split in half; they cook relatively faster. Red lentils are the main ingredient of Shorbit el adas, a soup commonly prepared in Lebanon and other Arab countries where it is usually prepared during Ramadan for Iftar. All in all, red lentil soup makes a perfect nutritious meal, especially on cold winter days.
Total servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
¾ cup yellow onion, chopped
¾ cup carrots, cubed
½ cup potato, diced
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1½ cups orange lentils
3 tbsp. rice
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp white or black pepper
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
8 cups water
3 tbsp. lemon juice
Preparation Steps:
Rinse lentils and rice in cold water
In a cooking pot, heat extra virgin olive oil and saute the onion and garlic. Season with the cumin, turmeric, pepper and salt
When the onion turns soft, add the water and vegetables (potato and carrot) and bring to a boil
Stir in the lentils and rice and bring to a boil one more time
Reduce the fire and let simmer with the lid on for 30 mns on until the lentils are well done
When the lentils are tender enough, remove from fire, add the lemon juice and serve hot with oven-toasted pita bread on the side
This easy recipe makes a great starter before lunch or dinner
Soups are always a great way to start your meal. Vermicelli soup is an easy and quick recipe to prepare. It is suitable for vegetarians and kids, and helps replenish body fluids and sodium during sickness. To have it as a main course instead of only a starter, cooked chicken slices can be added.
Total servings: 5
Ingredients:
1 cup of vermicelli
3 tbsp. of tomato sauce
3 tbsp. of vegetable oil
¼ bundle of parsley, finely chopped
Salt and 7 spices to taste
Water
Preparation Steps:
In a cooking pot, fry the vermicelli in 3 tbsp. of vegetable oil until golden. Remove the excess of oil
Add 3 cups of water and stir in the rest of the ingredients except for the parsley
Let the soup cook until boiling, while stirring occasionally
Adas bi hamoud is a soup commonly prepared in all Lebanese regions. Its main ingredients, as its name suggests are lentils, chard and lemon juice. Chards being usually harvested during winter, this soup makes a good source of energy during cold winter days. Adas bi hamoud is a consistent soup that fulfills your stomach and boosts your immunity by its high content in vitamin C which also enhances the absorption of iron that is provided by the lentils.
1 cup of brown lentils, rinsed with water 4 cups of Swiss Chard stems and leaves, cleaned and chopped 4 medium potatoes, cubed 7 garlic cloves, minced 1 large onion, chopped ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil 1 cup of lemon juice 1 tsp of coriander leaves, chopped salt, cinnamon and pepper to taste Preparation Steps:
In a large pot, cover lentil with water and bring to boil over medium heat
Meanwhile in a separate pan, stir fry the onions in the olive oil until golden
When the lentils start boiling, add the potatoes, swish chard, garlic, lemon juice and fried onions
Pour in enough water so that the mixture is well covered and leave on medium heat until the lentils and potatoes are tender
Add the salt, lemon juice and spices according to taste
Kishk soup is a nutritious soup consumed especially during winter. The soup can be served as a side with baked meat kebbeh. Alternatively, raw or oven baked kebbeh balls can be placed in the boiling kishk soup till they are well cooked. For a lighter and healthier version of this recipe, substitute kawarma with lean cow meat.
Total Servings: 6
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup of kishk powder
2 tbsp. of qawarma (cow or goat meat preserved in sheep fat)
4 garlic gloves, chopped
1 small potato, finely diced (optional)
5 cups of water
Preparation Steps:
Put the qawarma in a pot on the oven fire and stir slowly
Add the chopped garlic and the diced potato
Stir well on low heat until the potatoes are cooked well
“Zenkoul” is a traditional Lebanese recipe mainly known in West Bekaa, prepared during Lent and on Good Friday. The method of preparation varies from one village to another: some add sumac instead of pomegranate molasses, others use vinegar instead of lemon juice; dried mint is sometimes sprinkled at the end.
Zenkoul is a similar recipe to Kebbit el Rahib (Monk’s Kebbeh) and Mansoufeh all prepared with the simple basic ingredients bulgur and flour but vary with their sauce.
All in all, Zenkoul is a nutritious and delicious dish.
Total Servings: 5
Preparation Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
For the dough
1 cup of bulgur (fine)
½ cup of flour
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
¾ cup of water
For the sauce
½ cup of chickpea, soaked overnight
2 medium onions, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups of water
Juice of 2 lemons
1 pinch of rice
Olive oil
1 tablespoon of pomegranate molasses
The small dough balls that are called “zenkoul”
Preparation Steps:
Dough
Mix flour, burgul, pepper, salt and water and knead to form dough
Take small pieces of dough and make balls or zenkoul with the palm of your hands, leave aside
The sauce is simple and delicious
In a large pot, put the chickpea with 2 cups of water and leave to boil
In a pan, fry the onion until soft, add the minced garlic
When the water of the chickpea starts boiling, add the 2 remaining cups of water, the fried onion and garlic and the zenkoul
Add the rice and cook for 20 minutes until the “zenkoul” is done and the sauce is thick
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
