1,000-year-old Iraqi recipe claims to be the 'ultimate hangover cure' (2024)

A big night out is usually followed by a fry-up, a cup of tea and painkillers.

But a Middle Eastern recipe uncovered in a 10th century cookbook could be all you need to cure a hangover.

The 1,000-year-old Iraqi dish involves cooking meat with vegetables and spices, and then adding something known as 'kashk'.

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A Middle Eastern recipe uncovered in a 10th century cookbook could be all you need to cure a hangover. The Iraqi dish involves cooking meat with vegetables and spices, and then adding something known as 'kashk'

Kashk is combination of fermented yoghurt, milk and whey, and is common in Iranian, Turkish, Balkan and Arabic food.

It is the main ingredient in this hangover cure found in ancient book, written by Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq, and translated by Nawal Nasrallah in 'Annals of the Caliphs' Kitchens.'

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'We need to keep in mind that people in medieval times believed in the Galenic theory of the four humors — blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile, and their properties, of cold, hot, humid, and dry,' Ms Nasrallah told MailOnline.

'The rationale was that with its cold properties, easy digestion, and nourishing power, it helped alleviate the hangovers - usually people suffer from excess heat in the head and stomach.'

The book claims that eating cabbage before drinking prevents you from getting too drunk.

To make Kishkiyya, you cook lamb with some vegetables and spices such as coriander and cumin. Today, Kishkiyya is still cooked in the same way, mostly in northern Iraq and the Levant

It also advises eating snacks between drinks to slow down the effects of alcohol.

'You need to know that drinking cold water first thing in the morning is recommended only for people suffering from…hangovers,' Al-Warraq wrote.

'However, they should avoid drinking it in one big gulp. Rather, they need to have it in several small doses and breathe deeply between one dose and the other.'

Historians believe that al-Warraq’s Kitab al-Tabikh, or 'The Cooking Book,' is the oldest cookbook in the Arab world.

Al-Warraq says that sips of coldwater should be followed up with Kishkiyya, an ancient meat and chickpea stew.

To make Kishkiyya, you cook the meat – usually lamb – with some vegetables and spices such as coriander and cumin. You then let it boil.

The Kashk, also known as Kishk, is added and the dish left to simmer and rest on the remaining heat.

In the book, Al-Warraq cites an older poem about the dishes ability to cure a hangover.

Kashk is combination of fermented yoghurt, milk and whey. It is the main ingredient in this hangover (left) recipe found in ancient book, written by Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq, and translated by Iraqi scholar Nawal Nasrallah in her book, 'Annals of the Caliphs' Kitchens (right)

'The nourishing dish to have when in the gripes of a hangover one craves some food.

'Having eaten it intoxicated one will be all anew and the hangover will itself renew,' the poem stated.

'In 10th Century Iraq, people did not drink alcohol while eating the meal as the custom is today, and even drinking water while eating was discouraged,' Ms Nasrallah told MailOnline.

'The full meal was composed of condiments, fermented and unfermented served with bread, followed by cold dishes, and then the serious stuff - the hot meal.

'Sweets, but not fruits, were encouraged after the meal as they thought that with their hot properties they aid digestion.

'Drinking wines (for those who imbibed it) was done in drinking sessions after the meal. Their physicians believed that it had the power to aid digestion.'

Today, Kishkiyya is still cooked in the same way, mostly in northern Iraq and the Levant.

RECIPE FOR KISHKIYYA: 'THE ULTIMATE HANGOVER CURE'

Ingredients

3lbs of meat, 1/2 lb of chopped onion, 4 ounces of fresh herbs, a handful of chickpeas,1 piece of galangal,1/2 cup of olive oil, seasonal green vegetables, khask (or plain yogurt as a substitute), the juce of unripe sour grapes,6 grams of cumin,6 grams cassia,1 gram cloves,1 gram spikenard (or other aromatic root-based oil).

Cooking Directions

Translated from Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq's cookbook:

Wash 3lbs meat and put it in a pot. Add 1/2lb chopped onion, 4 ounces fresh herbs, a handful of chickpeas, 1 piece galangal, and 1/2 cup olive oil.

Pour water enough to submerge the ingredients in the pot. Let the pot cook until meat is almost done. Add any of the seasonal green vegetables and a little chard.

When everything in the pot is cooked, add 1/2 of kashk.

Pound them into fine powder and dissolve them in 2 cups juice of unripe sour grapes. Add it to the cooking pot.

When kashk is done, add 6 grams cumin and an equal amount of cassia.

Add a handful of finely chopped onion. Do not stir the pot. When the onion cooks and falls apart, add to the pot 1 gram cloves and a similar amount of spikenard.

Stop fueling the fire, let the pot simmer and rest on the remaining heat, then take it down.

This is how to make basic kishkiyya and it can substitute for all other kinds. However, you might add variety by making it less or more sour, to suit your taste, and putting whatever other vegetables you prefer.

Translated recipe for kashk:

After you boil wheat and dry it, crush it coarsely and winnow it to get rid of all bran and finely ground grains (duqaq).

Knead the sifted grains with enough hot water, and a small amount of yeast. Put the dough in a tub and leave it exposed to the sun.

Uncover it during the day and cover it during the night. Do this for six-days or more until it becomes intensely sour.

Finely chop as many kinds of herbs as you like. However, you should avoid endive and watercress because they are not good [with kishk]. Use a lot of tender-leaf leeks, cilantro, and rue.

If you prefer to use finely chopped small round onions, do so by all means. You can also add eggplant, gourd, and cabbage. All these will make it quite delicious.

Now add small and sour plum. Sour grape juice will be good, too. Knead together all the ingredients very well and leave the dough in a sunny place for five days.

Then divide it into portions, which you shape into discs and set aside to dry out. When completely dry, thread them into necklace-like links, and hang them [for storage].

If you like, you can substitute water [used in kneading the grains] with defatted sour yogurt. In this case, of all the herbs mentioned above, use only cultivated mint and parsley.

1,000-year-old Iraqi recipe claims to be the 'ultimate hangover cure' (2024)

FAQs

What are the 4 ingredients in the hangover cure? ›

The doctor recommends a concoction of vitamin B complex, magnesium, folic acid, and electrolytes to cure a hangover. Hangovers may seem like a minor inconvenience, but they can actually be dangerous, resulting in symptoms that can severely impair you.

What is the only proven hangover remedy? ›

Time is the only sure cure for a hangover. Symptoms can last up to 24 hours.

What is the hangover cure ingredient? ›

Good-for-you ingredients like citrus juice to clean out your liver and enzymes to put your stomach at ease fill this simple drink. The combination of coconut water, apple, pineapple, and mint is tasty, too, so this can become a regular cure.

What is the only real cure for intoxication and hangovers? ›

Myth: Certain actions, such as drinking coffee or taking a shower, can prevent or cure a hangover. Fact: The only way to completely avoid a hangover is to not drink alcohol at all or to keep alcohol intake to a minimum. There is no cure for a hangover other than time.

What is the best secret hangover cure? ›

Hangover Remedies
  • Rehydrate the Right Way. ...
  • Consume Complex Carbs. ...
  • Take an Anti-Inflammatory. ...
  • Get Some Ginger. ...
  • Replenish Your B Vitamins and Zinc. ...
  • Sleep It Off.
Jan 12, 2024

What is best drink for hangover? ›

What drink helps with a hangover? Water. It's close at hand and helps relieve dehydration. You also can try electrolyte-rich sports drinks, juice, broth, and other liquids that your stomach can tolerate.

Is Coke good for a hangover? ›

"When you're hungover, you need to hydrate your body. The way you feel – that headache – it's mostly caused by dehydration. Something like Coca-Cola has lots of sugar and fluids and will put those back into your body to get your energy levels up. The caffeine will also give you an energy boost."

What is the best alcohol to drink that won t give you a hangover? ›

Vodka is known to be the best alcoholic beverage for the most minimal hangover. Gin, light rum and white wine are runner-ups—with brandy and whiskey being at the bottom of the list.

Does apple cider vinegar prevent hangover? ›

Start your morning with 1 or 2 ounces of apple cider vinegar, diluted with 6 to 8 ounces of warm water. The vinegar has a natural diuretic effect that can help combat morning-after fluid retention, and it can help to stabilize blood sugar levels, which can be shaky after a night of drinking.

Is Gatorade good for a hangover? ›

Alcohol acts as a diuretic, meaning that it causes the body to lose water. Although replacing the lost water won't cure your hangover, it will make it less painful. Try Gatorade or another sports drink to replenish lost electrolytes and get a bit of sugar at the same time.

What is hair of the dog hangover cure? ›

The “hair of the dog” is a hangover remedy that involves drinking more alcohol to reduce hangover symptoms. While it may offer temporary relief, it only delays the inevitable, as the hangover will return once you stop drinking. This method may also increase your risk of alcoholism and is not recommended.

How did Romans cure hangovers? ›

According to the ancient Romans and Greeks, cabbage and brussels sprouts are a natural cure for hangovers. Simply eat cabbage to counteract the effects of too much wine. The wisdom supposedly behind this was that grape vines and cabbage plants were natural “enemies”.

What is the drug called that makes you sick if you drink alcohol? ›

Disulfiram is a medication that is used to treat alcohol use disorder. Disulfiram works by blocking the breakdown of alcohol in the body. This leads to buildup of a toxic alcohol-related compound that can cause people who drink alcohol while taking this medication to become very sick.

Why do hangovers get worse with age? ›

If you're feeling the negative effects of a hangover getting worse with age, these are some of the causes: Alcohol is harder to metabolize as you get older. Your liver is slower to process alcohol, extending the hangover effects. The level of body water decrease with age not allowing alcohol to dilute the same way.

What is the Tiktok hangover cure drink? ›

In the over 90-second video, she combines four items for her miracle cure: sparkling water, coconut water, lime, and black salt. She first pours the carbonated water into a large glass, then tops it off with boxed coconut water, a beverage heralded for its hydrating properties.

What can I take before drinking alcohol to prevent a hangover? ›

How to Prevent Hangovers
  1. Drink enough water. ...
  2. Get enough sleep. ...
  3. Eat a greasy breakfast. ...
  4. Watch what you're drinking. ...
  5. Avoid congeners and carbonation. ...
  6. Eat eggs, honey and bland carbohydrates. ...
  7. Try milk thistle. ...
  8. Take Pepto-Bismol.

What can I drink before bed to prevent hangover? ›

A doctor would probably never recommend this, but personally, I have found taking two ibuprofen and drinking a bottle of water before bed to be the best hangover prevention. If you are still thirsty, drink as much water as you can handle and when you wake up, presto!

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