Beef And Wheat Berry Stew
There’s not really an interesting backstory behind this recipe. One day, I found myself wondering why we always make kapama with rice. I thought, Why not try something different and add some variety? That’s when I decided to try it with wheat.
I enriched the recipe by adding a few vegetables and chickpeas, making it a heartier dish compared to the traditional chicken kapama. As you can probably guess, the final result was absolutely delicious!
Since this recipe came about spontaneously, I didn’t soak the chickpeas or wheat beforehand. For better control over the cooking process, I also chose not to use a pressure cooker. Turns out, I didn’t need one—everything cooked perfectly in 1 hour and 15 minutes. Of course, you can use a pressure cooker if you prefer, but the cooking time will vary, and I can’t give you an exact estimate. Cooking times differ from pot to pot, and giving a time based on my own would risk your dish being undercooked or overcooked. Instead, cook the meat and chickpeas for as long as you usually do. If you’re unsure about your pressure cooker’s cooking times, check the user manual—it typically provides estimated times for different ingredients.
If you opt for a pressure cooker, you can reduce the water amount by one cup. You can also adjust the vegetables based on what you have at home and add your favorite spices for extra flavor.
Since the meat is cut into small pieces, there’s no need for pre-cooking. In the first step, it’s sautéed in the pot without oil. Don’t worry—it won’t stick, as it releases its own juices. This is actually a common meat-cooking technique. By evaporating the meat’s juices at the beginning, you prevent them from altering the dish’s color. I highly recommend this method for dishes that use chunked meat instead of boiling. Boiling meat releases all its flavor and nutrients into the water, contributing nothing but appearance to the final dish.
For a finishing touch, sprinkle some chopped dill or parsley over the dish before serving—it adds a lovely pop of color.
Enjoy the recipe!
Ingredients
- 2500 gchopped beef,
- 1 onion, chopped,
- 1 carrot, chopped,
- 1 red pepper, chopped,
- 1 tomato, chopped,
- 1 cup wheat berries, washed-drained,
- 1/2 cup chickpeas, washed-drained,
- 4 tbsps of olive oil,
- 3 cups lukewarm water,
- 1 spoonful of tomato paste,
- 1 tsp paprika,
- Salt, pepper and cumin to taste.
Preparation
- Place the beef into a deep pan,
- Cook in high heat, constantly stirring, until beef changes colour and its juice is evaporated,
- Add olive oil and onions and cook until tender,
- Add carrots and red peppers, cook for a few mins.,
- Add tomato paste, cook 2 mins.,
- Add the paprika and stir,
- Add tomato and cook for 3-4 mins.,
- Add wheat berries and chickpeas, stir,
- Add spices, salt and water and stir,
- Cover the lid and cook until all ingredients are tender (for about 1 hour 15 mins.),
- Set aside for 10 mins. before serving.
Bon appetit...