Arisa — Libyan Wheat Sabbath Stew

Arisa — Libyan Wheat Sabbath Stew

Don’t confuse this arisa with the spicy paste harissa. The arisa of Libyan Jews is a red wheat Sabbath stew (a hamin, or cholent) made with tomato paste and paprika, with meat, chickpeas, potatoes and eggs. The wheat absorbs the meat juices through the night and becomes soft and sticky but keeps its kernel.

Prep time: 25 minutes · Cook time: 10–12 hours · Total: overnight · Yield: 8 servings · Difficulty: easy

The water ratio is the difference between a juicy stew and a dry lump

Whole wheat absorbs roughly twice its weight in water, and overnight cooking evaporates more liquid. Start with the liquid 3–4 cm above the contents, check after an hour, and only then move it to overnight heat. The pot should be heavy and well covered.

Ingredients (for 8 servings)

• 500 grams whole wheat berries, rinsed and soaked for 8 hours
• 800 grams beef, Israeli cut no. 8 or no. 5, in large pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 150 grams tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon caraway, 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
• 250 grams cooked chickpeas, drained
• 800 grams small potatoes, peeled
• 6–8 eggs in their shells, washed
• 2–2.5 liters boiling water, salt and pepper

Choosing ingredients and substitutes

Wheat for hamin is sold next to the legumes in every supermarket in Israel. Don’t use bulgur, which has already been cooked and will fall apart. Cut no. 8 gives gelatin and a rich sauce; no. 5 is slightly leaner. Canned chickpeas work, because the long cooking will soften them a lot anyway.

Method

1. Brown the meat and onion. Heat oil in a heavy pot, brown the meat on all sides and add the onion until golden.
2. Fry the paste and spices. Add the paste, paprika and caraway and stir for 2–3 minutes until the paste darkens.
3. Assemble the pot. Add the drained wheat and the chickpeas, stir, and arrange the potatoes and eggs on top.
4. Add water. Pour in boiling water to 3–4 cm above the wheat, salt and bring to a boil. Cook for 30 minutes over low heat and check that the wheat is still covered.
5. Cook overnight. Cover well and move to the oven at 100–110°C (212–230°F) for 10–12 hours. If it is very dry in the morning, add half a cup of boiling water at the side of the pot.
6. Serve. Peel the eggs and divide meat, wheat, potato and an egg into each serving.

Nutrition facts and calorie estimate

A serving includes one egg when you use eight; with six eggs the average is about 18 calories lower. The fat percentage of the meat can shift the serving by about 50–80 calories.

Variations and tips

• You can add a semolina kukla (dumpling), but it is not included in the calculation and adds about 180–250 calories.
• Don’t leave the pot at a lukewarm temperature; it should stay above 60°C (140°F) throughout the night.
• Leftovers keep for 3 days in the fridge and freeze well without the eggs.

Summary

Arisa is the Tripolitan Sabbath stew in which the wheat is the center of the pot, not just a side. An eighth of the recipe is about 690 calories with 39 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber. Compare it to Iraqi tbit and see more in Tripolitan cuisine.