I want to share an amazing freekeh recipe with you today Freekeh with Fish. This is my take on the popular Middle Eastern dish freekeh. Enjoy a delicious tender fish shallow fried in olive oil, served on a perfectly cooked and seasoned freekeh. Healthy and filling meal with no guilt since it's low in calories.
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A seafood meal that your family will enjoy. Using Freekeh instead of pasta or rice is great for your health. It is full of nutrients and helps for better digestion. You will make a great weeknight dinner from the first time by following simple steps and using affordable and easy-to-get ingredients.
My family and I love this grain and I have made a few recipes that you'll enjoy, like my Freekeh with Chicken, Freekeh Chowder, and I have made a dessert out of freekeh it's Freekeh Pudding with Blueberry Sauce.
❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
Healthy and nutritious. A good amount of fiber and protein and a great substitute for rice.
Flavorful. The combination of spices and ingredients gives this dish a great flavor.
Simple. The steps are super simple to follow, even for beginners.
No mess. There is not much cleanup, and you'll use a few dishes to make it.
🌿 INGREDIENTS
You can find the full list and nutrition information in the recipe card below. But let's look at the main ingredients.
Freekeh - I have used whole grain freekeh but you can go for cracked freekeh, which will take lesser time to cook. I love the chewy texture. However, it will take around 45 to 50 minutes to cook.
Olive oil - You can go for your preferred cooking oil but olive oil gives an amazing flavor to the dish and I highly recommend it.
Earthy spices - There are cinnamon, black pepper, cumin, and other spices we'll add to the freekeh to enhance its flavor.
Chicken bouillon - If you don't have it, you can replace it with chicken stock and omit the water in the recipe. But using plain water will not bring out the freekeh flavor.
All-purpose flour - We must use it to coat the fish before shallow frying it.
Fish fillet - I went for pangasius fish filet but you can use what you have on hand. Grouper and seabass are also good choices.
🔪 INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1
Wash the freekeh with cold water and drain it.
Step 2
In a hot pan, add the olive oil. When hot, add the onion and fry until translucent. Add the freekeh and stir for 2 minutes on medium heat.
Step 3
Add the spices and stir for a few seconds, then pour the boiling water.
Step 4
When the mixture boils, add the chicken bouillon and stir to dissolve it. Cover the pan tightly and let it cook on low heat for 40 to 50 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Step 5
Season both sides of the fish with black pepper and salt. Dredge the fish in the flour to coat both sides.
Step 6
In a frying pan, add the oil and butter. Fry the fish. It will take around two minutes on each side, also cooking time depends on the thickness of the fish.
Step 7
Serve the fish on freekeh. Garnish with raisins or nuts.
👩🏽🍳 PRO TIPS
Always read the instructions on the freekeh package. There are different types of freekeh and you can use them all in this recipe but some cook faster than others. Hence the amount of liquid might change.
Wash and rinse the freekeh. Sometimes there are tiny small stones in the freekeh, so make sure to submerge it in water first. This will force some of the impurities and small stones to float, then wash again until the water runs clear.
Don't rush the process. Do not increase the heat when cooking the freekeh; it will not cook faster but will require you to add more boiling water every few minutes.
🍽️ HOW TO SERVE IT
You can serve this dish with a green salad.
🌡️ STORING AND REHEATING
Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
It's best to reheat this dish on the stovetop but you can also microwave it for a faster option.
📣 MORE DINNER RECIPES YOU'LL LIKE
⭐PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW
If you have tried this recipe and liked it, please give it a 5-star rating and leave a comment below with your experience!
📖 Recipe
Freekeh with Fish
Ingredients
FOR THE FREEKEH
- ½ cup freekeh I have used whole freekeh
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 cube chicken bouillon low in sodium
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 1 ½ cup boiling water
FOR THE FISH
- 10 oz or 300gm pangasius fish filet
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons raisins for garnish
Instructions
TO MAKE THE FREEKEH
- Wash the freekeh with cold water and drain.
- In a hot pan, add the olive oil; when hot, add the onion and fry until translucent. Add the freekeh and stir for 2 minutes on medium heat.
- Add the spices and stir for a few seconds, then pour the boiling water.
- When the mixture comes to a boil, add chicken bouillon and stir to dissolve it. Cover the pan tightly and let it simmer on very low heat.
- It will take around 40 to 50 minutes for the freekeh to cook. Stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
TO MAKE THE FISH
- Season both sides of the fish with black pepper and salt.
- Dredge the fish in the flour to coat both sides.
- In a frying pan, add the oil and butter.
- Fry the fish for around two minutes on each side. Also, cooking time depends on the thickness of the fish.
- Serve freekeh with the fish on top. Garnish with raisins and or nuts.
Notes
- There are two types of freekeh, cracked grain and whole grain. The cracked grain takes around 15 to 20 minutes to cook, while the whole grain can take between 45 – 50 minutes to cook.
- Some people prefer to soak the freekeh in water for 30 minutes to an hour before cooking. I usually do not do this step and I didn't use it in this recipe.
- This post was originally published in 2014. I have added more information and step-by-step images.
Angie (@angiesrecipess)
Love freekeh too and this looks wholesome, Muna.
munatycooking
It's one of those grains that you can only love to have 🙂