Recipe Manuscript

كبيس

Name: كبيس
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT9H
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1 kg fatty lamb (e.g., lamb shoulder or breast), cut into medium pieces; 150 g dried chickpeas; 150 g hulled wheat (freekeh or wheat berries; substitute pearl barley if unavailable); 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste); 3-4 sticks cinnamon; 2 teaspoons dried coriander; 2 teaspoons ground cumin, plus extra for serving; 1 teaspoon mastic (or omit/sub orange blossom water); 1 small bunch fresh dill (or 2 tablespoons dried dill); 300 g lamb breast/ribs or extra fatty lamb trimmings; Water, enough to cover ingredients; Flatbread, for serving; Ground cinnamon, for sprinkling at serving

"Kabees"

1200

From the treasured pages of Kitāb al-ṭabīkh

Written by Ibn al-Karīm, Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan

Medieval (500 - 1400)Middle Eastern Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1200

Original Manuscript(circa Medieval, 500 - 1400)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

كبيس

"وصنعته ان يقطع اللحم السمين وسطاً ، و يغسل و يلقى في القدر ، وعليه كف حمص وكف حنطة مقشورة وملح حسب الحاجة وعيدان دارصيني وكسفرة يابسة وكمون ومصطكى وطاقات شبت ؛ و يكسر ماؤه. ويجعل مع اللحم اطراف حمل حولي. وتحط القدر في التنور من اول الليل الى بكرة. وترفع ، و يبرد تحتها ثردة يذر عليها الكمون والدارصيني المسحوقين ناعماً وتستعمل."

English Translation

"Its method is to cut the fatty meat into medium pieces, wash it and put it in the pot, along with a handful of chickpeas and a handful of peeled wheat, salt as needed, sticks of cinnamon, dried coriander, cumin, mastic, and bunches of dill; and cover it with water. Put with the meat some pieces from a year-old lamb. Place the pot in the oven from the beginning of the night until morning. Then remove it, and under it place tharid (soaked bread), on which is sprinkled finely ground cumin and cinnamon. Serve."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe is typical of medieval Arabic cookbooks: concise to the point of requiring significant background knowledge. Quantities are implied by 'handfuls' (kaf/kuff), and instructions rely on assumed culinary basics rather than precise directions. Spelling and names (e.g., 'كسفرة' for dried coriander, 'دارصيني' for cinnamon, 'مصطكى' for mastic) reflect the period's orthography and transliteration conventions. The style presumes an experienced cook, familiar with local methods and flavor profiles, comfortable making adjustments based on the quality of meat, grains, and spices on hand.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Kitāb al-ṭabīkh - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Kitāb al-ṭabīkh (1200)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Ibn al-Karīm, Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan

Era

1200

Publisher

Maṭbaʻat Umm al-Rabīʻayn

Background

Step back into the sumptuous kitchens of the medieval Islamic world with this early collection of culinary wisdom. Savor recipes, tips, and gastronomic secrets that once delighted the palates of princes and poets alike.

Kindly made available by

NYU/ American University of Beirut

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from a 13th-century manuscript by Ibn al-Karīm, written in Mosul (al-Mawsil), in the heart of medieval Iraq. The dish is part of the rich culinary heritage of the Abbasid period, where slow-cooked meat stews, abundant with spices and grains, were popular among both the elite and the common folk. These recipes were written when paper was precious and literacy rare, so instructions were often concise, relying on the cook's intuition, familiarity with local ovens (like clay tandoors), and available ingredients.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Cooks in Ibn al-Karīm's era would have used a large, sturdy clay or copper pot, placed directly in the communal oven or tandoor (tabūn) overnight. The bread for the tharda (soaked bread base) would have been made fresh in the same oven. Grinding spices was done by hand using a mortar and pestle, and dried herbs and seasonings stored in earthen jars. Serving was communal, with the stew poured over torn flatbread and diners eating together from a single platter.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

9 hrs

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

2.2 lbs fatty lamb (e.g., lamb shoulder or breast), cut into medium pieces
5.3 oz dried chickpeas
5.3 oz hulled wheat (freekeh or wheat berries; substitute pearl barley if unavailable)
2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
3-4 sticks cinnamon
2 teaspoons dried coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin, plus extra for serving
1 teaspoon mastic (or omit/sub orange blossom water)
1 small bunch fresh dill (or 2 tablespoons dried dill)
10.5 oz lamb breast/ribs or extra fatty lamb trimmings
Water, enough to cover ingredients
Flatbread, for serving
Ground cinnamon, for sprinkling at serving

Instructions

To prepare Kubais as described in this medieval Iraqi recipe, start by cutting about 2.2 lbs of fatty lamb into medium pieces.
Rinse the meat well and place it in a large ovenproof pot or Dutch oven.
Add 5.3 oz each of dried chickpeas and hulled wheat (freekeh or whole wheat berries make a good substitute), along with 2 teaspoons of salt (adjust to taste).
Add 3-4 sticks of cinnamon, 2 teaspoons dried coriander, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon mastic (if unavailable, omit or use a drop of orange blossom water for aroma), and a small bundle of fresh dill (or 2 tablespoons dried dill).
Pour enough water to just cover the meat and grains, then mix in about 10.5 oz of lamb breast/ribs or young lamb trimmings if available.
Put the pot in a low oven (250°F) or, traditionally, a fired oven overnight, for about 8-10 hours, until the meat is soft and the grains are fully cooked.
Serve by placing torn flatbread in a serving dish, ladling the stew over it, and sprinkling on ground cumin and cinnamon before eating.

Estimated Calories

700 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 20 minutes to prepare the ingredients and get everything ready to cook. The dish then needs 8 to 10 hours of cooking in a low oven so the meat becomes tender and the grains are soft. Each serving has around 700 calories, and the whole recipe makes about 6 generous servings.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.