Qursan (Najdi Thin Bread Soaked in Chicken and Vegetable Stew)
Local name: قرصان
In short: Thin baked whole wheat discs torn into a dish and soaked with a tomato chicken and vegetable stew, topped with ghee and a chili sauce. It takes about 2 h in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 50 min
- Cook
- 1 h 10 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 2 h
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 600 kcal
Qursan are thin discs of whole wheat bread baked until dry, then torn and soaked in a stew of chicken or lamb with squash, potato and zucchini. The bread softens into the tomato broth like tender dumplings. It is a home dish in Najd, popular in winter and at Ramadan, served in a large dish with a spoon of melted ghee over the top and a hot chili sauce on the side.
Instructions
- Mix the flours and salt, add the oil and enough water to form a firm dough. Knead for 5 minutes, cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 250°C (480°F) with a baking tray inside. Divide the dough into 8 balls and roll each into a thin disc about 22 cm (9 in) wide.
- Bake the discs in batches on the hot tray for 3 to 4 minutes, until dry, lightly spotted and firm. Cool them on a rack.
- Heat the oil in a large pot and brown the chicken for 8 minutes. Add the onions and cook for 6 minutes, then add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes, spices, dried limes, salt and water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the pumpkin and potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes, then the zucchini for 10 minutes more, until the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F).
- Break the bread discs into large pieces and arrange them in a wide deep dish. Ladle over enough hot broth to soak them well.
- Top with the chicken and vegetables and a little more broth. Drizzle with the melted ghee and serve at once with chili sauce.
Tips
- Bake the discs until they are dry but not hard. They must soak up broth without turning to paste, so tear them just before serving.
- Lamb works just as well as chicken but needs about 1 1/2 hours of simmering. For a lighter dish, use less bread and add extra vegetables.
Questions and answers
What is qursan?
A thin whole wheat flatbread from Najd that is baked and then soaked in a vegetable and meat stew, rather than eaten alone.
Can I use store-bought bread?
Yes. Use whole wheat flatbreads or tortillas, toasted until dry, and tear them before soaking.
Can I make qursan ahead?
Bake the discs and make the stew a day ahead. Combine only when serving so the bread keeps some body.
How long does it take to make Qursan (Najdi Thin Bread Soaked in Chicken and Vegetable Stew)?
About 2 h in total: 50 min of preparation and 1 h 10 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Qursan (Najdi Thin Bread Soaked in Chicken and Vegetable Stew)?
About 600 kcal per serving, with 26 g of protein, 62 g of carbohydrates and 27 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 600 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 26 g |
| Carbohydrates | 62 g |
| Fat | 27 g |
| Fiber | 11 g |
| Sugar | 9 g |
| Sodium | 1250 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
