Algerian Cuisine Cuisine Algerienne by Farid ZADI

The Algerian Table

I'll post recipes soon. I wanted to quickly add that depending on the region and the particular table of course, harissa and fresh tomato sauce are common to the Algerian table. Diners can choose the heat level of their dishes. The tomato sauce can be piquant or sweet, it's used sort of like a Mexican salsa. Salt is usually on the table as well, especially when fava beans are served. Algerians eat alot of fresh salads of mixed wild greens. Think of sorrel, mache or arugula, purslane, dandelion greens, watercress, mustard greens and milder, sweeter lettuces. We also eat alot of refreshing orange and onion salads.

Crevett Mekli (Qamrone) Mekli, Crevettes Sautees, Algerian Sauteed Shrimp

In Los Angeles whole shrimp with roe are easiest to find at East Asian markets. If you are accustomed to eating shelled shrimp you are missing lots of flavor.

Algerian cooking is always about flavor, even the simple dishes will have depth of flavor. The Algerian way of eating is always about enjoying the food. There is none of the French politesse or puritanical parsimony.

An Algerian feast possibly looks shockingly excessive to others. I do not know, because I am a native. Okay, born in France, but I am still ALGERIAN.

Ingredients:

1 kilo of whole shrimp with heads on, thees are about the size my index finger
2 fresh hot red chilis, sliced into rounds
3 cloves of garlic minced
2 shallots or 1/2 a small onion chopped
Olive and butter
2 lemons cut into quarters

Method:

1) Rinse and drain the shrimp

2) Saute the chilis and shallots in olive and butter over medium heat until they start to soften, be generous with the olive oil and butter. You'll have more sauce!

3) Add the garlic, cook for a few minutes. Turn up the heat to high, add the shrimp, season with salt and cook until they just curl up. Do not over cook.

A variation of this is add some fresh chopped tomatoes to serve over pasta or with rice. As usual you can add spices or not to this dish. Squeeze on the lemon juice before eating.

Djej bil Qara, Algerian Chicken with Pumpkin, Poulet a la Citrouille

This is a very simple recipe. The sauce is mild and delicate. It's a non-recipe really. I cooked 2 whole chickens, but the recipe obviously works with 1 chicken!

Ingredients:

2 whole chickens

2 whole large onions, grated or pureed in a blender with some water

2-3 cups of pumpkin, cut into small pieces

Spices that work for the dish are my ras el hanout blend, saffron, turmeric, cinnamon or nutmeg just to name a few. You can omit spices entirely and the dish will still be delicious.

This dish can be cooked using different Algerian cooking techniques for chicken that I've posted before.

Method:

1) Put all the ingredients in a big pot with about 1- 1/2 cups of water, season with salt and pepper, add spices if you will be using them.. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

Lham bil Zitoun, Algerian Lamb with Olives, Viande aux Olives

I'm sure the scholars are cringing when it comes to my "sloppy" transliterations. I promise it will be more consistent in my book. But for this blog I am using more common transliterations for Algerians so that key word searches point here.

This is definitely a dish for lovers of fatty cuts of meat and briny olives. If you are hesitant about trying this dish because of the amount of olives, you can cut back the amount to your liking. Algerian cooks might not boil or soak the olives before adding them to the dish, but you can if you think adding the olives straight would be too salty for your palate.

 

You can use meat from the shoulder or leg. For me the fattiness of the ribs contrasts deliciously with the briny olives. Also the dish is cooked very slowly and the bones add a depth of flavor to the sauce that cubes of boneless meat cannot.

 

Book of Rai Food Forum

Book of Rai Food Forum

Book of Rai forum seeks to foster cross-cultural, inter-disciplinary dialogues about food. It evolved from the multi-author blog “Ya Rayi Our Rai" I coordinate. The blog evolved from frustrations with certain food forums. So why start another one? I feel there is a place for a more inclusive and focused forum with hosts and moderators who are passionate about their fields of interest.

If you would like to be host or moderator contact any existing host or moderator via PM or email. It’s as simple as that. Post about what you know, if you don’t know ask a question.

Algerian Revolution Day

Article in the Seoul Times.

Amb. Abdelmounaam Ahriz of Algeria hosted a reception Nov. 17 at Lotte Hotel in downtown Seoul to mark the 50th anniversary of the November 1 Revolution Day.

Attending the event were more than 200 prominent guests from local and foreign communities in Korea including Minister of Health and Welfare Kim Geun-Tae and members of diplomatic corps accredited to Korea.

The article was published on November 4, 2005 but the above reference is to last year's party. When I worked in Seoul I knew the previous Algerian ambassador. I knew many of the European, African and Latin American diplomats, and employees of embassies, foreign chambers of commerce and international corporations. In my experience the ability to speak French and English were a huge benefit working abroad. Almost all the major hotel executive chefs were French, Swiss or German and the place I ran was a foreign chefs hangout. I also had alot of American military officers who were customers.

I mention this because I thought it might be of interest to the North African, Middle Eastern and Muslim readers in particular. In my world being a Muslim French chef has worked out just fine.

Algerian Semolina Sugar Cookies, Petits Gateaux au Sucre

I'm not sure what these cookies are called in Algerian. I think they might be called Ghribiyia b's-smid or Boussou la tmessou. I need feedback on this. This is a very simple recipe. The semolina actually produces a lighter sugar cookie than regular flour. You can use the photos for this recipe to guide you with the previous cookie recipes I posted.

Ingredients:

1 kg of semolina flour
1 kg de semoule

3 eggs separated
3 oeufs

750 gr of sugar
750 gr de sucre

2 sticks of butter softened
225 gr de beurre

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
1 cuillere a soupe de vanille

If you add a teaspoon of baking soda the cookies will be lighter.

Water
Eau