Description
A UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage meat porridge where hulled wheat and bone-in meat are boiled for hours in a giant cauldron for weddings or festivals, then thoroughly beaten with wooden poles until sticky.
Restaurants serving Keşkek
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The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Yarma(Hulled wheat)
- Bone-in lamb
- Butter
- Paprika powder
- Salt
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- Place 'yarma' (hulled whole wheat) soaked overnight and bone-in lamb (or beef/chicken) in a giant cauldron with just enough water.
- Simmer on low for hours (sometimes overnight), skimming scum, until the wheat loses its shape and meat falls completely off the bone.
- Remove bones. Strong men use giant wooden poles (tokmak) to beat the wheat and meat in the cauldron into a uniform paste until it develops a strong, mochi-like stickiness. Finish with hot paprika butter.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Butter and simple umami of wheat
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Rolled barley, Bone-in chicken thighs
Pairing
None(Staple food on its own)
Trivia
[Trend] Registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2011. The village gathering to tend the fire and beat the meat and wheat is a kind of ritual. It destroys the concept of porridge with a miraculous gum-like stickiness.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Make a hollow in the center of the thick Keşkek served on a large platter, create a pool of red paprika butter, and slurp while mixing little by little from the edge!
Allergen
Wheat, Dairy