How is kishk traditionally consumed?

What is kishk?

Kishk is a fermented food of the Levant, known in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Turkey. Bulgur (parboiled cracked wheat) is soaked in milk or yogurt for about a week, with a little more dairy added every few days. The resulting green dough, kishk akhdar, is eaten fresh, shaped into balls and stored in olive oil, or dried in the sun and rubbed by hand into a fine powder.

How is kishk traditionally eaten?

• Hot kishk soup: the powder is cooked with water into a thick, porridge-like soup. It is usually served as a warming winter dish, often topped with fried onions or meat, and eaten with bread.
• Kishk manoushe: a flatbread (manoushe) made with kishk, a bakery favorite.
• Raw kishk salad: the powder is mixed with cold water into a soft dough, then combined with chopped tomato, cucumber, radish, onion, mint and garlic, with olive oil.
• Green kishk with walnuts: fresh kishk is spread on a plate and topped with walnuts, onions, mint and tomatoes.
• Omaysheh: kishk powder mixed with fine bulgur and lukewarm water and olive oil, served with grilled onions.

When is it eaten?

Kishk is closely linked to winter in Lebanon, and the drying of kishk in summer to store for the cold season is a village tradition. Methods vary by region and family, so your grandmother’s kishk may differ from another cook’s.

Tips for first-timers

• Kishk has a tangy, earthy and slightly sour taste, a bit like strong fermented yogurt with grains.
• Dried kishk powder is usually cooked or mixed with water before eating.
• Store the powder in a dry, sealed container. Check smell and look for mold before using.
• It contains wheat and dairy, so avoid it with gluten or milk allergies.

General cultural and cooking information; recipes differ between cooks.