If you haven’t noticed already, I love bringing back ancient dishes that have survived the test of time! There’s something magical about a dish that has survived millennia — something that carries with it memory, ritual, nourishment, and simplicity. Keshkek (sometimes spelled kashkak, keşkek, or regional variants) is one such dish. It’s a humble fusion of grain and meat, slow-cooked until it becomes creamy, hearty, and deeply satisfying.
In many cultures across Anatolia, Iran, the Caucasus, and parts of the Levant, keshkek is a ceremonial, communal food with roots reaching deep into antiquity. Though the precise origin is contested, many food historians trace keshkek back to ancient Mesopotamian and Near Eastern grain-meat porridges. In 2011 UNESCO put Keshkek on the list of cultural heritage dishes, and until today. it’s served during special occasions from weddings to religious festivals.
Three thousand years ago, Mesopotamia was a grain and livestock society. Wheat, barley, and characteristic stews were central to daily life. Today Turkish people favor the farro variety of wheat to make this dish. Farro is one of the older domesticated wheats, and aligns well conceptually with a dish invoked as “ancient.” Farro absorbs all of the flavors without being bland. In the traditional ritual version, the wheat is soaked, often blessed, then cooked overnight in large cauldrons over fire. The dish is tribal, with many members of the community participating in crushing, soaking, and cooking the wheat in large cauldrons.
Keshkek is about layering simplicity into richness. When made correctly, it is silky and velvety, with a gentle bite from the farro. The grain brings natural sweetness and earthiness; the slow cooking with meat (chicken, lamb, or mutton) infuses depth. The sauce is buttery and smoky from the paprika. In a bowl, keshkek is like a hug: warm, steady, and sustaining.
When I visited Chef Omer at Meyhouse restaurant in Palo Alto, I was excited (and a little skeptical) to learn that a dish so ceremonial and slow could really be made in a home kitchen! However, with a few shortcuts, respect, and patience this dish can be created in under an hour. To see his easy technique that you can replicate in your kitchen, watch the video below:
CHEF TIPS:
- Use pre-rinsed farro to balance texture and reduce cooking time
- Use bone-in chicken thighs or a small whole chicken (for flavor) rather than heavy meats like lamb, to reduce long cooking time.
- Soak the farro (or cracked wheat) overnight in cool water, with a pinch of salt. This softens the grain and reduces cooking time.
- The key is time + gentle stirring, not brute force. The more you rush (high heat, constant stirring), the more you risk breaking grains or burning.
- Leftovers reheat beautifully, and you can thin the porridge out with broth if it thickens too much overnight.
KESHKEK (COURTESY OF CHEF OMER ARTUN, MEYHOUSE RESTAURANT, PALO ALTO)
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 large onion (about 12 oz), roughly chopped
- 1 lb bone-in, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ lbs farro
- 2 quarts water (plus more, if needed)
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- Serving Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon water
METHOD:
- In a large pot, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken starts to brown, about 8–10 minutes. Cook the farro: Add the farro, water, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water if it gets too dry. The farro should be very soft, like a thin porridge. Remove the pot from heat. Carefully remove the chicken bones. Using a wooden spoon, vigorously mix the dish to create a creamy texture. The chicken should fully break down into the farro, forming a smooth, thick porridge.
- Prepare the Butter Sauce:
- In a small pan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over low heat.Stir in the cumin, paprika, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of water. Cook just until the mixture starts to sizzle, taking care not to let the butter burn. Serve the Keskek immediately: Spoon the keshkek onto plates or a serving platter. Drizzle generously with the warm butter sauce.
