Although I’ve been familiar with this dish for a while now, I’ve never attempted to try it myself till recently. One thing to know about making this dish is, do not expect it to be perfect from the get-go. Your fist attempt may even fail miserably, but the secret is not to give up. Getting the eggs on to the pan and cooking them perfect takes patience and practice, but so worth the effort. You are aiming for an egg that’s set but with a runny yolk. Of course, you may prefer the eggs scrambled, much like the Turkish version of this dish, menemen.
The name Shakshouka is Arabic, and the origin of the dish is somewhat of a controversy, with several different countries such as Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey, and Yemen claiming ownership. Nevertheless it has been identified as a Maghrebi dish (see bonus info) The time period of its origin is less debated; with the use of tomatoes and peppers, which are New World ingredients, it had to be in the late 15th century, after the Columbian exchange.
The great feature of this dish is its versatility. Many variations exist and different ingredients can be added to give the dish more body. Some recipes call for addition of spinach, some add eggplant or chickpea, and some add cheese or yogurt. There are even variations with chorizo, lamb mince, or tuna.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 bell pepper deseeded and chopped
- 1 fresh jalapeno deseeded and chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp cumin powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (~14oz/400g)
- 1 tbsp harissa paste
- 1 cup baby spinach chopped
- ¼ cup fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup crumbled feta
- ½ avocado diced
Method
Heat oil in a 8-8.5 inch lidded skillet. (Size matters here. The skillet should have a good layer of the tomato base and enough space for the eggs. The measurement I’ve given comfortably fits the amount of base ingredients and the number of eggs.) Add the onion and peppers to the skillet and cook till the onion is translucent. Add salt and pepper. Add the garlic and spices and mix well. Now add the tomato and the harissa paste. Simmer for about 15 minutes till the sauce as thickened. Add the spinach. Cook till wilted. Check seasoning. Make wells in the sauce and gentle crack in the eggs. Make sure the wells are evenly spread apart. You may wish to crack to eggs into a small bowl and tip them into the wells. Season the eggs with salt and pepper and cover the skillet and let the eggs cook to your desired doneness. Arrange the avocado on top and garnish with feta and coriander leaf. Serve with toasted bread.
Bonus Info! The Maghreb, also called the Arab Maghreb or Northwest Africa, is the western part of the Arab world. The region comprises western and central North Africa including Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia. The Maghreb also includes the disputed territory of Western Sahara and the Spanish cities Ceuta and Melilla(Wikipedia).
