afoona
Harees - Yemenite Wheat and Chicken Porridge
Meat

Harees - Yemenite Wheat and Chicken Porridge

Harees is a traditional Yemenite-Middle Eastern stew of wheat and chicken – a rich, thick porridge with the aromas of warm spices. A heritage dish for holidays.

⏱ 2 hr 20 min🍽 4 servings 🌍 Middle Eastern👩‍🍳 Afoona🧩 2 parts
🥩 Meat🌾 Gluten-free
Versions:Original🥛 Dairy-free

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Meat Browned in the Rice Pot

  1. 1
    Rinse the wheat, already soaked, and drain.
    Colander
  2. 2
    Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
    ⚙ Pan-fryingStoveLarge pot
  3. 3
    Add the onion and fry, stirring, until the onion turns golden.
    ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove
    💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
  4. 4
    Add the chicken and brown on all sides, 5 minutes.
    Stove
  5. 5
    Add the turmeric, cumin, cardamom, salt and black pepper and stir.
    Stove

To assemble

  1. 6
    Add the wheat and the water to the pot and bring to a boil.
    Stove
  2. 7
    Turn down to low, cover and simmer 1.5-2 hours, until the wheat softens completely.
    ⚙ SimmeringStoveLid
    💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
  3. 8
    Transfer the chicken to a bowl, break it into small pieces with a fork and return it to the stew.
    Slotted spoonFork
  4. 9
    Mash everything with a masher to a smooth, thick paste.
    Masher
  5. 10
    Heat the butter in a small pot until it browns lightly.
    StoveSmall saucepan
  6. 11
    Serve in deep bowls with the brown butter and the cinnamon.
    Serving bowl
553calories
35 gprotein
57 gcarbs
22 gfat
● protein 25%● carbs 40%● fat 35%

Per serving (551 g), of 4 servings

For the Meat Browned in the Rice Pot · To assemble ·

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⚖ About the ingredients

🔧 Tools needed (8) · 🍳 2 cooking vessels

  • Stove · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Portable hot plate (one weaker burner) · Camping gas stove (One burner, outdoors) · Electric pressure cooker (multicooker) (One pot, no real shallow frying)
  • Large pot · Also works: Pot (Cook in two batches)
  • Lid · Also works: Aluminum foil (tight aluminum foil) · Plate (an upside-down plate)
  • Small saucepan · Also works: Pot (None) · Frying pan (A deep pan for sauces)
  • Colander · Also works: Lid (a lid held slightly open over the sink, you lose a little) · Slotted spoon (for small amounts)
  • Masher · Also works: Fork (Takes longer) · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Stick blender (Gluey mash)
  • Slotted spoon · Also works: Spider strainer (None) · Tongs (For large pieces)
  • Serving bowl · Also works: Bowl (None)

By the steps, as the recipe is built now: another version or addition can change the list.

🧩 Built from…

Pot-Browned Meat → Fried onion → Wheat and Meat Porridge

🧩 Another 2 recipes based on Wheat and Meat Porridge

Harisa – Traditional Yemenite Wheat and Chicken PorridgeJordanian Lamb Jareesh

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