Freekeh- Don't really know why I did what I did

So I decide to pre-soak my freekeh last night, why I can't be too sure, it was a momentary bit of craziness... it is now chewy, so my question is how do I further the cooking process... my gut says simmer with a bit of stock/aromatics till texture is what I want then carry-on with my chosen dish- a warm freekeh/arugula salad to serve w Lamb Chops ( aleppo pepper/garlic). Also I thought to maybe try to brown some bits in olive oil?? Thoughts?

Aliwaks
  • Posted by: Aliwaks
  • January 20, 2015
  • 5959 views
  • 6 Comments

6 Comments

Freekehlicious
Freekehlicious January 21, 2015
Most freekeh does not need to be pre-soaked. Not sure if you bought wholegrain - like a wheatberry or cracked - like bulgar wheat. Wholegrain does have a slight - chewy consistency. Both your suggestions of simmering it in stock and browning in olive oil are good, though simmering with cook it more. Also - it will stay in your refrig for up to 8 days cooked - so you can experiment with different ideas.
 
Aliwaks
Aliwaks January 21, 2015
It came out perfect! Caramelized onion, garlic & thinly sliced carrots in Persian spices + lemon peel-- added about 1/4 cup of stock + soaked freekeh & some salt- finished with parsley leaves, squeeze of lemon bot of olive oil and it was terrific- and soaking saved me so much time!!!
 
Kate P.
Kate P. January 21, 2015
If it is whole freekah, then I think you could proceed as planned, but if it is cracked freekah, it may end up pretty wet and mushy if you continue to cook it.

 
healthierkitchen
healthierkitchen January 20, 2015
Yup, I'm with the go with your gut crew!
 
drbabs
drbabs January 20, 2015
Some recipes do recommend to soak freekeh, even in place of cooking, so I think if you do what your gut says, you'll be fine.
 
Susan W.
Susan W. January 20, 2015
Uh oh. So, what happened is that it absorbed the water. Almost like it's been par-cooked. You could steam it the rest of the way or cook it the way you mentioned. It won't take long. You could also cook it like you would fresh pasta. In a larger amount of salted water so it won't stick. I picture it being sticky.
 
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