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Ancient Babylonian Vegetable Stew

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Translated from Yale's Babylonian Collection tablet YBC 4644, this ancient vegetable stew showcases how Mesopotamian cooks worked with simple ingredients to create nourishing dishes. While meat-based recipes often got more attention in historical records, this humble vegetable stew demonstrates that plant-based cooking has been part of human cuisine for millennia.

Prep 00:20
Cook 00:40
Total 01:00
Yield 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 leeks, chopped
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 shallots, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup dried turnips (or fresh, diced)
  • 1 cup lentils, soaked
  • 2 cups beer (ancient-style thick beer, can substitute vegetable broth)
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons oil or butter
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 2 tablespoons sourdough breadcrumbs (for thickening)

Instructions

  1. 1
    Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat
  2. 2
    Add leeks, onion, and shallots to the pot
  3. 3
    Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes
  4. 4
    Add garlic and cook until fragrant
  5. 5
    Add turnips and lentils to the pot
  6. 6
    Pour in the beer and water
  7. 7
    Add salt, cumin, and coriander
  8. 8
    Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer
  9. 9
    Cook until lentils and turnips are tender, about 30-40 minutes
  10. 10
    Add breadcrumbs to thicken the stew
  11. 11
    Stir in chopped cilantro
  12. 12
    Simmer for an additional 5 minutes
  13. 13
    Taste and adjust seasoning as needed
Category
Soups
Cuisine
Middle Eastern
Calories
185 kcal
Protein
8.0 g
Fat
5.0 g
Carbs
28.0 g

Recipe Attribution

The Oldest Cuisine in the World: Cooking in Mesopotamia

by Jean Bottéro

This recipe is adapted from translations of Yale Babylonian Collection's tablet YBC 4644. The original text was written in cuneiform script on a clay tablet dating to approximately 1750 BCE. Modern measurements and techniques have been added for clarity.