Boko Boko Harees Burundi Recipes

BOKO BOKO

Steps:

• Rinse the wheat until clean in a large bowl.
• Soak it in water for a few hours or overnight.
• Drain it well before cooking.
• If you choose not to soak the grain, it will take longer to cook.
• In a heavy pot start cooking meat.
• Add three cups of water for every cup of wheat.
• DO NOT ADD WHEAT.
• Add spices.
• Cover and bring to a boil.
• Cook for ten minutes.
• Remove meat (but not broth) from cooking pot and set aside.
• Skim any froth from the broth and throw it away.
• Stir wheat into the pot, cover, and reduce heat to simmer.
• As wheat is cooking, Remove meat from bones.
• Shred or pound meat into very small pieces.
• Return meat to pot.
• Stir until meat and wheat are well mixed.
• Cover the pot with a sheet of aluminum foil and put the lid over the foil. OR you can put the pot in a warm oven to allow the boko-boko to cook slowly. Make sure it is oven safe first.
• Cover tightly and continue to cook for two (or four, or six) hours over very low heat.
• Check occasionally and add water if necessary.
• When wheat is tender and fully cooked: Add ghee or butter, and stir it forcefully to turn it into a smooth porridge.
• Flavoring option:
• Add milk, and sugar or honey, along with the ghee or butter. (you should skip the cumin and turmeric if you plan to do so).
• Sprinkle lemon juice over the Boko Boko.
• Serve Boko Boko topped with fried onions.
• Make a gravy by boiling the meat bones with a chopped onion and the same spices used to cook the Boko Boko.
• Strain and serve the hot gravy along with the Boko Boko.

BOKO BOKO HAREES (BURUNDI)

Steps:

• Soak the bulgur wheat in water for 3 hours. Note: bulgur wheat absorbs a ton of water, so err on the side of too much.
• Drain the wheat and place in a pot with the chicken breasts and enough water to cover.
• Add 1 tsp salt, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Let cook for about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cut up the chicken giblets into very small pieces.
• In a small pot, mix the turmeric powder with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until you get a thick paste. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Transfer the giblets to a small pot and simmer with about a half cup of water and 3 tbsp of the turmeric paste. Add a pinch of salt and the sugar. Simmer for 10 or 15 minutes, or until the giblets are cooked.
• Fry the onions in the remaining ghee until they are crispy.
• Take the chicken breasts out of the pot and shred them, then return the to the bulgur wheat. Add 3 tbsp of the ghee and stir until well-incorporated. The wheat should be soft and the dish should be the consistency of a thick dough; if it's not, keep cooking until it reduces down, or add more water if necessary.
• Serve with the turmeric sauce and fried onions.