Kishk Soup (Shorbat kishk)
Overview
Kishk soup is a thick, tangy winter soup from the mountains of Lebanon. Kishk is a powder of bulgur that has been fermented with yogurt or laban, then dried in the sun and ground. To make the soup, onion and garlic are fried in butter or ghee, often with a spoon of awarma, lamb preserved in its own fat. The kishk is whisked into cold water and added to the pot, then stirred constantly over a low heat until it thickens to a creamy porridge-like soup. It is eaten hot for breakfast or supper with bread, and some cooks add small kibbeh or potatoes.
History
Kishk is one of the oldest preserved foods of the Levant. In late summer, village families in the Lebanese mountains and the Bekaa Valley mix bulgur with yogurt, leave it to ferment, then spread it on cloths on flat roofs to dry before grinding it. Stored with the other mouneh preserves, the powder kept for months, so the soup was a main winter meal when snow cut off the villages.
Main ingredients
Kishk (fermented yogurt and bulgur), onion, garlic, awarma (preserved lamb), butter, water. The soup is built on water and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; not usually gluten-free.
Explore: Lamb soups · Yogurt soups · Barley and grains soups · More soups from Lebanon
Recipe
Method
- 1
Fry the onion and garlic in the butter until soft, with the awarma if using.
- 2
Whisk the kishk into the cold water until smooth.
- 3
Pour it into the pot and bring slowly to the boil, stirring all the time.
- 410 min
Simmer for 10 minutes until thick, season and serve with bread.
- ✓
Serve. About 30 min from start to bowl.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
