Torchi
In Tunisian homes and in the small eateries of Tunis and Sousse, a saucer of torchi lands on the table before anything else, beside olives, bread and a little dish of harissa, to wake up the appetite before a couscous, a brik or grilled fish. This quick pickle takes its name from the Persian torshi but is made fresh the same day: carrots and turnips cut into fine sticks with a few chillies, dressed with lemon juice, salt, harissa, garlic, caraway and a thread of olive oil. Half an hour later the vegetables are crunchy and juicy, salty-sour, garlicky and gently hot, and the red dressing pools at the bottom of the plate for mopping with bread. During Ramadan it is a fixture on the iftar table. The mistake to avoid is salting the vegetables and leaving them for hours, which turns them soft and watery; dress them and eat within the day. It is ready when the turnip has lost its raw edge at the corners but still snaps in half. Chef's tip: cut the turnip a touch thinner than the carrot so both soften at the same pace.



