Freekeh: A recipe from 'The Palestinian Table' by Reem Kassis

“The Palestinian Table” is a fitting title for a cookbook which captures the essence of Palestinian culinary heritage, culture and reality. It is what ties all Palestinians together in spite of their political circumstances and global dispersion. But it stands for “more than just food,” as author Reem Kassis explains in her introduction; “it is the notion of ‘home’, the spirit of generosity, the importance of family, and the value of bringing people together.” Kassis invited MEMO's Jehan Alfarra over and cooked Freekeh with braised cubes of beef and pine nuts. Freekeh is a green wheat grain popular in various parts of the Middle East and North Africa, including Palestine. It is roasted and rubbed to create its unique smoky flavour, and is often used as a replacement for rice or couscous, or cooked as a soup. “When combined with the richness of butter and olive oil, sautéed onions, and the warmth of spices,” Kassis writes, “it produces a flavour combination that is a feast for the taste buds”. “The Palestinian Table” is a great book to slowly work your way through over time. It will inspire you to incorporate Palestinian flavours in your everyday cooking by using staple ingredients such as sumac, which can be added to chicken, salads or soups, or by replacing ingredients such as rice with freekeh or maftool. Towards the end of her book Kassis details some of the most common, and often unfamiliar, ingredients found in the Palestinian pantry. Fortunately, they are becoming more commonplace in European supermarkets today. Read the full book review here: https://www.palestinebookawards.com/r...