Freekeh (sometimes spelled frikeh) or farik (Arabic: فريكة‎) is a cereal food made from green wheat that goes through a roasting process in its production. It is an Arab dish commonly eaten in Jordan, Syria and Palestine, but can be found in Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria, and elsewhere throughout the Arab world. The wheat is harvested while the grains are yellow and the seeds are still soft; it is then piled and sun-dried. The piles are then carefully set on fire so only the straw and chaff burn and not the seeds. It is the high moisture content of the seeds that prevents them from burning. The now roasted wheat undergoes further thrashing and sun-drying to make the flavor, texture, and color uniform. It is this thrashing or rubbing process of the grains that gives this food its name, farīk or “rubbed.” The seeds are now cracked into smaller pieces so they look like a green bulgur.^[1]

[edit] History

Freekeh is mentioned in an early 13th century Baghdad cookery book as farīkiyya. In that recipe, meat is fried in oil and braised with water, salt, and cinnamon bark. Then dried coriander is stirred in with young wheat ("freekeh") and is cooked. Finally, the meal is served with cumin, cinnamon, and fresh lamb tail fat.^[1]

In Egypt, freekeh is served as hamām bi’l-farīk (pigeon stuffed with green wheat). Shūrbat farīk bi’l-mukh is a freekeh and bone marrow soup from Tunisia. Freeket lahma, a green wheat pilaf dish with roasted lamb, spring peas, and pine nuts comes from Syria and shūrba al-farīk is a Palestinian soup with green wheat and chicken.^[1]

[edit] References

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