Hashweh
حشوة·(hash-weh)
MEAL PREP
Hashweh translates to "stuffing" in Arabic. For generations across the Levant, this deeply savory, cinnamon-laced rice and minced meat was packed into festive roasted poultry or whole lambs. But the stuffing was always the best part, eventually escaping the bird to become a standalone comfort food. By leveraging garlic-infused oil and the sharp bite of scallion greens, the savory baseline is captured without the gastrointestinal fallout. It's a one-pot savior that takes under ten minutes to assemble, fills the kitchen with the warm aroma of allspice, and genuinely tastes better reheated on a tired Wednesday.
Ingredients
- pine nuts1/4 cup
- garlic-infused olive oil1 tbsp
- lean ground beef or lamb1 lb
- scallion greens1 bunch
- ground allspice2 tsp
- ground cinnamon1 tsp
- ground cumin1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- freshly ground black pepper1/4 tsp
- Basmati rice1 cup
- low-FODMAP chicken broth or water2 cup
- fresh parsley1 small handful
Method
- 01
Toast the nuts in a dry pot.
Place a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and toast, tossing frequently, until they are golden brown and fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Immediately transfer the nuts to a small bowl and set aside—doing this first saves you from washing a separate skillet later.
- 02
Brown the meat with the spices and aromatics.
Return the pot to medium-high heat and pour in the garlic-infused olive oil. Add the ground beef, sliced scallion greens, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Cook, using a wooden spoon to break the meat into very small crumbles, until the meat is browned and the spices are intensely fragrant, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- 03
Add the rice and liquid, then reduce to a simmer.
Pour the rinsed Basmati rice into the pot, stirring well to coat the grains in the spiced meat fat. Pour in the broth or water and bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid.
- 04
Let it simmer undisturbed, then rest before serving.
Simmer for 20 minutes without opening the lid. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit, still covered, for 5 minutes to allow the steam to finish fluffing the rice. Remove the lid, fluff gently with a fork, and scatter the reserved toasted pine nuts and fresh parsley over the top.
Notes
Why this swap? Ditching the onion.
Traditional Hashweh begins with a massive pile of chopped white onions, a major source of water-soluble fructans. By swapping them out for the dark green tops of scallions, we keep the savory onion flavor while leaving the FODMAPs behind. The garlic-infused oil does the rest of the heavy lifting; because fructans are not oil-soluble, the infusion gives you the pungent depth of garlic with zero gastrointestinal fallout.
Why this swap? Portioning the pine nuts.
Pine nuts are the authentic, crowning glory of this dish, but they are a classic example of Monash's portion-control rules. They are perfectly low-FODMAP at 1 tablespoon (14 grams) per serving, but contain fructans in much larger amounts. This recipe divides a quarter cup across four servings, keeping you safely in the green zone while still providing that essential, buttery crunch.
Non-FODMAP gut irritants: High fat.
This is a richer dish, and for some readers, the fat content itself can be a trigger even when the FODMAP load is fine. Ground meat, olive oil, and nuts create a dense caloric matrix. Pair this with a lighter side, like a simple cucumber and tomato salad dressed in lemon juice, and consume a smaller portion if your system is currently sensitive to fats.