Keshk is Egyptian fermented yogurt and flour soup — a creamy, tangy porridge made by simmering fermented keshk (dried yogurt-flour mixture) with chicken broth and caramelized onion. An ancient Egyptian dish.
Keshk is one of the oldest dishes in Egyptian cuisine, with roots in ancient Egypt. The keshk itself (fermented milk and grain, dried and crumbled) is a preservation method that predates refrigeration by millennia. The Egyptian version uses flour (not bulgur, as in the Turkish/Levantine versions).
A creamy, pale, slightly tangy porridge with a pool of golden caramelized onion and butter on top. The texture is smooth and comforting; the flavor is sour-savory with a sweet onion finish.
Keshk's fermentation (lactic acid bacteria converting lactose to lactic acid) gives it the characteristic tang. When simmered, the flour's starches gelatinize, creating the thick porridge consistency. The chicken broth provides umami (glutamate) that balances the acidity.
Variations
Some add shredded chicken; the consistency varies from soup to porridge; some add garlic.
On the Palate
Where Keshk Egyptian sits in the Egyptian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4How it's made
6 steps · 45 min active + 15 min waiting
- 110 min
Reconstitute dried keshk in warm water (or mix yogurt with flour).
- 25 min
Bring chicken broth to a simmer.
- 315 min
Whisk in the keshk mixture; cook 15 min until thick.
Watch outWhisk the keshk in slowly and stir as it thickens — dumped in fast it clumps, and left unstirred the starch scorches on the bottom.
- 410 min
Sauté onion in butter until deep golden brown.
Watch outTake the onions all the way to deep brown, not just golden — that near-caramel color is where the sweet, savory depth comes from; pull them pale and the dish stays flat.
- 51 min
Pour the onion and its butter over the keshk porridge.
- 61 min
Season with salt; serve hot.
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