H’RISSEH
LEBANON
H’risseh, harissa, or h’riss in the Arab world, keskek in Turkey, bokoboko in Zanzibar, or haleem in Pakistan, India, and Iran—these are all different names for more or less the same dish made with meat and grain (and in the case of haleem, also legumes) that is slow-cooked for so long that the ingredients dissolve into a thick porridge. In Lebanon, h’risseh is served at ‘Ashura, the tenth day of the month of Muharram marking the death anniversary of the Prophet’s grandson, Hussein bin Ali, as an alms dish to share with those less fortunate. Its origins are reputed to go back to the sixth century during the time of Persian king Khosrow. The Muslims discovered it when they conquered Persia some hundred years later, and as with Tharid, it became a favorite of the Prophet’s. In Iran it is eaten for breakfast, in India it is street food, in Pakistan it is served at main meals, usually lunch, and in Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey, the same.
It can be made with either chicken or lamb. Ideally, you should cook the meat on the bone, then take it out to discard the bones before returning it to the pot. On the street in India, they cook, bone, and mash the meat before adding it to the grain and legumes. The recipe changes from one country to another, with Pakistan and India using a lot more spices, whereas the Levantine version is fairly plain. Also it is one of those seminal Muslim dishes that is associated with both ‘Ashura and Ramadan. For instance, in Lebanon, h’risseh is prepared in huge vats during Muharram to give out to those in need, as well as to neighbors, family, and friends. In the Gulf, h’riss is an essential dish during the month of Ramadan, and in some mosques you will find hugh pots of h’riss in the courtyard ready to serve to whomever wishes to have some. I give recipes for two other versions: Pakistani/Indian Haleem and Persian Haleem.
SERVES 4 TO 6
1 whole chicken (3 pounds 5 ounces/1.5 kg) or 1 small lamb leg (ask your butcher to skin and trim the leg of most of its fat and cut it into medium chunks, still on the bone)
2½ cups (300 g) wheat berries or barley
2 cinnamon sticks
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon Lebanese 7-Spice Mixture
¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Sea salt
6 tablespoons (90 g) unsalted butter, plus 3 tablespoons (45 g) for finishing
1. Put the chicken or lamb in a large pot and add 2 quarts (2 liters) water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming any froth from the surface. Reduce the heat to medium and add the wheat (or barley) and cinnamon sticks. Cover the pot and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, or until the chicken is done—the lamb will take about 30 minutes longer.
2. Lift the chicken or lamb out of the pot and discard the cinnamon sticks. Reduce the heat to low and let the grain simmer while you take the meat off the bone. Discard the chicken skin or most of the fat off the lamb and shred the meat into small pieces.
3. Return the meat to the pot. Add the allspice, 7-spice mixture, pepper, salt to taste, and 6 tablespoons (90 g) of the butter. Cover and continue simmering for about 30 minutes, stirring regularly, until the grain is cooked. If you find that the h’risseh is getting too dry, add a little water, although not too much because you should end up with a thick porridge-like mixture.
4. Once the grain is very tender, reduce the heat to very low. Then start stirring the mixture with a wooden spoon, cutting into the meat pieces to shred them further. You want the meat to disintegrate into the wheat. You can also pulse it with a hand blender, but be careful not to process it too much. Remove from the heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning if you need to and keep the pot covered until serving.
5. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat until the butter starts sizzling and colors lightly, 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Pour the h’risseh into a large shallow serving bowl. Make grooves here and there. Pour the browned butter into the grooves. Serve hot.