SHAKSHUKA
Shakshuka is a delicious Middle Eastern egg dish made on the stovetop. It is a dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chili, peppers, and onions, commonly spiced with cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cm knob of ginger chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 ripe diced tomato
1 can whole tomatoes (we used home made)
1 small green chilli copped with seeds
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 teaspoon curry powder
pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste (careful, it’s spicy!)
pinch of sugar/ sweetener (optional, to taste)
palt and pepper, to taste
4 eggs
1/2 tablespoon fresh chopped coriander leaves (optional, for garnish)
Heat a deep, large skillet or sauté pan on medium. Slowly warm olive oil in the pan. Add chopped onion, sauté for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add garlic, ginger, chilli and pepper,continue to sauté till mixture is fragrant. Mix in mustard seeds, cumin and curry powder, fry for +-2 minutes or till fragrant.
Add tomatoes to pan, stir until blended. Add sugar, stir, and allow mixture to simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until it starts to reduce.
At this point, you can taste the mixture and spice it according to your preferences. Add salt and pepper to taste, more sugar for a sweeter sauce, or you can add cayenne pepper for a spicier shakshuka (be careful with the cayenne… it is extremely spicy!).
Crack the eggs, one at a time, directly over the tomato mixture, making sure to space them evenly over the sauce.
Cover the pan. Allow mixture to simmer for +-7 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked and the sauce has slightly reduced. Keep an eye on the skillet to make sure that the sauce doesn’t reduce too much, which can lead to burning.
Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves, if desired.
Shakshuka can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. For breakfast, serve with warm crusty bread or pita that can be dipped into the sauce. For dinner, serve with a green side salad for a light, easy meal.
Recipe: Amanda Conradie
Photo: Elize de Kock
