Jireesh — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Coarsely crushed wheat simmered slowly with chicken and aromatics until it reaches a creamy, porridge-like consistency. This ancient Bahraini staple is pure comfort, warming both body and spirit.

Ingredients

2 cups crushed wheat (jareesh)
500g chicken thighs, bone-in
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp ghee
1 tsp baharat
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 dried lime, pierced
6 cups water
Salt to taste
Ghee and cinnamon for serving

Instructions

1 Soak crushed wheat in water for 30 minutes, then drain and rinse thoroughly.
2 Heat ghee in a heavy pot and saute onion until golden. Add garlic, baharat, and turmeric, stirring for one minute.
3 Add chicken pieces and sear briefly. Pour in water and add the dried lime and salt.
4 Add soaked wheat, bring to a boil, then reduce to very low heat. Cover and simmer for 1.5 hours, stirring every 20 minutes.
5 When the wheat has broken down into a creamy porridge and the chicken is falling off the bone, shred the meat and mix it back in.
6 Serve in bowls topped with a drizzle of melted ghee and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.

Did You Know?

Jireesh was once considered poor man's food in Bahrain, but today it is eagerly anticipated at Ramadan tables across all social classes.