Harissa (dish)

Harissa is the name for two different dishes. On the one hand a porridgeartiger mash of Arabic, Persian, Syrian, Indian and Armenian cuisine is known. The name in the source area (Iran, Iraq) this is Halim. It's made from coarsely ground and long soaked wheat grains that are cooked for about 24 hours. The pulp is then mixed with minced meat, usually lamb, sometimes with chicken.

Every country in the region knows recipe variations. In Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan, it is customary to sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over the porridge, in Lebanon, it is preferable Kumin. It is usually mixed with some fat.

Another court with this name exist in Tunisia, which consists of green peppers, tomatoes and onions, the crushed and mixed and then seasoned.

History

The court halim said to have been introduced in the 6th century in Persia and taken about 100 years later by the Muslim conquerors, according to tradition. It is called the favorite food of the Prophet Mohammed. In southern Iran, the slurry was long regarded as an ideal breakfast dish in the winter, which was served in restaurants. In some Arab countries, according to the different dialects of it referred to as harisseh, partly as harissa. In Syria and Lebanon, it is a solid food on the day of the Assumption at Christians. In Lebanon, the food is output from the churches to the poor.

When dining at Easter in Armenia has a long tradition. Earlier it was there prepared exclusively by men to larger festivals with numerous guests and had ceremonial elements. Then there was the food also of several ingredients such as lamb, fat and cut into small pieces of cartilage. This was then all cooked together with the wheat.