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Nile Soil

Freekeh with chicken, the Saidi way

Coarse whole freekeh cooked in chicken stock with baladi samna — lightly smoky, with separate grains rather than a porridge.

Prep
15 min
Cook
40 min
Serves
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

  • 2 cups coarse whole freekeh
  • 1 chicken, jointed (or 4 thighs)
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 tbsp baladi samna
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • Bay leaf, cardamom, salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp whole cumin, ground

Method

  1. Rinse the freekeh in plenty of water and drain. Threshing leaves husk and dust behind, so this is not a step to skip.

  2. Boil the chicken with the bay leaf and cardamom, lift the chicken out and keep 4 cups of the stock.

  3. In a wide pot, melt the samna and soften the onion until golden.

  4. Add the drained freekeh and stir it in the samna for 3 minutes, until it smells toasted.

  5. Add the hot stock, salt, pepper and cumin, cover, and leave on low heat for 30 minutes, until the stock is absorbed.

  6. Take it off the heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes before stirring. Serve with the chicken on top.

Notes

Freekeh is green wheat roasted while still soft, which is where the smoky taste comes from. Coarse whole grains stay separate; cracked freekeh cooks faster and comes out closer to a soup.

Liquid ratio: one cup of coarse freekeh to two cups of stock. Cracked needs less — start at one and a half.

Products used

FAQ

What is the difference between whole and cracked freekeh?
Whole grains take longer and stay separate. Cracked cooks faster and is softer — closer to a freekeh soup.
Do I need to soak freekeh?
No, rinsing is enough. Soaking makes the grain break apart as it cooks.
Can I make it without chicken?
Yes — with vegetable stock or water, the same way. The samna and onion carry the flavour.