In Medieval Spain, Jews ate a pounded porridge of wheat and chopped meat called harissa on Shabbat that was of Persian Sassanian origin, writes culinary scholar Claudia Roden in “The Book of Jewish Food: An Odyssey From Samarkand to New York.” Dishes by the same name, historically, were served in Iraqi, Persian, Syrian, and Sephardic homes, but recipes vary, she adds, with some using wheat and others rice. Mutton is commonly called for, but chicken is used in some traditions. In Sharon’s family, a dish by the same name is made with a whole chicken and the wheat isn’t mashed, instead it holds on to its nutty quality and structure. Be sure to start preparing the dish the day before you plan to eat it as it cooks through the night. 

This recipe was shared by Adeena Bleich and Sharon Fargo. Read more about their family in "The Lentils That Sustained a Family as They Fled Syria" and try their recipe for shorbat adas (Syrian red lentil soup).