What are the different types of kishk?
Kishk is a dried, fermented mix of bulgur or wheat and milk or yogurt, common in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Turkey. Its types differ mainly by milk (cow, goat, sheep, yogurt or labneh), by wheat, and by form: soft green kishk dough or dried powder.
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What is kishk?
Kishk is a fermented, powdered food from Lebanon, also common in Syria, Palestine and Turkey. Parboiled cracked wheat (bulgur) soaks in milk or yogurt for almost a week, and small additions of dairy every few days keep fermentation under control. The dough is dried on rooftops, then rubbed by hand into a fine, off-white powder.
The main types of kishk
By form
- Kishk akhdar (green kishk): the soft fermented dough before drying. It can be shaped into balls and stored in olive oil for winter.
- Dried kishk powder: the dough dried and rubbed fine.
By milk
- Cow, goat or sheep milk, or yogurt, or a mix of milk and yogurt, or yogurt and labneh (strained yogurt).
- Goat milk kishk: one maker in Aarsal, Lebanon, makes a sour goat kishk, which the Food Heritage Foundation attributes to goats grazing on wild herbs and highland thistles.
By wheat
Kinds of wheat, such as baladi, salamouni or white wheat, give each kishk a different flavor, texture and color.
How kishk is eaten
| Dish | How it is made |
|---|---|
| Kishk with vegetables | Kishk mixed with cold water and vegetables, garlic and olive oil |
| Green kishk with walnuts | Green kishk topped with walnuts, onions, mint and tomatoes |
| Omaysheh | Kishk and fine bulgur with lukewarm water and olive oil, served with grilled onions |
| Mankoushe b kishk | A flatbread topped with kishk |
Do not confuse it
- Kashk: the Persian ingredient, made from fermented yogurt, milk or whey and used in soups and eggplant dip. See uses of kashk in cooking.
- Keskek: a Turkish wheat dish, different from kishk.
Buying tips
Look for Middle Eastern grocers. Check the label for the milk type, and expect regional and family recipes to differ. This is general guidance, not a ranking.
People also ask
What is kishk made of?
Bulgur or cracked wheat fermented with milk or yogurt, then dried and ground to a powder.
What is green kishk?
The soft fermented dough before drying; it can be shaped into balls and kept in olive oil for winter.
Is kishk the same as kashk?
No. Kishk is a wheat and dairy ferment from the Levant. Kashk is a Persian product made from fermented yogurt, milk or whey.
Sources
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