Shakshouka

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For the shredded flatbread and chickpea dish, see Chakhchoukha.
Shakshouka served in a pan

Shakshouka (Arabic: شكشوكة‎; Hebrew: שקשוקה‎) (also shakshuka) is a dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers, and onions, often spiced with cumin. It is believed to have a Tunisian origin.[1][2]

Etymology

Shakshouka means "a mixture" in Arabic slang. [3] It is likely that it was first known as chakchouka, a Berber word meaning a vegetable ragout,[3] although according to a cookbook about Jerusalem cuisine, the name is derived from the Hebrew verb leshakshek, "to shake."[4]

Chakchouk is also a very common surname in Tunisia [5]

History

Individual portion of shakshouka

Shakshouka is a staple of Tunisian, Libyan, Algerian, Moroccan, and Egyptian cuisines traditionally served in a cast iron pan or tagine with bread to mop up the sauce. It is also popular in Israel, where it was introduced by Tunisian Jews.[4]

According to food writer Claudia Roden, Tunisian cooks added artichoke hearts, potatoes and broad beans to the dish. Because eggs are the main ingredient, it is often on breakfast menus, but in Israel, it is also a popular evening meal. [6] It has been said to challenge hummus and falafel as a national favourite, especially in the winter.[3] According to some food historians, the dish was invented in the Ottoman Empire, spreading throughout the Middle East and Spain, where it is often served with spicy sausage. Another belief is that it hails from Yemen, where it is served with zhug, a hot green paste.[3] Some versions include salty cheeses.[6]

Similar dishes

Shakshouka is similar to the Turkish dish menemen, and the Mexican breakfast dish huevos rancheros but different in the fact that the egg yolks are kept whole instead of scrambled. In Turkish cuisine, there is also şakşuka, which is more like a ratatouille. Shakshouka is also similar to Spanish pisto manchego, a traditional La Mancha dish from southeast Spain, usually also accompanied by a fried egg.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Roden, Claudia (2000). The New Book of Middle Eastern Food - Revised Edition. Knopf. p. 168. ISBN 9780307558565. 
  2. ↑ International Inner Wheel Sfax, Nos recettes de tous les jours et jours de fêtes, p115.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Josephs, Bernard (October 8, 2009). "Shakshuka: Israel’s hottest breakfast dish". The Jewish Chronicle. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Gur, Janna (2008). The Book of New Israeli Food: A Culinary Journey. Schocken. pp. 80–82. ISBN 0-8052-1224-8. 
  5. ↑ Chakchouk, Family Name (October 24-1-2013). "Myheritage Tunisian Surname 737.974 documents". Myheritage. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Clifford-smith, Stephanie (June 7, 2011). "Three of a kind: Shakshouka". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 2011-08-27. 

External links

Wikibooks has a book on the topic of: Cookbook:Shakshouka
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Shakshouka


National cuisines
Ethnic and regional cuisines
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