Qatari Harees is a delectable main dish made with beaten wheat and chicken. There are similar dishes all over the region that go by similar or different names. I made one very similar for Oman but it was made with beaten rice instead of wheat. It is a true comfort food and you should also make the Qatari khubz arabi for an authentic experience. You will use the bread to scoop up the Qatari harees with your hand.
As Qatar is one of the wealthiest nations on earth, you can truly get just about any cuisine in the world when visiting the capital city of Doha. However when I travel, I like to immerse myself in the culture and traditions of the nation. This Qatari harees is an authentic dish that is beloved and you can get a taste of Qatar without even leaving home. It is often eaten during the holy month of Ramadan. If you are visiting Qatar the best place to try it is in a souq which is like a mall with all sorts of different stalls of goods and food, unless of course you get invited into a local’s home for a meal.
Did you know that only 12 percent of the population are Qatari? The rest are foreigners brought in for work mainly in the oil and gas sectors as well as hospitality. If you would like to learn more about the tiny nation, be sure to check out “Our Journey to Qatar” . You will be able to also get more delicious recipes including the khubz arabi (Arabian Bread). Actually the national dish for Qatar is Machboos ( a spiced rice dish with meat) which I made for Bahrain which would also be a wonderful choice if making a Qatari meal.
This recipe calls for harees which is a whole wheat, you can find this at your Middle Eastern store or here on Amazon. Also you need to soak the wheat overnight so be sure to plan ahead when you want to make your Qatari harees.
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Qatari Harees (Beaten wheat and chicken)
Qatari Harees is a lovely dish that is a true comfort food. It is often served during Ramadan in Qatar but is perfect anytime. Be sure to make some Qatari Khubz Arabi (Arabian Bread) to scoop it up with.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken pieces boneless, skinless
- 1 cup harees whole wheat, soaked overnight
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup ghee
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
- 1 Tablespoon coriander seeds
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Instructions
- Place the chicken, harees and water in a pan and cook on a low fire for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Skim the froth.
- Blend the mixture by hand or using a food processor until a smooth paste results, then transfer to a serving bowl.
- Melt the ghee and add the cinnamon, cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Pour the mixture on top of the beaten porridge in the bowl.
- Garnish with coriander seeds
Recipe Notes
Please note that this recipe can also be made using lamb and would be totally authentic as well. Just use 1 lb of boneless lamb chunks and cook until completely tender.
Also be sure to plan ahead as the wheat needs to soak overnight before you cook it.
