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Chakhchoukha (torn flatbread in lamb sauce)
Chakhchoukha: Biskra's feast of torn rougag soaked in a spicy lamb and chickpea sauce
Biskra claims chakhchoukha as its own, though Constantine and the whole east cook it for weddings, Eid and the arrival of guests: sheets of thin rougag are torn into small pieces, softened with steam and soaked in a fiery red sauce of lamb, tomato, chickpeas and whole green chillies, then served from one big wooden or clay dish. The bread turns soft and silky, almost like pasta, and soaks up the peppery, deeply savoury sauce. Use homemade rougag or the dried sheets sold in Algerian shops. Chef's tip: moisten the bread with sauce a ladle at a time and toss between additions; pouring it all over at once is the usual mistake, and the bread turns to paste.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the lamb sauce
- 2 lb lamb shoulder or neck on the bonecut into large chunks
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onionsgrated
- 4 cloves garliccrushed
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tomatoesgrated, skins discarded
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp hot chilli powder
- 1 tsp ras el hanout
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp salt
- 6 ¼ cups water
- 10 ½ oz cooked chickpeasdrained
- 3 hot green chilliesleft whole
For the bread
- 1 ⅛ lb rougag or other thin dried flatbreadtorn into 3 to 4 cm pieces
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in the bottom of a couscoussier or a large pot over a medium heat. Add 2 lb lamb shoulder or neck on the bone, 2 onions, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp hot chilli powder, 1 tsp ras el hanout, 1 tsp black pepper and 2 tsp salt and stir for 8 minutes until the meat is coated and the onion has softened.
8 minStep 2: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and 2 tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, then add 6 ¼ cups water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes until the lamb is tender.
78 minStep 3: Add 10 ½ oz cooked chickpeas and 3 hot green chillies and simmer for 15 minutes more. The sauce should be red, quite thin and have a layer of oil on top.
15 minStep 4: Put 1 ⅛ lb rougag or other thin dried flatbread in the steamer basket and set it over the simmering sauce, covered, for 10 minutes, until the pieces are soft and flexible. (Without a steamer, sprinkle the bread with a few ladles of hot sauce in a bowl, cover and leave for 5 minutes.)
10 minStep 5: Tip the bread into a large serving dish. Add a ladle of sauce, toss with two forks, then repeat 3 or 4 times until the pieces are evenly moist and glossy but not swimming.
Step 6: Arrange the lamb, chickpeas and whole chillies on top, spoon over a little more sauce and serve hot, with extra sauce in a jug.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 780 kcal
- Protein
- 44 g
- Carbs
- 84 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chakhchoukha (torn flatbread in lamb sauce) take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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