-
1
Start the Pot
15 Mins
Bring to the boil, ~100°C (212°F), then simmer
Put the drained cracked wheat, the chicken breasts, the chopped onion, the tomato, the pierced dried lime and the 1.8 L of water in a large, heavy pot. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam that rises, then reduce to the barest simmer.
Skimming the foam in the first minutes keeps the porridge clean-tasting and pale, not grey.
Done when: The water is clear of foam and the pot is barely bubbling.
-
2
Simmer Until the Wheat Turns Creamy
75 Mins
Gentle simmer, ~95°C (200°F)
Cover the pot with the lid ajar and simmer gently for 75 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes and scraping the bottom so the wheat does not catch. Add a splash of hot water if the porridge gets too thick to stir. The wheat should swell, soften and start to break down into a thick, creamy porridge.
Stirring on a schedule matters — cracked wheat sinks and sticks, and a scorched bottom ruins the whole pot.
Done when: The wheat is soft and swollen, the porridge is thick enough to hold a spoon upright, and the chicken is tender.
-
3
Shred the Chicken and Season
10 Mins
Gentle simmer, ~95°C (200°F)
Lift the chicken breasts out, shred them finely with two forks, and return the shreds to the pot. Fish out the dried lime. Stir in the cumin, coriander, black pepper and salt, and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring often, until the porridge is creamy and the chicken is cooked through to 74°C (165°F). The finished jareesh should be thick and soft, with the grain still visible — not beaten smooth.
Do not beat the porridge smooth: jareesh keeps its soft grain, and that texture is what sets it apart from harees.
Done when: The porridge is creamy, the chicken shreds are mixed through it, and the grain is soft but still visible.
-
4
Fry the Onions in Ghee
10 Mins
Medium heat, ~175°C (350°F)
While the porridge finishes, melt the ghee in a small pan over medium heat and fry the sliced onion, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes until deep golden-brown and crisp at the edges. Take the pan off the heat at once so the onions do not burn.
Dark golden, not black — pull the onions a shade before you think they are done, as they keep darkening in the hot ghee.
Done when: The onions are deep golden-brown and crisp, and the ghee smells nutty and sweet.
-
5
Serve with Ghee and Fried Onions
5 Mins
No heat
Ladle the jareesh into wide bowls, spoon the fried onions and their ghee over the top, and add a small cube of butter to each bowl to melt in. Serve at once, while it is still steaming.
Serve the fried onions on top, not stirred in, so they stay crisp against the soft porridge.
Done when: A pale, creamy porridge crowned with dark, crisp fried onions and a pool of golden ghee.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the jareesh in wide bowls, topped with the fried onions and their ghee and a cube of butter melting in the middle.
Saudi Arabia
2h
France
Vietnam