Keşkek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ceremonial Keşkek tradition, Keške |
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UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
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A Keşkek meal from Tokat, Turkey
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| Country | Turkey |
| Reference | 388 |
| Region | Europe and North America |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2011 (6th session) |
Keşkek, also known as Kashkak, Kashkek, Keške and Helîse is a sort of ceremonial meat or chicken and wheat or barley stew found in Turkish, Iranian, Greek and Balkan cuisines.
In 2011, Keşkek was confirmed to be an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Turkey by UNESCO.
History
The first reference detected so far to the dish in a written source can be found in a copy of Danishmendname dating back to 1360. It is documented in Iran and Greater Syria as early as the 15th century and it is still consumed by many Iranians around the world.
The origins of this dish ultimately allude to Kashk, which, in 16th- to 18th-century Iran had sheep's milk added to wheat or barley flour and meat, mixed in equal parts. Keşkek is traditional for wedding meals in Turkey.
Under the name of κεσκέκ, κεσκέκι and κισκέκ (keskék, keskéki, and kiskék), it is a festival dish in Lesbos and among Pontian Greeks. In Lesbos, keşkek is prepared on summer nights when a ceremonial bull is being slaughtered, which is then cooked overnight and eaten next day with wheat.
Keşkek is called "haşıl" in Northeast and Middle Anatolia regions in Turkey. In Turkey, it is a common dish and frequently consumed during religious festivals, weddings or funerals, which is also the case for Iran.
The Slavic word kasha may have been borrowed from the Persian کَشک : kishk.
Keşkek is known as harissa in Armenia. Harissa bears very strong similarities to keşkek in terms of its preparation and cooking process, however harissa is associated with quite different symbolic meanings as compared to keşkek.
See also
In Spanish: Keşkek para niños
