Everyday Hashweh

This is versatile, speedy, easy and ridiculously tasty. The Everyday Hashweh is an essential recipe that serves as a base for countless impromptu Middle Eastern recipes. And I especially love that this is a fabulously exotic way to serve up humble ground (minced) beef or lamb!

What is Hashweh?

Hashweh or hashwah means "stuffing", which is one of the ways this fragrant dish can be used. This recipe is most commonly found in Lebanese dishes. It is sometimes paired with rice and/or vegetables to create delicious side dishes like stuffed bell peppers, zucchini etc. Then the Arabs decided to use this spiced meat and turn it into a pilaf, add it into bechamel-based dishes, and other countless ways.

I've decided to omit the rice from this version because I want you to be able to use this as an Every Hashweh for many other recipes. 

That's why I've named this dish the everyday hashweh vs spiced beef or lamb. I want you to be able to use this as a base recipe for stuffing or a topping. I make batches of this and build my weeknight cooking around it. It's a great way to prepare good home-cooked food in under 30 minutes.

So let's get cooking and learn how to make hashweh!

What You'll Need to Make Every hashweh:

To make this recipe you'll need:

• Ground beef or Lamb: If you want to be truly authentic with the Middle Eastern cuisine, you'll be 100% committed to sticking with the lamb-only approach to this recipe. I've made this recipe with lamb only, beef only, or a mixture of both. I love all the variations equally, but my go-to version is a mixture of both lamb and beef to cut down on the cost of preparing this dish.
• Onions: What would a ground meat recipe be if it doesn't include onions? 🤷🏼‍♀️I just can't imagine. I used brown onions when preparing this dish. You can also use red onion. You must dice the onion finely for this recipe to get the best results.
• Ghee: Which we will use briefly to saute the onions and nuts.
• Spice Mixture: The spice mixture in this recipe is a combination of allspice, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger. I used to make this hashwah without ginger, but as I was testing this recipe I felt it just needed something to boost the flavours.
• Garlic: I use lots! About half a head of garlic. I like to grate the garlic into a mortar & pestle and mash it. I find by doing this extra and optional step, the garlic coats the meat and blends into the mixture really well.
• Stock powder: This is an optional ingredient, but it does bring the dish to the next level in flavour. I highly recommend it.
• Pomegranate molasses: This ingredient may not be available everywhere; you may have to order it on Amazon. Be sure to read the ingredient labels of this product; many manufacturers add sugar to the product to cut costs. The real molasses should have nothing but pomegranate and citric acid in the ingredients.
• Pine nuts: You don't need much for the recipe, just 2 tbsp. These nuts are a bit expensive; you can always substitute the pine nuts for almond slivers. I prefer to fry them in a bit of ghee, but any oil will do.

How do you make Everyday Hashweh?

To make this Everyday Hashweh, you'll simply:

1. Prepare the Ingredients:  For simplifying your cooking process, you should prepare all your ingredients before starting.  Dice your onions and parsley, measure out your spices into a small bowl and have your oils, cooking utensils all ready to go. Although this may sound obvious, it's a mistake most people make when approaching a recipe. It's a widespread problem to end up with burnt onions because you were trying to find an uncommon spice or utensil that you needed for the recipe.
2. Saute: Using a teaspoon of ghee, saute the onions until golden brown. Add your meat, break it up into small chunks and brown that too.
3. Add the Flavour:  Add in your spices, stock powder and garlic, give it a few minutes to merge their flavours to the meat and give it a bit of a taste. Once the spices are cooked, add in 1 tablespoon of the pomegranate molasses at a time and taste. Some brands are sweeter, and some are sourer, let your tongue guide you on this one.
4. Fry the nuts: Add ghee to a small frying pan, once warm add your pine nuts. Fry in the ghee until lightly golden and remove from pan and onto a paper towel to soak up the excess ghee.
5. Finishing touch: Once the meat has finished cooking, remove from the heat stir in the parsley and nuts.

Now it's time to figure out what you're going to use the hashwa with.

Hashweh inspiration:

• Fatteh Makdous: The hashweh stuffing is stuffed inside an eggplant then served with tomato and yogurt sauce on a bed of pita chips.
• Chicken Hashweh: Looking to reduce your red meat give this recipe a try!
• Yogurt Pasta: Use your leftover hashweh to top with this yummy recipe.

• 

• 

• 

IF YOU LOVE MEDITERRANEAN RECIPES, Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates and recipes.