ربيعية

"(Rabee'iyya) is made by cutting fatty meat into small pieces, frying lamb fat, and stirring the meat in the fat with a little salt and finely ground dried coriander. When the meat turns red, cover it with water, add fresh coriander leaves, and a few thinly carved sticks of cinnamon. When it boils, skim off the foam and add meatballs made from red meat pounded finely with spices. Add a handful of soaked chickpeas split in halves, a handful of fresh peeled fava beans also split in halves, and half a handful of jujubes, then stir. When it is cooked, add as needed salt, cumin, pepper, mastic, and ginger, all pounded finely. Then add egg yolks on top, sprinkle the surface with a little rose water, and dust about a dirham's weight of finely ground cinnamon on top. Let it simmer on the fire for an hour before removing."

The recipe is written in a narrative, almost poetic style common to medieval Arabic cookbooks. Quantities are approximate or measured by the handful, with an expectation of the cook’s practiced intuition. Ingredient names use regional terms from the medieval Iraqi dialect, and spices like 'مصطكى' (mastic) are mentioned without further description, assuming the reader’s familiarity. The process and sequence reflect the oral tradition, with instructions flowing in the order the cook would complete them, and with variations possible according to availability—a style that invites adaptation yet preserves the intended spirit and flavors.