Kishk Saedi: Cooking with Egypt's Power Food
Made with fermented buttermilk and parboiled wheat, Kishk Saedi is a power food used in many delicious traditional food recipes.
More than just wheat and milk
The making of Kishk Saedi is a beautiful seasonal practice that allows farmers to store wheat and milk products for long periods of time in clay pots. Kishk Saedi, is also according to nutritionists a fantastic way to get the most out of the wheat and dairy. The fermentation process in itself, increases its digestibility and accessibility of vitamins. Eating it provides a high fiber protein and low fat food, that make Kishk Saedi rich in nutrition, and a source of rich tradition and delicious Upper Egyptian flavour.
Grain.....
After the wheat harvest, farmers from Upper Egypt will divide up their grain between market sale, that to be transformed into flour for baking, and the amount they will use to make Kishk Saedi. Kishk Saedi is a food that is eaten every day, and large amounts of it will be made...
....or Dairy Product?
..... the grain is set aside, crushed, then mixed with a soft cheese made from fermented buttermilk. This cheese, called hamed or gameed, gives the sour taste to the Kishk Saedi. As the wheat harvest season is in the spring, the milk is still plentiful.
Step 1: Crushed and cooked wheat
Kishk Saedi is neither dairy or grain product, it is made from both in almost equal parts. The wheat is crushed and parboiled before mixing with the fermented buttermilk. Some women also like to add spice like fennel seeds.
Shaping the Kishk Saedi balls (2019-07-30) by NawayaNawaya
Step 2: Mixing wheat and sour milk
The wheat and fermented buttermilk are well mixed, and then the women will create small balls or nuggets that give Kishk Saedi its distinctive shape.
Kishk Saedi balls layed out to dry (2019-07-30) by NawayaNawaya
Step 3: Drying on the roof
The balls are brought to the rooftop to dry in the sun. In season, large amounts of Kishk Seadi are prepared, because they can be stored and eaten throughout the year.
Kishk saedi - dried fermented cheese and wheat nuggets (2020-09-12) by NawayaNawaya
5 days in the sun
The balls can take up to 5 days to dry, depending on the weather. As they are unprotected from birds, cats or rodents, at night the women and youngsters will keep a close eye on their production.
Diverse ways to enjoy Kishk Saedi
Kishk Saedi nuggets can be munched on as they are, but in most recipes they are reconstituted in some warm water. After a couple of minutes they become soft, easy to rinse and ready to cook.
Kishk saedi breakfast in Beni Suef (2020-09-12) by NawayaNawaya
Power breakfast
The most common Kishk Saedi dish in Upper Egypt, is as a complete power breakfast. The eggs are fried or scrambled with ghee and mixed with the reconstituted Kishk Seadi.
Kishk in broth (2020-08-28) by NawayaNawaya
Almaz: Chicken stew
Kishk Saedi can be cooked in chicken stock, creating a thick stew. The stock once cooked will become thicker due to the wheat from the Kishk Saedi. Once blended it creates a delicious stew like dish called almaz.
Chicken stew with tomatoes
Similarly, the chicken broth can be made with tomatoes. The red Kishk Saedi soup like dish is enjoyed by dipping into it with fresh baladi bread.
Serving chicken stew
It is typical that the Kishk Saedi stew is poured on top of dry bread, and sprinkled with tomato sauce. The chicken is served on the side, after being browned in the oven.
Curator: Laura Tabet
Research: Laura Tabet
Photography: Ahmed al Abd, Moheb Samir, Nada Elissa
