An Algerian kitchen...

is what I have to play in, nothing fancy... just a typically old fashioned un-modernised Algerian kitchen. I have a cooker, a fridge and a sink. No cupboards, no units, and one ramshackle little work surface. And it's okay,   at the moment, it's what we have and we work with it. 

What comes out of my kitchen these days is also typically more Algerian than it used to be. I suppose the reasons for this are twofold... my dh and children (well, most of them) enjoy, if not prefer Algerian food... and it's easier on the purse. And actually thinking about it more it's probably more conducive to eating sunnah than English food is.

What can't be achieved in the way of rolling, kneading and prepping in this small, unequipped space, gets done at the dinner table or on the small table we sometimes use to eat from.

Earlier last week I finally tackled a dish I've been meaning to make for AGES, and had just never gotten round to. So both I and one of the big girls got set making M'semmen for Shakshoukha B'sekra... 

The premise of Shakshoukha B'sekra is, that its a meat or chicken sauce poured over ripped up M'semmen. And let me tell you it's not for the faint hearted, to prepare something as labour intensive as M'semmen only to rip it all up once you've finished is no joking matter. But, it is something the kids can get involved in quite happily.

We made a big enough batch to last two days and we were very happy bunnies mashallah.

I'm happier cooking Algerian food than I used to be, techniques become easier and it's satisfying achieving something off your own back. 

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I did attempt to take better pictures of our finished dish, but they were eager to eat, and quite frankly who was I to argue with hungry people?

If you're not familiar with making M'semmen you can find an excellent tutorial here 

And my sauce recipe goes something like this...

In a large cooking pot, put 3 large spoons of oil, and a large spoon of smen.

Add to it, 3 grated onions and a jointed chicken.

Then, add 4 generous sized garlic cloves, also grated... 4 grated tomatoes and 2 large spoons of tomato puree.

Add also, 1/2 a tsp of black pepper, 1 tsp of paprika, 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, 1tsp ras-al-hanoot, and salt.

If you like you can also add dried red chilies (we had three in ours!) And a couple of handfuls of chickpeas.

then whack up the heat a bit and let it all do it's stuff on a moderate heat for about 45 minutes. Some people I know add courgettes to the sauce, others just potatoes. Some nothing but the chicken and merqa dress the ripped up M'semmen. As you like... 

Once it's cooked put your ripped up bits of M'semmen on a bog serving plate and soak liberally with sauce, and dress with  the chicken.... It is delicious and we're planning a Shakshoukha B'sekra feast for Friday inshallah....