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Spicy crushed wheat with vegetables

Jareesh is among the few culinary dishes typical mainly for Arabian countries. «Jareesh» can mean the whole dish or just the crushed wheat that plays the primary role in the preparation of the dish. Essentially, it is broken wheat that is cooked in a spicy sauce. There are innumerable and starkly varying recipes for its preparation. Some are cooked with lamb or chicken, others with chicken stock, milk or buttermilk – and a few even have a pat of yoghurt added to them at the end. The main difference is the amount and type of spice added to the dish: cinnamon and cloves go into most recipes, but some also include bay leaves, cardamom, cumin, coriander, garlic etc. Some cook Jareesh to a sticky porridge-like consistency, while others like it with more of a bite.

We have opted for a vegetarian variant here, close to the one that Hektor Maille relished one evening in the restaurant «Al Maskoof»   in Sharjah. The vegetable used can vary with the season: potatoes, turnip, white carrots, zucchini, peppers, peas etc. Whosoever likes it sour can add a pinch of lemon juice at the end – which though results in making the spices somewhat less strong in presence. However, if the Jareesh is being served with lemony Foul (as in this case), one should stay away from the lemon (otherwise, it would mean having two lemon-dominated dishes together on the table). Jareesh is a perfect accompaniment to grilled lamb.

In Europe crushed wheat for some reason is not so easy to be found. You can replace it e.g. with crushed spelt. Some recipes propose Bulgur, which seems us less suitable - as the latter is precooked.

1. Wash the wheat under cold water and drain well. Add tomato mash, olive oil and salt, mix well and set aside.
2. Let butter get warm in a heavy pot, fry the onion until translucent. Add cinnamon, cloves and ginger, fry for 1 minute.
3. Add the vegetables (carrot, sweet potato, beans, tomatoes), 2.5 dl water and some more salt. Bring to boil, reduce heat to minimum, cover and let cook about 15 minutes – until the potatoes are almost done.
4. Mix in the wheat, stir well, cover and allow to cook on the lowest flame for about 30 minutes. If the pot does not close well you might have to add some more water within that time. You can control the consistency of the dish by removing the lid towards the end of the cooking time and allow the Jareesh to get dryer – or in the opposite case you might want to add some more water. All at the end, if you wish to have it sour, add the lemon juice and serve lukewarm.

More about the travel adventure of Secret Agent Hektor Maille:

• Episode 7: In a Fever Through the Emirates
• Startpage of «Mission Kaki» (with overview map)
• More Recipes of the Secret Agent

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