Cracked Wheat with Meat
BURGHUL BI DFEEN
Make this nourishing stew by the regular top of the stove
method, or use the pressure cooker and shorten cooking time
considerably.
- 1/2 cup hummus (chick peas)
- 12 small white onions
- 2 cups burghul (cracked wheat)
- 2 cups stew meat, cut into cubes
- 1 cup samneh (or other shortening)
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 1/2 cups water
- Several bones
Soak hummus overnight in enough water to cover. Peel onions and
leave whole. Fry meat and bones in half the samneh until brown. Remove
meat and fry onions in same fat until yellow. Cook the soaked
hummus in enough fresh water to cover in pressure cooker for 15
minutes. Remove. Place meat, bones, salt and water in pressure cooker
and cook under pressure for 30 minutes. Reduce pressure. Add onions
and cook five minutes longer under pressure. Remove meat and some of
the onions from the stew to use as garnish at serving time. To the
remainder add the hummus and burghul. Stew gently,
uncovered, until hummus andburghul are tender. Add more
water if necessary to keep from burning. Consistency should be like
thick porridge. Season to taste. Spoon onto serving platter. Melt
remaining half of samneh and pour over the stew. Garnish with
reserved meat and onions. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve laban
sauce.
Cook this dish in an open pan as follows. Brown meat and bones in half
the fat. Remove and cook onions in same fat until yeliow. Add water,
meat, and hummus and simmer until meat and hummus are
tender. Remove some of meat and onions. Add burghul.
Proceed as above. Or, meat may be brought to a boil in an open kettle.
Skim off foam. Add fried onion and hummus. Remove onions when
they become tender. Add burghul last. Serve with melted samneh
mixed well into the finished stew.
(From Food from the Arab World Marie
Karam Khayat and Margaret Clark Keatinge, Khayat's, Beirut 1959)
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