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Welcome to our third episode of the Culinary Tour of the World. This time we are headed to Algeria. Algeria is in Northern Africa. As I started researching Algerian food, I read that the cuisine is influenced by all the exchanges with different cultures and people over centuries. There is a heavy French influence (it was a French colony) and a common breakfast I observed was croissant and coffee. I saw a lot of delicious recipes including pastries. I have noted down quite a few recipes I would eventually like to try out. As I started reading more about the food and googling the traditional names, I came across several blogs and video which were mostly in French and some in what I think was Arabic. It was difficult to choose a recipe because there were so many choices!
Couscous and a stew would have been perfect but I thought I could make that any day and wanted to choose something new which I had not heard of. I almost chose a pizza recipe which is said to be over a 100 years old. I finally decided to go with a street food called Mhadjeb (singluar) or Mahdjouba (plural). In my experience, street food is usually something everyone enjoys and is very special to a place, so I thought it would be a good choice.
Mhadjeb can be best described as a flavorful savory pastry of layered semolina dough, with each layer as thin as a phyllo sheet, which is filled with a sweet and tart filling of caramelized onions and tomatoes. The recipe made me curious. I wondered how a simple filling of just onions and tomatoes would taste. Based on the description of the pastry cover, I deduced that it would be crispy and the covering would be delicious for sure.
I had some challenges with this recipe, as the recipes I found which seemed authentic were in French and Arabic. I was able to finally leverage the French I had studied in high school and with the help of google translate make enough sense of the recipes. The final result was delicious! I read that if this pastry is made without filling it is called Msemmen and is a delicious accompaniment with tea or coffee. So, one recipe with two uses. I am definitely going to make it again.
Our next country will be Andorra. This has been a particularly difficult one to find vegetarian recipes for, so if you have suggestions, please add that in the comments below.
You can find the link to all our previous episodes here and the Culinary Tour playlist will take you to all the videos.
Here is the video link to the Mhadjeb/Mahdjoba recipe.
Ingredients
For the cover
1.5 cups fine semolina or semolina flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2- 3/4 cup water (enough to knead a very soft dough)
oil
For the filling
2.5 tbsp oil
2 large or 1/2 kilo onions, finely sliced
2 large or 1/2 kilo tomatoes, pulp (see method)
1 tsp of garlic, finely minced
salt to taste
pepper to taste
Method
For the cover
Mix together the semolina, all purpose flour and salt and then add the water to make a soft dough. This dough needs to be kneaded really well. So if you have a stand mixer or food processor, knead it in the machine for about 15 mins. Else, if kneading by hand, after mixing it set it aside to autolyse for 15-20 mins and then knead by hand for 15 mins like you will knead bread. The resultant dough will be soft and sticky. Spread a little oil in a plate to coat the surface. Then divide the dough into 6-7 pieces and then roll each one into a smooth ball of dough. Place this on the oiled surface. Cover the plate with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for a minimum of 30 mins to about a couple of hours. The dough (and gluten) should be really relaxed to be able to pat the dough out into a very thin sheet.
For the filling
Grate the tomatoes to separate the pulp from the peel. Discard the tomato peel. If you wish you can deseed the tomatoes before grating. In a big pan, add the oil and the onions and garlic and cook this on medium heat till the onions are caramelized. They will start turning brown. At this stage, add the tomatoes. Then cook the mixture till it has reduced and is dry enough to form the filling. Add the salt and pepper. You can also add 1 tbsp of tomato paste along with the tomatoes. Let this cool down.
Putting it together
Apply oil over the surface which you will use to flatten out the dough. I prefer to use a baking sheet/pan so that I don't get my countertop oily. Then place a piece of dough on the center and using the palm, flatten the dough. Use your palms and finger tips to stretch the dough. Then stretch each end of the dough to cover more of the pan. Do this till the entire pan is covered. One ball of dough (of 7) can be stretched thin enough to fill a 12 X 18 inches pan. Then place a ladle full of filling in the center and spread it into a rectangle. Fold the pastry around this filling. Place the bottom third of the dough over the center to cover the filling. Then overlap it with the top third. Then fold the right and left dough flaps over the center to create a rectangular pastry packet. (See the video for a visual demonstration).
Heat a pan or griddle till it is hot and then turn the heat to a low-medium setting. Since there are several layers, we need all of them to be cooked. So cook it on both sides on a low-medium heat till both sides are well browned.
Serve is hot with a side of harissa sauce or ketchup. For the harissa sauce, I blended one roasted, peeled red bell pepper, with store bought harissa spice mix and a some oil.
Tips
Apply oil to your palms and fingertips while handling the dough, so it does not stick to your fingers. To remove the tomato peel easily, you can also submerge the tomatoes in boiling water for a minute, till the peel starts to separate. Then take it out into a bowl of ice cold water. Then you can easily peel the tomatoes and puree the pulp.
Tomato soup seasoned with cumin in ghee tempering is called tomato saar in marathi. This is a favorite at home. To make it creamier I add coconut milk to the tomato soup and it elevates the taste. I am sure there are many versions of tomato saar, and we love this version of tomato saar.
Ingredients
1 tsp ghee 5-6 tomatoes, coarsely chopped 1/2 onion, coarsely choppes 2 cloves of garlic 1/4 inch of ginger 1 cup water 1/2 cup coconut milk Salt to taste 1-2 tsps of sugar (depending on how tart the tomatoes are) For the tadka 1 tbsp ghee 1 tsp cumin seeds 1-2 pinches of asafoetida/hing 10 curry leaves 1-2 green chilies
Method
Heat a tsp of ghee in a pressure cooker and then add the ginger garlic and onions. Stir fry for two mins till the onion is slightly transparent. Add the tomatoes, fry for a minute and then add the water and pressure cook for 1-2 whistles or 5-7 mins in the electric cooker.
This is a wonderful soup. My mom used to make it quite often, especially when Dad would travel. I understand beauty of this soup now that I am a Mom. There are often times that I need to put a meal on the table which is wholesome but am too tired to make multiple dishes. By making just one dish, I am able to take care of all the nutritional facets, put something new on the table and since it is so delicious, it is a sure hit.
This soup has multiple vegetables, pasta and beans and is a complete meal by itself. I make a large batch and enjoy it through the week. If you don't add the beans and pasta to it, then it is a very low fat (almost zero fat), high fiber, delicious snack or appetizer. Also, it is a forgiving recipe. Even if you don't have all the vegetables that the recipe calls for, as long as you have the basic carrots, onions, celery and tomatoes, you will be able to achieve the desired taste.
Ingredients
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 carrot, sliced
1 small onion, diced
1 celery stalk, sliced thinly
2-3 garlic cloved, finely diced or crushed
5-6 tomatoes/ 1 can of whole tomatoes - diced
a wedge of cabbage, thinly sliced (about 1/8th or less head of cabbage)
5-6 green beans, diced
1 zuccini, slit it into two lengthwise and then slice it thinly into semi circles
water/ broth
1 cup spinach leaves
1/4-1/2 cup white or cannelini beans cooked (can also use red beans)
2 cups cooked pasta (use small pasta is possible like shell or macaroni shape. In the pictures here, I used penne as that was the only pasta I had on hand)
parmesan cheese, to garnish (optional)
1 tsp Italian seasoning (optional)
salt to taste
pepper to taste
Method
In a deep vessel (deep enough for the soup to boil in), heat the oil. Add garlic and stir for a minute or two. Once you get the aroma of the garlic, add the onions. Then add the Italian seasoning if you are using it. As they soften, add the celery and the carrots. Cook this mixture till the vegetables are slightly softened. Next add the green beans and cook for a few minutes. This is the time to add the tomatoes. If using canned ones, add the tomatoes as well as the juice they are in. (If adding fresh ones, then let the tomatoes cook through by boiling them in the water/broth.) Then add enough water or broth (about 3-5 cups) to make this into a water consistency. The soup base is not very thick. Then add the zuccini and cook. This cooks very fast. Then add the cabbage slices. Once these are semi cooked, add the spinach leaves.
Once all the vegetables are added, add the beans and pasta. Cook the pasta separately per directions on the packet. Add the cooked pasta to the soup. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with grated parmesan cheese.
Serve hot as a meal, a starter or an afternoon snack.
Tips
If you don't have italian seasoning, try adding just oregano and basil if possible. This makes it more flavorful. You can skip the seasoning alltogether. If you are starting with dry beans, soak them for 6-8 hours or overnight. Then either boil them till softened or pressure cook them. It is a good idea to add some salt to the beans while being cooked so that it gets absorbed in the beans and makes them flavorful. If you are using canned tomatoes, use whole tomatoes and then dice them into cubes. Whole canned tomatoes are more flavorful than diced ones. You can also add the dry pasta to the soup and boil it in the soup directly. If you are doing that, add it as soon as the broth/water is added and then add the zuccini and spinach. If you are using canned tomatoes and beans, then taste the soup before adding more salt, as canned foods already have salt added. You can skip or do any combination of the beans, cabbage, spinach and zuccini and still get a great tasting soup.
I have been quite busy for the past couple of months, spending time with family and visiting them and I have a lot of catching up to do with regards to my blog. I am hoping to be more regular with the posts.
Today's recipe is absolutely delicious and suprisingly very healthy. I had bought ingredients to make minestrone soup and didn't get around to making it. After a couple of days I realised that some of the vegetables would spoil if not used soon. It also happened that I didn't have a lot of time to cook that evening and I wanted to put dinner together real quick. So, in an attempt to use those vegetables and also cook in under 30 minutes, I decided to make this soup and fried rice. The result was just delicious. The fried rice turned out scruptious too, but that is another recipe. Another great feature of this recipe is that it is made with very less amount of oil and as a result is very healthy. I can't wait to eat this again.
Ingredients
1/2 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 tsp dry basil leaves
1 zuccini, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1 can of diced tomatoes
2 cups of vegetable stock
salt to taste
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Method
In a deep pan, heat the oil and add the onions and garlic and let them cook till the onion is transparent. Then add the basil and stir. Next, add the carrots and cook for a couple of minutes till they are slightly softened. Next add the zuccini and again cook till slightly softened. Then add the can of tomatoes, stir and then the vegetable stock. Bring the soup to a boil. You can let it boil for a couple of minutes till it is slightly thickened. Add salt as needed. This is a clear soup and the broth will not be thick. Enjoy hot.
Tips
Taste the soup before adding additional salt to it as the vegetable stock will already have salt. It is easy to forget that and it may result in the soup being too salty. You can substitute vegetable stock with any other stock or even water. You can also use fresh tomatoes. If you do, then use at least 4 tomatoes. The base of the soup has a tomato flavor and that should be the prominent vegetable. It does take longer for the tomatoes to cook if you add fresh ones to the pan and then boil them in stock or water. Alternately, you can cook the tomatoes separately in a pressure cooker. Cook for one whistle and then use these instead of the canned tomatoes in the recipe.
There are many many brands of marinara sauce available in the grocery stores, however my favorite sauce has always been the homemade kind. It is an easy recipe and a quick preparation too. Also, you can make this in advance and freeze it for later use. Homemade marinara tastes fresh and light. This is a recipe you can improvise on and change based on your taste preferences by changing the proportions of the ingredients. You can add an assortment of vegetables into the basic marinara to change the taste everytime you prepare it. This is a recipe that I have demonstrated to a few friends and is probably one of my most requested recipes.
Ingredients For the basic marinara sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
salt to taste
5-6 tomatoes, diced
1 tbsp italian seasoning
1/4 cup water
1 tsp sugar (optional - see method)
Vegetables that can be added
bell peppers, sliced (assortment of green, red/yellow/orange)
mushrooms, diced
broccoli florets
Method
In a broad, deep pan heat the oil and add the onions to it. Next add the garlic. Season with a little salt and let the onions and garlic cook till the onion becomes transparent. Next add the italian seasoning and stir it and then add the diced tomatoes. Cover the pan and cook the tomatoesfor a few minutes. Then add the water and cook till the tomatoes soften up. Then take about 1-2 cups of the cooked down mixture and blend it into a puree and add it back to the sauce. Add salt and taste. If the tomatoes are not in season, they maybe a little tart and the sauce may taste a little sour. If so, add a little sugar and balance out the taste. The sauce is ready. Toss it with pasta and serve hot.
Tips
You can blend the entire sauce to get a smoother consistency or blend it partially for a chunky texture. You can add sauteed or partially cooked vegetables to the sauce, and cook them together. If you cannot find italian seasoning, then instead you can use a blend of basil and oregano. I have added a mix of diced bell peppers to the sauce in the pictures, by sauteeing them in a little oil in a pan and then adding them to the sauce. Then I cooked it for a few minutes, before tossing it with the sphagetti squash. Top with some parmesan cheese for a richer taste.
This is one of the simplest and fastest dishes you could make. Definitely something that you can make in a jiffy if you are pressed for time. And while it can be made fast, you do not have to compromise on the taste. I was inspired by my greek pizza recipe. I thought "if pita bread can be made into quick pizzas then why not naan (which is an Indian flatbread)?" Naan is a flat bread, made in a hot kiln or tandoor. The dough is fermented and then stretched into a triangular shape before being baked. It is one of the most popular Indian breads and can be found in most Indian restaurants. In fact it is becoming so popular that I have seen ready made naans popping up in local grocery stores everywhere. I no longer need to drive all the way out to the Indian store to buy frozen naans. I can just walk into the nearby grocery store and buy fresh naan. Another feature of the recipe is that you can use any vegetables that you have on hand to make the toppings. Quick, easy and delicious and kids love it too!
Method
Heat the crushed tomato and add the garam masala, ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder and salt. Reduce this to a thick consistency. The consistency should be similar to ketchup consistency. Take this off the heat and add the ketchup. Let it cool down till warm. You can make this sauce in advance and store in the fridge in an airtight container for a week or freeze it for a few weeks. Then take the naans and apply an nice even coat of the sauce over one side of each naan. Then sprinkle about 2 tbsp of grated cheese on each naan and add the onion and spinach toppings. You can add any vegetables you want as toppings. Bake these in the oven till the cheese starts to melt. You can cook it for an additional time if you want the base to get crispy. Serve hot.
Tips
If you have bought frozen, pre-cooked naans then cook them according to the instructions on the packet before adding the sauce and toppings. The ginger and garlic proportions are about equal in amount. So, if you are using fresh ginger and garlic, add about half a tsp of each. If you are using fresh tomatoes, then you will need to dice them and cook these down to a thick sauce (ketchup like consistency) before use. If you use a very watery sauce (this applies for any pizza), your base will become soggy, especially in the center.
I was in the 8th grade when my friend and I came across a recipe to make a baked dish with macaroni. Of course, we decided to wait until the next time Mom was out of the house and then made it. We went to the store, got all the ingredients and made this perfectly delicious baked macaroni dish. I still remember the excitement and pride, especially when my brother (a particularly finicky eater) praised it to no end. So after that almost everytime I had an opportunity, I prepared this dish. The following is a cross between this baked dish and the baked ziti al forno that I ate at an Italian restaurant. I am generally not inclined to make a dish whose sauce consists of five different types of cheeses as the main ingredients. So I decided to experiment, and finally came up with this variation. Definitely a healthier option and delicious!
Ingredients
1 packet of penne pasta, cooked per the instruction on the box
1 cup whole milk
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp, Italian spice mix
4-5 tsps of crushed tomato
1 tbsp butter cut into small pieces (optional)
white pepper, to taste
salt to taste
cheese, to top the pasta dish (you can use a mix of shredded cheese, or parmesan cheese)
3-4 tbsp bread crumbs
Method
Mix together the milk and egg. Add the Italian spice, crushed tomato, pepper and salt to this. Mix the cheese and bread crumbs together and keep aside. In a baking dish, layer the pasta, then pour the milk and egg mixture over the pasta layer. This will fill the spaces between the pasta. Then add a layer of cheese and bread crumb mixture (add as thick a layer of cheese as you want). Add the butter pieces. Bake this for 15-20 minutes at 400F. After 10 mins, cover the dish with aluminium foil (do not wrap it as you want the water vapor to escape), so that the layer of cheese doesn't burn. Insert a knife into the center of the dish and if it comes out clean, the pasta is completely cooked.
Tips
You can also bake the pasta without the cheese layer. Then add the cheese layer to the pasta, switch the setting of your oven to broil, and broil it till the cheese melts. Make sure that you pan is broil safe.
You can also added some vegetables along with the pasta layer, like diced carrots, beans, peas or corn.
This is inspired by Ina Garten's recipe. I made modifications to make it vegetarian, used ingredients that I generally have in my fridge and reduced the amount of oil and cream. The result was mouth watering. I had made a big batch, about forty servings for my daughter's birthday this year and it was a huge hit and was completely gone by the end of lunch. The recipe was requested by many, but I didn't have pictures. I made this a couple of weeks ago and took pictures, so now its ready to be added to the blog. This time around I added home made croutons. Croutons add just the right amount of crunch to this warm, filling soup. This is a perfect dish to make on cold fall nights. Pair it with a sandwhich and you have a quick, comforting dinner.
Ingredients
1 tbsp of oil
1/2 red onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 cup of fresh basil, chopped
4-5 tomatoes, diced
2 cups water or vegetable stock (I use water)
1/2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp heavy cream
salt to taste
pepper to taste
Method
Heat the oil, add the garlic and onions. Fry this till the onions turn pink and then add the carrots. Cook the carrots till they are tender, then add the tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes till they are tender, then add the basil, cook it for a couple of minutes and then add the water. Boil the water and then puree the soup. If the soup is too thick, add a little more water and boil further. Add salt to taste and some pepper. Turn off the heat and add the cream. Garnish with some basil. Top it with croutons and serve hot.
You can make this in the pressure cooker too. Follow the same directions above to add the vegetables to the cooker and after adding the water, pressure cook for 1-2 whistles or if using the Instant Pot, cook for 5 minutes on manual mode, high pressure and do natural pressure release.
Tips
If you don't have fresh tomatoes, and want to use canned ones, use the canned diced or entire tomatoes. Don't use the paste or pureed tomatoes as this has a very concentrated ketchup like flavor, which is not ideal for use in the bisque. You can increase the amount of cream to upto 1/4 cup if you want it to be very creamy.
I've been watching television advertisements for the last 5 minutes and realised that every second ad is related to food. Its either packaged food or a restaurant. Its interesting how our lives revolve so much around food. More the reason to eat well and eat healthy. Of course healthy doesn't mean that you compromise on taste. So, what is healthier, more filling or tastier than a bowl of piping hot soup? Some soup and a dinner roll makes for a great supper on cold dark winter nights and its a great pick me up when you have an awful cold that just won't go away. Makes a great appetizer or side dish and a healthy snack too. So without further ado, here's a tomato soup recipe for you to enjoy.
Ingredients
6-8 tomatoes
1 clove of garlic
1-2 cup water
1/2 medium onion
2 tsp cream
salt to taste
blackpepper to taste
Method
Roughly chop the tomatoes, garlic and onion and cook them in a pressure cooker with a cup of water. If you dont have a pressure cooker, you can also boil these in about 2 cups of water keeping the lid closed till the tomatoes and onion are cooked and soft. Puree this mix in a mixer to a fine paste. Bring it back to a boil, add salt and pepper to taste. Add the cream to it. Serve hot.
If using an Instant Pot, cook this on manual mode, high pressure for 5 minutes or on soup mode and us natural pressure release.
Tips
If the tomatoes are really sour you can add some sugar to balance out the sourness. Instead of adding cream, you can add a slurry of corn flour and water. If you want the soup to be creamy, add additional cream. If you do not like the texture that the tomato skin imparts to the soup, you can remove it before pureeing it. Add some croutons to it to make it more hearty. If you want to have a clear soup, do not add the cream or corn flour slurry.
(Indian flatbread)
to taste (optional)
