My first chamim/adafina this season

Mrs Bissli

Mon, Oct 27 2008, 8:15 am

sorry for resuscitating an old thread, but I made the first chamim of the season
for shabbat bereshit. It's parve, doesn't contain potatoes so freezes/reheats well.
DH and kids are not big chamim eaters so this serves 6 (or about 4 eager eaters),
possibly leftovers.

1 cup each, beans (I usually use pinto beans, the pink mottled ones) AND chickpeas
1 cup wheat berries (can be substituted with barley though it gets a bit softer/mushier)
2 large onions
1 carrot
1 rib celery (supposed to make the beans less "musical")
1 tbsp oil
3 dates (madjool is the best)
1 tbsp soy sauce (or substitute with onion soup mix)
cumin seeds, paprika, cinnamon, harissa, s&p
2-3 veggie burger (the kind made with soya/wheat protein, not bean/potato based ones)

1) Soak beans and wheat berries overnight with plenty of water. Drain and rinse with fresh water.
2) Chop onions, carrot and celery. Sautee onions, cumin seeds (about 1/2 teasp) and a dash or two
of salt (hastens cooking) in oil till onions are browned--this takes a bit of time, can cook only till its
transparent if you're in a hurry but it definitely tastes better if onions are somewhat caramelised.
Add carrots and celery, cook over low flame for another 3-5min.
3) Add beans/chickpeas, wheatberries and dates (remove pits, don't chop up). Season with
soy sauce, LOTS of paprika, harissa, cinnamon, salt & pepper to taste.
4) Add water to about 1-2inches above beans/wheat berries. Rapidly boil for at least 20min.
Add the whole veggie burgers straight from the freezer on top.
Make sure you have a bit more than 1inch water remaining before closing the lid tightly and
placing on blech. Break veggie burgers into pieces before serving.

You can also add eggs in shells, pitted olives, meat, potato/sweetpotato.
You can also use allspice instead of cinnamon, skip harissa, etc etc.
If using canned beans/chickpeas, just boil wheat berries for 10-15min in 3), add beans at the
same time as veggie burgers.

It's a bit hard to give exact amount of water to use, as it depends with the pot you're using.
I like mine with more "gravy".