Levantine cuisine · Dough, Pasta & Rice

Freekeh bi Lahme

Smoky green wheat with braised lamb, cinnamon and almonds, swollen in the meat broth.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 600 g lamb shoulder (cubed)
• 250 g freekeh (green wheat)
• 2 onions
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tsp baharat (Lebanese spice blend)
• 60 g almonds (blanched)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 30 g butter
• 900 ml water
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Wash the freekeh thoroughly in a bowl, pour off any floating husks and soak in cold water for 20 min.; finely dice the onions.
2. Heat olive oil in a heavy pot and sear the lamb cubes in batches for 6–8 min. all over until they have a dark crust.
3. Add the onions, sauté for 5 min., then stir in the baharat and the cinnamon stick and toast for 1 min. until fragrantly spicy.
4. Pour in the water, season with salt and pepper and braise gently covered for 45 min. until the meat is tender.
5. Stir in the drained freekeh and cook covered over low heat for another 25 min. until the grains are soft and have absorbed almost all the liquid.
6. Toast the almonds in the butter for 3 min. until golden brown, remove the cinnamon stick and serve the freekeh sprinkled with the almonds on a large platter.