Stuffed Peppers and Onions

My grandmother “Yayya” who passed away few years ago (May Allah

bless her soul) lived in a village. My mother told me so many stories

about how brave she was. The image I had of her was:  petite, old

but very soft hearted. My mother told me how she captured and killed

snakes when they appeared in the neighbourhood. “ Young men looked

“dry”( an expression meaning they go white!) at the sight of the snakes!” she says, “but Yayya has always been calm.” I saw her killing a snake once while on holiday in the village. Yayya was old but brave, intelligent and full of experience.

My son saw the picture of my stuffed peppers and he said:” They look

wrinkly!”. I said “They are mature, soft and juicy. They are full of flavour!” 

 Recipe:

4-5 coloured peppers

Olive oil

2 cups rice (use your favouriterice)

400g mince (I used beef)

1 small onion diced finely

A mixture of spices including ½ tsp cinnamon +1 tsp coriander + ½

tsp sumac+ ½ tsp black pepper

1 Tbs finely cut parsley

1 Tbs finely cut coriander

1 medium courgette

2 medium potatoes

1-2cupsof chicken stock

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1extra onion with layers separated with care and reserved complete and uncut.

Method: 

Choose a tin for cooking the peppers and decide on the number of peppers by fitting them standing tightly in it.

Take out the peppers, dry them, cut out the tops which we will use as lids Sprinkle with salt and brush them with olive oil.

Cook in the oven standing (they just need to be half cooked)

Meanwhile prepare the stuffing:

Half-cook the rice in salted boiling water

Fry the mince with onion in a frying pan add the herbes and the spices reserving around ½ tsp.

Grate the courgette.

Mix the three ingredients in a bowl, adjust the seasoning and fill the peppers. If you have left over stuffing, fill the onion wraps.

Brush your tin with oil.

Cut the potatoes into round slices and cover the base of the tin.

Place your peppers and onions standing on the potato slices.

Add the chicken stock and lemon juice.

Cook in a medium oven for 45min

Enjoy!

Djwaz Curry

Djwaz Curry

I have got a story for you today…

Long ago a mixed newly wed couple (an Asian and an Algerian) had this conversation.

“What is it we ate yesterday at your mums?”

“Djwaz! it is a type of stew, you know, similar to your curry. It’s nice isn’t it?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say it is better than curry. In fact, I would say it needs more spices”

“ What do you mean? I found the curry over spiced and unhealthy!” She says.

“Excuse me, the curry is the best food ever”.. and then they fought and argued until they came up with this dish that looks as nice as a curry and is as healthy as a djwaz. Spicier than djwaz and milder than curry and  then the couple lived happily ever after…well not really! as they always argued on how they should call their new dish. Curry Djwaz or Djwaz Curry…and then they argued and fought for ever…Silly!!!!

Ingredients

3 onions sliced

2 peppers sliced

4 medium potatoes

500 g diced beef/lamb

1 can plum tomato

4 cloves garlic crushed

1cup water

1/3 cup mixed vegetable oil and olive oil

1tsp cumin

1tsp coriander

1tsp ginger

1tsp turmeric

1tsp chilli

Plenty of finely cut fresh coriander (around ½ cup)

Salt

Method

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat.

Add the onion and fry until browned (it is important that the onions are fried rather than sweat). The oil should reappear at the surface.

Add peppers and fry again until the oil reappears again.

Add crushed tomatoes and garlic, fry again for around 3-4 mins. Add meat and fry. Add seasoning and all the spices .

Again when you see the oil at the surface add water. Simmer.

When the meat is nearly cooked add potatoes and extra water, if necessary to cook the potatoes.

Let it simmer again until the potatoes are soft.

It is tastier if you fry the potatoes in advance and add them to the sauce but then the whole dish will be called Lkbab Curry… but that is another story….

Stuffed Aghroum

Aghroum in Kabyl, Kessra in Algerian and la Galette in French.

Simple but always a delight. This bread is the pride of the Algerian cuisine. I, however  felt that aghroum has always been resistant to changes or progress. I couldn’t understand why so I tried: flavoured aghroum, sweet aghroum and stuffed aghroum. Interesting results! but I found out that not any stuffing goes with aghroum, nor does any flavour (may be it is the Aghroum’s kabyle pride or “ennif” like we say in Algerian) The meat stuffed one has been one of the successful ones so was the peanut and sugar aghroum or orange flavoured aghroum.

Recipe:

For the basic Aghroum

500g semolina (coarse)

100ml oil (In kabylie we use olive oil)

1tbs salt

Water (around 200ml)

For the stuffing

300g mince (I used beef mince)

1 small onion diced

2 cloves of garlic

1 tbs tomato puree

2 tbs parsley

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp coriander

½ tsp black pepper

2 tbs of oil




Method:

Start by making the dough for the bread

Mix all the ingredients; add enough water to form a firm but pliable dough. Knead for around 5 mins. Cover and let it rest.

Prepare the stuffing: fry the onion and mince in a pan with oil until the mince is browned, add seasoning and spices. Add crushed garlic, tomato and a little water and let it cook until all the water is evaporated.

As per the illustration

Divide the dough into 2 balls

Roll out the first part into ½ cm width.

Spread stuffing

Cover with the other rolled dough

Seal the edges by pinching them

Transfer to flat pan under a medium heat

Cook from both side pressing the bread against the pan to brown it.

You could use a kitchen towel to turn the bread and pressing.

I use this piece of wood with a handle 

Les Tartelettes

Les Tartelettes

I am a bit annoyed that I don’t have close up pictures of these tartelettes.

They really look beautiful. So may be this means I should make them again to take more pictures. These were done a few months ago and at that time I often took pictures of the food I cooked (At least since I bought my smart phone!) especially those dishes I connected with feelings.. memories..

I remember when I made these Tartelette, I had friends over and I really wanted them to be happy. At the end of the visit, my friend commented that when she came to my house, she was feeling down missing her parents and the colours of the Tartelettes really cheered her up…

I wanted to make them for myself today but I did not have all the ingredients..


Recipe:
Can I confess that when I cook food I do not, usually measure the ingredients! So, I prefer to wait until I do them again and try to measure. I promise this will be done soon InshaAllah.

Mtewem

I think it’s Nostalgia!

After the Mhajeb from yesterday, I just can’t stop thinking “Algeria”. My mind is there just now.
I called my family again today, they are having a great time without me (mashaAllah!)…I feel jealous!

But I have got my ways to overcome these feelings…or at least I could try…
Mtewem…hmmmm… I can smell Algiers… 

Recipe

Ingredients:

Allow 100g/150g of mince per person if it is a side dish or accompanied by bread, rice or pasta.

500g mince (For a healthier option use beef)

Around 8 cloves of garlic (called tawm in Arabic, hence the name mtawem which translates to “the garlicky”

250g of chick peas soaked overnight

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp coriander

Black pepper

Salt

1 egg

Method:

Put the chick peas in a pot, cover with water and put to cook under low heat.

Crush the garlic and add spices and salt

Divide this mixture into 2 portions.

Add one portion to the chick peas

Add the second portion to the mince and add the egg.

Mix the mince mixture thoroughly and shape into shelled walnut size.

Add to the chick peas and cook for around 45 min or until cooked and the sauce reduced.

Take a deep breath smelling Algiers…See what I mean! Beautiful!

Mhajeb

There is food I eat to get comfort, and there is food I make to get comfort.

A friend phoned me this morning moaning about the school holidays, the weather, the children bored at home.

I said: Mhajeb! Make Mhajeb.

I don’t think she understood what I meant, but that is what I do.

There is no better than a Mhajeb dough to get your stress out .

I love to punch it..to stretch it ..to squeeze it and to pinch it.

I hold it firm, lift it high and then slap it back again onto the working surface.

At the end I oil my hand and stroke it.

From a sticky tough blob, it turns to a soft pleasant and manageable dough…That is how you deal with stress!

Method

Start by making the dough

Assemble flour, semolina salt and around a cup of water. Start kneading and adding water if it is too dry. It is along process as the dough should soften as a result of good kneading rather than extra moisture.

The dough needs to be very elastic.

Let the dough rest for at least one hour to reach the required elasticity.

During that time prepare the stuffing: “tchaktchouka”.

Start by frying the oil until soft, add tomato and seasoning and let it cook.

(This is of course a very basic “tchaktchouka”, feel free to twist: I added sliced fresh peppers, garlic, and other spices … can’t remember! And if you tolerate hot food, Harissa is a necessity!)

Let the tchaktchouka cool.

Form small balls.

!

Oil your hand and your working surface (keep doing this as long as necessary!)

Heat up your flat pan and reduce heat to medium.

Put 1 ball on the oiled surface.

Flatten and stretch on circular motion until the sheet is transparent thin

If it is not thin, it is baaaaad!

Fold one side. Spread some stuffing (around 1tbs)

Fold the three remaining sides to form a square!.

 Cook the two sides until golden (Allow small burns, it will just look more rustic)

Call your family and let them chat to you and eat as and when you are cooking. Make it a family gathering day.

My Mhajeb are never squares. Who cares? they taste good. 

Coconut Truffles

I’ll tell you about my situation and tell me what else you would do….if not to treat yourself to some comfort food.

It is the first day of the new year…

The time is already 4:00pm and my phone has not rung once.

I have tried to contact my family in Algeria but no replies…May be they are just all busy (I found out later that they were all visiting my sister and enjoying a feast together!)

My children?

Some of them are out with their friends, Some are watching a movie in their bedroom and some are sleeping!! (I have 6!)

You could say phone a friend!

Yes but I was with them yesterday and the day before yesterday and the day before that…I don’t want them to think I don’t have other things to do in my life!!!!

Anyway I needed comfort!

Recipe

The good thing about this recipe is that you do not need to be very accurate.

Start by making a Ganache with white chocolate.

Around 200ml of double cream( I feel so guilty when I use double cream but I tried it with single cream but it does not firm up enough!)

Around 200g white chocolate

Around 250g desiccated coconut

And that is it!

Method 

Start by breaking the chocolate into small pieces (the smaller the best. I used a food processor to crush it)

Heat up the cream but do not allow it to boil.

Pour it over the chocolate and stir to melt the chocolate.

Cool in the fridge until thick and firm.

Add enough coconut to firm and thicken.

Form small balls and roll in coconut.

Keep in the fridge and serve cold.