This is one of the most exquisite traditional Lebanese Meals. In the old days people would use every piece of the sheep – waste not, want not. After making sure they used all the meat for cooking in many different ways, they used the wool, the head, the bones, etc… and even the intestines. They found a way to stuff it and cook it in a DELICIOUS recipe. When my mother used to make it, every body knew that she was making Fwaregh for lunch, because while cooking, this meal has a very special and nice aroma.
The main work consists of cleaning the intestines. It has to be washed in running water several times. The extra fat stocking on the sides shall be removed, keeping the small parts because it helps keep it moist while cooking. After washing (from inside and outside) it should be rubbed with salt and water, then soak in water and white vinegar for an hour (1 cup of vinegar for 4 cups of water). Now it is ready for stuffing and cooking.
Ingredients: (for two whole intestines):
- 300 grams of minced meat, beef or lamb (I used beef)
- 2 cups of small grain rice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon seven spices
- 1 cup of soaked chick peas ( or 1 cup of pine seeds, as you desire)
- 1 medium onion, choppped
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 peeled onion
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
Preparation:
- Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the meat for few minutes ( until it changes color only)
- Wash the rice, mix it with meat, chopped onion, chick peas then add the salt and spices
- Hold the intestine from the smaller end, then start stuffing, pushing it into the opening of the intestines with your thumb. This way, when you finish stuffing the intestine will be inside out
- When all the quantity is finished, place them in a large bowl and wash them again, now they are ready to be cooked
- Place the stuffed intestines in a large pot, cover with a lot of water and boil on a high fire. Remove the white foam formed on the top, add 1 peeled onion, cinnamon stick,salt, 3 bay leaves and cook on a very reduced flame for about 45 minutes, until the intestines are tender
- Serve it with crushed 2 cloves of garlic mixed with 1/2 teaspoon salt, juice of 2 lemons and few drops of extra virgin olive oil, or with red vinegar.
ET VOILA… C’EST TOUT  🙂
Tabkhet el yom 
where did you get the intestines from , please? x
I bring it from the butcher. But I usually I make the order ahead of time. It takes two days.
When I was a child, we to prepared these………German style…..you made me remember those wonderful times!
Glad to know that. Indeed it is a very special recipe, and requires patience to make it.. 🙂
My stand mixer has an attachment you can buy that will stuff the sausages for you. Someday I’d like to try! I wonder how easy it would be to buy lamb casings here…I think pork casings are more common in the US, but I don’t know how easy even THAT is to find. Sounds like it would be hard to stuff by hand but I am sure it’s one of those things with “practice practice practice”!
Hi Sara, it is good that your mixer can do that :). But I can assure you that stuffing by hand is not very difficult. Once you can start and turn the intestine inside out, the remaining is much easier. You should only be patient at the beginning. And I assure you it is worth trying 🙂