Do you know about freekeh, this cereal that is different from rice or pasta?

There’s more to life than rice and pasta! To vary the pleasures, it’s sometimes good to dip into the large family of cereals, because you can discover real gems there! Very common in Levantine, Mediterranean and North African cuisine, freekeh (also called “farik” or “freeké”) is a green wheat that is used a bit like rice or semolina. Let yourself be tempted!

If freekeh is called “green wheat”, it is not only because of its color, but also because it is harvested before it is fully ripe. It is then roasted over a wood fire, which gives it an irresistible smoky taste! Its texture is halfway between bulgur and quinoa, and it retains a slight firmness in the mouth.

Used since at least the 13th century, freekeh is a staple ingredient in Lebanon, Iran and Jordan. It is notably used to prepare couscous, and is also included in chorba (the traditional Algerian soup served during Ramadan).

Although freekeh is still somewhat unknown in France, it is being showcased by many chefs, including Manon Fleury, who cooked it with spinach and seasoned it with cumin when she worked at the restaurant Le Mermoz in Paris. It is also on the menu at the restaurant Qasti, run by Lebanese chef Alan Geaam.

Don’t hesitate to try it at home! You can easily find it in oriental grocery stores or organic stores. The easiest way is to prepare freekeh a bit like quinoa or rice, and cook it in water. Allow about ten minutes of cooking and taste to check its texture (while knowing that it remains a little firm). You can also use it instead of rice in a risotto, cook it pilaf style, or serve it cold, in a salad. It can even be incorporated into sweet recipes. For example, you can incorporate it into cookie dough, granola or use it to concoct a pudding.

Low in gluten, freekeh can be an excellent alternative for people who are “hypersensitive” to this wheat protein. Very rich in fiber, it also provides good quantities of protein (three times more than brown rice for example), but also iron, potassium and zinc. Freekeh also has a low glycemic index. A real nutritional treasure!