Dinner tonight was Shakshouka. I served it with a gluten free millet chia bun, and some leftover vegetables.
Shakshouka (it can also be spelled shakshuka or chakchouka) is an Israeli and Middle Eastern meal of poached eggs in a simmering tomato sauce with spices. You can make it as spicy or as bland as you like. This dish has existed in Mediterranean cultures for centuries. Tomato-based stews, called shakshouka in the Maghreb, were common throughout the Middle East and former Ottoman Empire. This dish was originally a dish of cooked vegetables with minced meat and liver. Tomato and peppers were introduced to the dish much later both having their origin in the Americas and meatless variations evolved. Jews in the Ottoman Maghreb served a vegetarian variation and Tunisian Jews created spicy versions of Egg Shakshouka.
The exact origins of the dish are disputed. Some food historians believe the dish spread to Spain and the greater Middle East from Ottoman Turkey, while others think it originated in Morocco. According to Haaretz the "original shakshouka" was made with vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, goat meat and fresh garlic. The dish was brought to Israel by Tunisian Jews, where it has become a characteristic feature of the local cuisine. Shakshouka is also typical of North African and Arab cuisine and is traditionally served in a cast iron pan, or in a tajine.
It's very healthy, easy to make, and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. Since it is made with eggs, it is on the breakfast menu in most English - speaking countries, but in Israel, it is also a popular evening meal and it is a national favorite along with hummus and falafel. Shakshouka can be eaten at any meal really, breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Shakshouka
Recipe
Ingredients:
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp chili powder (or more if you like it spicy)
• 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
• 6 large eggs
• salt and pepper, to taste
• Some sprigs of fresh cilantro, chopped
• Some fresh parsley, chopped
• A tablespoon or two of olive oil
Steps:
1. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the chopped bell pepper and onion
and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion becomes translucent.
2. Add garlic and spices (you can also add green chillies or additional spice as you wish) and cook
an additional minute.
3. Pour the can of tomatoes and juice into the pan and break down the tomatoes using a large
spoon.
4. Season with salt and pepper and bring the sauce to a simmer.
5. Use your large spoon to make small wells in the sauce and crack the eggs into each well.
6. Cover the pan and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the eggs are done to your liking.
7. Garnish with chopped cilantro and parsley.
Notes:
* Today I served the shakshouka with a gluten free millet chia bun and some chopped salad of tomatoes, onions, jalapeño chilli and cilantro. I ate the shakshouka on top of the bun as a topping and just by itself with the salad. Hubby had it as a main dish with veggies as an accompaniment. The possibilities are endless!
* If you are crunched for time, you can always open a bottle of Arrabiata or Marinara sauce and spice it up and adjust the sauce to your taste, by adding green chillies, additional garlic, more sautéed onions etc. In these COVID 19 times, I don't get out shopping for groceries as much as I used to, and we adjust to whatever we have at hand, instead of running to the store to pick up one ingredient. Today, I didn't have an abundance of greens as I am used to, I just used what I had. You can also add in some feta cheese or cheese of your choice, but I prefer it without any cheese.
Kommentare