Հ ա ր ի ս ա
wheat berry porridge with chicken
This is one of the most deceptively understated dishes in Armenia, and one of the oldest—and it has nothing to do with the condiment from North Africa with the same name. Instead, harissa comes from the word havel, “to whisk or beat.” It’s a simple, savory porridge cooked so that the grains are creamy and the meat is so soft as to be barely visible. This classic dish serves as a historical link between Eastern and Western Armenians. In the village of Musaler near Zvartnots Airport, pots and pots of harissa are served on the third Sunday of September to commemorate the 1915 siege of Musa Dagh (Musa Ler in Armenian). During the genocide, Armenian villagers cornered at this mountainside along the Mediterranean coastline fought off Ottoman soldiers for fifty-three days until they were rescued by French and British warships. All they had to eat at this time was harissa.
In modern Armenia, harissa is also an ordinary family food. Because everyone gets the same amount of grains and meat, it is the ultimate democratic way to serve a crowd. Today, chicken is the most common protein, and getting a good-quality bird goes a long way to ensuring good flavor, because it also flavors the broth. The traditional way relayed to us by Yerevan local Tatev Malkhasyan is to simmer a chicken cut into pieces in water for several minutes before adding more than 2 lb [1 kg] of wheat berries.
This recipe uses only 2 chicken legs, though with a reduced amount of grains for a slightly meatier outcome. To achieve the signature creamy porridge texture, stir the grains and the meat together thoroughly at the end. Harissa is the ultimate stick-to-your ribs meal. It’s designed to stand alone, though, like most meals in Armenia, there’s bound to be an herb and cheese plate (see page 35), lavash, pickles, and fresh tomatoes and cucumbers on the table as well.
Serves 4 to 6
2 whole chicken legs (thigh and drumstick attached)
8 cups [2 L] water
2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
2 cups [360 g] pearled farro (see Note)
Unsalted or salted butter, for serving
Pull the chicken skins off the legs and place the legs in a 6 qt [5.7 L] heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Pour in the water and add the salt. Bring the pot to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes to flavor the water, skimming away any scum from the surface.
Ladle out 2 cups [480 ml] of the cooking water and reserve. Stir the farro into the pot and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, stir the pot again, then cover and cook for 40 minutes, checking once or twice that the grains aren’t scorching and turning the chicken pieces over occasionally.
Remove the lid and transfer the chicken to a bowl. The meat will have started to pull away from the bone and will be tender. Cover the pot so the grains can continue to absorb the broth.
After 15 minutes or whenever the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the bones and shred the chicken into small pieces. Stir the chicken back into the pot with 1 cup [240 ml] of the reserved cooking water, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the porridge starts to look creamy and the chicken pieces are blended well into the grains. If the porridge looks dry (or if you prefer a looser porridge), ladle in the remaining cooking water. Taste, seasoning with more salt, if desired.
To serve, spoon the harissa into bowls and top each serving with a pat of butter. Serve immediately. Leftovers keep, refrigerated, for up to 5 days. Reheat by gently simmering the porridge on the stove with a splash of water.
NOTE: While pearled farro is not the traditional form of grain in harissa, the results of this recipe are very close in flavor and texture to the harissa we sampled in Armenia. White Sonoran wheat berries are another option, though depending on the wheat berries themselves, they may take more water and cooking time. If using them, ensure the wheat berries are cooked through before mixing the porridge with the chicken.