Wheat Stew with Meat (Keşkek)
Keşkek is a traditional Turkish dish that is cooked in various parts of Turkey for religious ceremonies, weddings or funerals. In the Hatay region where I grew up, keşkek is mostly made during religious ceremonies or funerals, not for weddings. It has been well over 10 years since I have had this dish and one day I really craved for it. I decided to try it out. I had never made keşkek before, so I had to ask for a little help from my mother. Although it does not look appetizing at all, the taste is really delicious. Both my husband and I enjoyed it very much. Here is the recipe: 1 lb stew meat 2 bay leaves 1 lb wheat 6-7 peppercorns 10 cups water Salt to taste Ground black pepper to taste ½ cup butter Soak the wheat overnight. Fill a large pot with water. Add the meat, bay leaves and the peppercorns and boil covered for 3 hours on medium heat until the meat starts soften and separate. Drain the wheat and add to the meat. Add salt and the black pepper. Cover and cook for 2 hours and sti...