Squash and Lamb over Freekah

This is a dish my mother has made a few times, passed around from other Kurdish women in our community. It is not a Kurdish dish, but the way the freekah is made is very Kurdish. Freekah is wheat that is prematurely picked and dried using a fire roasting method, so it tastes a little smokey and nutty. This recipe is extremely healthy and pretty low in fat, but has a lot of original flavors that you do not come across often.

1 medium/large orange squash
1 medium/large yellow squash
2 medium sweet potato's
1/2 cup of baby carrots
1 pound of lamb pieces, with bone
1 teaspoon of curry powder
6 cups of hot water
salt and pepper to taste

For cooking the meat, add 2 cups of water to a pressure cooker. Salt and peper the lamb lightly, then add tot he slow cooker. Follow the directions on how to use it, and cook for 30 minutes. When the meat is done, set aside.

Wash the squash and sweet potatos.

Cut the squash in half and remve all the seeds using a spoon.

Cut the squash and sweet potatoes into large pieces, about 3 or 4 inches each.

Next, get a large pot and add the meat from the pressure cooker to it. Turn the heat to medium. Add four cups of hot water, and the curry powder, and mix. Add the squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes.

Cook for about 45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Now for the Freekah, which this stew goes on.

Ingredients:
2 cups green freekah
2 cups of water
1 teaspoon of vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Freekah is not prepared usually machinery, so you have to sort it out and remove any stones or pieces of hard material from it before cooking.

Get a tray and put all the freekah on one side. Take little bunches and look through them. Once you take out any pieces of rock, move them to the opposite side of the tray, and repeat.

Once you are done sorting, wash the freekah but running water through it. Add the water, oil, and salt to a pot. Once it boils, add the freekah.

Once most of the liquid is absorbed, turn the heat to medium, and cover the freekah until its ready, about 12 more minutes. Fluff with a fork to sperate it.

Now both dishes are ready, so finally time to plate!

Add the freekah to a serving plate. Start adding the vegetables and lamb on top of it.

Add the remaining liquid and vegetables to serve in bowls like soup, the broth is absolutely wonderful.