Ancient Babylonian Vegetable Stew
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.
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)
- Prep:
- 00:20
- Cook:
- 00:40
- Total:
- 01:00
- Yield:
- 6 servings
Instructions
-
1Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat
-
2Add leeks, onion, and shallots to the pot
-
3Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes
-
4Add garlic and cook until fragrant
-
5Add turnips and lentils to the pot
-
6Pour in the beer and water
-
7Add salt, cumin, and coriander
-
8Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer
-
9Cook until lentils and turnips are tender, about 30-40 minutes
-
10Add breadcrumbs to thicken the stew
-
11Stir in chopped cilantro
-
12Simmer for an additional 5 minutes
-
13Taste and adjust seasoning as needed
- Category
- Soups
- Cuisine
- Middle Eastern
Recipe Attribution
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.
Printed from recipe.exchange
https://recipe.exchange/recipes/01JGDG9WA4P68TN1B9W9SHEGPR
Printed on January 14, 2025