Harees

Harees(Arabic:هريس),boko boko, orharisa(Armenian:հարիսա,romanized:harisa) is a dish of boiled, cracked, or coarsely-groundcracked wheatorbulgur, mixed withmeatand seasoned.Its consistency varies between aporridgeand agruel. Harees is a popular dish known throughoutArmeniawhere it is served onEaster day, and theArab world, where it is commonly eaten inArab states of the Persian Gulfin the month ofRamadan, and inIraq,LebanonandBahrainduringAshurabyShia Muslims.
"Harisa", also transliterated as "horisa", derived from the Arabic verb "haras" meaning "to squish" to describe the action of breaking and pounding the grains before mixing it with water to create a porridge.
In Arabic, "Harees" (Arabic:هريس) is linked to the verb (Arabic:هَرَسَ,romanized:harasa) which still means to mash or to squash.
According to Armenian lore, thepatron saintof Armenia,Gregory the Illuminator, was offering a meal of love and charity to the poor. There weren't enough sheep to feed the crowds so wheat was added to the cooking pots. They noticed that the wheat was sticking to the bottom of the cauldrons. Saint Gregory advised, "Harekh!Stir it!" Thus, the name of the dish,harissa, came from the saint's own words.Harissahas been offered as a charity meal ever since.The dish is traditionally served onEaster day. It is still prepared by many Armenians around the world and is also considered thenational dishof Armenia.
According to medieval Armenian lore, thepatron saintof Armenia,Gregory the Illuminator, was offering a meal of love and charity to the poor. There weren't enough sheep to feed the crowds so wheat was added to the cooking pots. They noticed that the wheat was sticking to the bottom of the cauldrons. Saint Gregory advised, "Harekh!Stir it!" Thus, the name of the dish,harissa, came from the saint's own words.Harissahas been offered as a charity meal ever since.The dish is traditionally served onEaster day. It is still prepared by many Armenians around the world and is also considered thenational dishof Armenia.Harisa is mentioned by Ibn Al Karim inKitab Al-Tabikhas early as the seventh century.In the anecdotal cookbook, theUmayyad Caliph, Mu'awiya,returns from a trip to Arabia after returning to his newly won Persian lands. In some versions of the story, Mu'awiya is met with some Yemenite Jews whom he asks to prepare the porrige he tasted abroad while in other versions, he approaches locals. This story should be taken with a grain of salt as the author penned the story three centuries after it supposedly occurred. At the very least, harisa was prevalent as a Levantine dish.
Harees is documented inIbn Sayyar al-Warraq's 10th-century cookbookKitab Al Tabikh.,as well as in al-Baghdadi's 13th-century cookbookKitab Al Tabikhand ibn Razin al-Tujibi's  13th-century Andalusian cookbookKitab Fadalat al-khiwan fi tayyibat al-ta'am w'al-alwan.
Harees is also the origin ofhaleem,andcholent.
The wheat is soaked overnight, then simmered in water along with meat and butter or sheep tail fat. Any remaining liquid is strained and the mixture is beaten and seasoned. Harees may be garnished with cinnamon, sugar, and clarified butter.
There is a different traditional way of preparing Harees in each of the Arab countries in theArabian Peninsulaarea, and among the tribes of these countries. Some variations include the use of cardamom pods inSaudi Arabia, or a garnish with parsley. Before theArmenian genocidewhere Armenians were spread through a larger area they also had different vatiations of Harisa. The wheat used in Armenian harissa is typically shelled (pelted) wheat, though inAdana, harissa was made with կորկոտ (korkot; ground, par-boiled shelled wheat). Harissa can be made with lamb, beef, or chicken.
Harees was only made by the wealthy during Ramadan andEid, for the duration of a three- to seven-day wedding. It was, however, customary for the Harees dishes to be shared with poorer neighbours on such occasions.
It is similar tokashkeg, a kind of homogeneousporridgemade of previously stewed and bonedchickenorlamband coarsely ground soakedwheat(typically shelled wheat).
Harees is a popular dish inArab cuisine, from theLevantto thePersian Gulf. It is often served duringRamadan, festivals such asEid ul-Fitr, and at weddings.In Lebanon, it is often cooked on religious occasions in a communal pot, such as inAshura. Harise is also a common dish inSyrian cuisineandIraqi cuisine.
Formerly found only in homes, it is now served in restaurants as well.
Harisa(Armenian:հարիսա,romanized:harisa) is traditionally served onEaster day, and is considered anational dishofArmenia.It is a thick porridge made fromkorkot(dried or roasted cracked wheat) and fat-rich meat, usually chicken or lamb. Herbs were substituted for meat inharissawhen Armenian religious days required fasting and penance. The extremely long cooking process is an essential part of theharisatradition. Like other ritual dishes, the time taken for preparation is part of its cherished value.
Harisa is known for helping the Armenians ofMusa Ler(in modern-day Turkey) to survive during theresistance of 1915.
InEgyptian cuisine, "freekeh", unripened, crushed durum wheat, was used to cookharisa, giving the resultingferika unique green hue.The origin of the variation could be linked to the Sephardic migration of the 13th century, but historians remain uncertain.
Harisa or Hareesa (Kashmiri:ۂرؠ سہٕ[hərʲsɨ]) inKashmiris prepared during winter (Chillai Kalan),typically made of mutton and rice flour and eaten with Kashmiri Bread called Girda (Kashmiri:گِردٕ[girdɨ]). It is cooked in huge degs (earthen pots) placed in wood fired ovens.Downtown Srinagaris considered as the hub of harisa making inKashmir.
InZanzibar, the dish is calledboko bokoand may be cooked with lamb, beef, or chicken. This same dish is also served across Tanzania and Kenya.
Hareesa, or harees, is a popular dish mainly in the Harari region. It is cooked with lamb or beef and served on Eid or special occasions such as the birth of a baby.
Harees is a traditional Emirati dish made from wheat, meat (usually chicken or lamb), and a pinch of salt. The wheat is soaked overnight, then cooked with meat until it reaches a smooth, porridge-like consistency. This hearty dish is particularly popular during Ramadan and festive occasions. It is often garnished with ghee for added flavor. Harees is a staple in Emirati households and showcases the simplicity and richness of Emirati culinary traditions.