Chakhchoukha (Biskra)

[amina_imen]

Making it won't be that difficult..but you have to bear in mind that it takes a lot of skills to be able to make the dough.

You know that no dish is that simple back home
Chekhchoukha is so complicated it usually takes the best part of a day to prepare...especially when you're cooking for a lot of people..it's soooo heavy and spicy that your stomach goes numb after eating it..but it tastes gooood..mmmm...



INGREDIENTS:


For the Rougag:

* 1 kg fine semolina

* 1 teaspoon salt

* Water

* Oil


For the Sauce (Marqa):

* 1 kg lamb (shoulder preferably)

* 4 tomatos

* 2 onions (of medium size)

* 1 tablespoon concentrated tomato paste

* 1 glass drained cooked chickpeas

* 2 tablespoons oil

* 1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper

* 1/2 tablespoon salt

* 1 teaspoon rass el hanout

* 1/2 teaspoon caraway

* 1/2 teaspoon cumin

* Black pepper

* 4 medium size potatoes

* 2 courgettes


METHOD:

For the Rougag:

in a large dish, mix the semolina and salt, then add water slowly while kneading vigorously till you get an elastic and smooth dough. Then, cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and leave to rest for about 5 mins.

Then, knead the dough vigorously again for about 5 more mins approximately (add water from time to time while kneading but only about a few tablespoons at a time).

Lightly oil your hands and divide the dough into small balls, each the size of an egg.
Oil the surface of a plate/tray and lay out the balls. Leave to rest. Meanwhile, heat the tajine (50-60 cm in diameter) as in the picture for about 10 minutes.

Take the first ball and and stretch it with lightly oiled fingers on an oiled working surface, until you obtain a very thin round sheet.
Put one tablespoon oil on the tajine, which would be on medium heat, then put the sheet of rougag on the tajine for 30-45 seconds without letting it dry. The resulting rougag must be cooked but must remain soft!
Repeat the same with the rest of the dough.







For the Sauce:

In a pot, put the meat cut into pieces, add 2 tablespoons oil and finely chopped onions, and cook over low heat. After 5 minutes, add all the spices.
Peel the tomatos and cut into pieces. Add tomatoes to the pot as well as a tablespoon concentrated tomato paste.
Stir everything and add 4 glasses of water, then cover and cook.

Add the potatoes and courgettes and cook until the potatoes are tender add chickpeas (if you are using pre-cooked ones, otherwise add the chickpeas from the beginning with the chopped tomatoes).
Add water if necessary. Taste and add more salt if needed.


The sheets of rougag must be cut into small pieces.
When serving, put 2 handfuls of rougag in a plate and arroser with sauce, add the vegetables and the meat (same as when serving couscous).

Note: you can use chicken instead of lamb.

[Desertnomad]

You can make a spicy lamb brain version as well. Is this your own recipe Amina?

[HOUDA-K]

Salam ~ D ~

In Morocco we call M'chermal. What do you call it in Algeria ?

I’ve never tried it and I’m not willing to try.

I do like cows feet though

[Amina-DZ]

No Desertnomad, I don't come from Biskra but I have a friend from there and I got to learn how they make chekhchoukha, they actually make it very hot using red pepper (the hot type), chilli powder and another type of hot pepper.

[Amina-DZ]

Originally posted by HOUDA-K
Salam ~ D ~

In Morocco we call M'chermal. What do you call it in Algeria ?

I’ve never tried it and I’m not willing to try.

I do like cows feet though

I think ~ D ~ is referring to the same recipe using lamb brain instead. That's how they make it in some parts of East Algeria. It's still called Chekhchoukha! We also cook lamb brain in tomato sauce.

Cow's feet is called "bouzalouf" in Algeria What do you call it?

[HOUDA-K]

Yes, I realised that Khti

How have you been ? Hopefully a nice break over the Easter period ?

I’ve never tried lamb’s brain, and I don’t intend to either !

M'chermal :




We call cows feet, Kar’ain. Lovely with chick peas

[Amina-DZ]

Originally posted by HOUDA-K
Yes, I realised that Khti

How have you been ? Hopefully a nice break over the Easter period ?

I’ve never tried lamb’s brain, and I don’t intend to either !

We call cows feet, Kar’ain. Lovely with chick peas

I'm okay khti Houda, a bit tired though! I worked so hard in the past 5 days that I decided to have a day off today! Well I had to otherwise I was going to start hallucinating

Hope you are well!

Ohh I don't like cows feet!!
So I take it you never tried lamb's brain? lol it's one of those things you either like or you don't! I guess there are so many things that look soooo un~edible