Talbina — Barley Porridge with Milk and Honey
A creamy porridge of barley flour cooked slowly in milk, lightly sweetened with honey. It is said to resemble milk in its gentleness; it was given to the sick, the bereaved, to those with a heavy heart.
A creamy porridge of barley flour cooked slowly in milk, lightly sweetened with honey. It is said to resemble milk in its gentleness; it was given to the sick, the bereaved, to those with a heavy heart.
When the heart is heavy and grief weighs upon the house, warm the milk and stir in the barley flour, gently, stirring constantly so it does not burn. It is called talbina because it resembles laban, milk, in its whiteness and gentleness. Add a spoonful of honey, and give it warm to the afflicted: it soothes and gladdens the heart of the sufferer. Trust one who has watched much and wept much.
- •Whole barley flour — a good spoonful (thickener)
- •Milk — a bowl (cooking liquid)
- •Honey — a drizzle (sweetness)
Talbina — Barley Porridge with Milk and Honey
A creamy porridge of barley flour cooked slowly in milk, lightly sweetened with honey. It is said to resemble milk in its gentleness; it was given to the sick, the bereaved, to those with a heavy heart.
Why this dish? Talbina is recommended in prophetic tradition as a soother of sorrow and illness — 'talbina comforts the heart of the afflicted.' Ali, who experienced bereavements and civil wars, belonged to the very household from which this gentle remedy comes.
When the heart is heavy and grief weighs upon the house, warm the milk and stir in the barley flour, gently, stirring constantly so it does not burn. It is called talbina because it resembles laban, milk, in its whiteness and gentleness. Add a spoonful of honey, and give it warm to the afflicted: it soothes and gladdens the heart of the sufferer. Trust one who has watched much and wept much.
Ingredients (period version)
- Whole barley flour — a good spoonful (thickener)
- Milk — a bowl (cooking liquid)
- Honey — a drizzle (sweetness)
Ingredients
- Barley flour (or ground barley bran) — 2 tbsp (thickener)
- Milk — 250 ml (cooking liquid)
- Water — 100 ml (to thin the porridge)
- Honey — 1 to 2 tsp (sweetness)
Method
- Mix the barley flour with cold water to prevent lumps.
- Pour the milk into a saucepan, add the barley mixture.
- Heat over low heat, stirring constantly for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
- Remove from heat, let cool for a minute, then stir in the honey.
- Serve warm in a bowl, optionally sprinkled with a little cinnamon.
How it was made : Talbina (from laban, milk) is a medicinal food attested in hadiths, made of barley flour or bran cooked with milk and sometimes sweetened with honey. It was given to the sick and grieving for its soothing and nourishing properties — a digestible porridge at a time when barley healed as much as it fed.
The contemporary twist : A pinch of cinnamon or a few dried rose petals on top transforms this ancient remedy into a very contemporary comforting bowl.
Ali ibn Abi Talib · Charactorium