Algerian Cuisine - Recipe

Couscous 

Hands-On Time : 25 minutes

Total Time  : 25 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 10 ounce box couscous (1 1/2 cups)

1 pound ground beef

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano

kosher salt and black pepper

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 scallions, sliced

4 plum tomatoes, quartered

1 seedless cucumber, cut into half-moons

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 8-ounce container hummus (optional)

Directions

1. Place the couscous in a large bowl and pour 1 1/2 cups hot tap water over the top. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes; fluff with a fork.
2. Form the beef into 12 small 1/2-inch thick patties. Sprinkle with the cumin, oregani, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook to the desired doneness, 4 minutes per side for medium.
4. Toss the couscous with the scallions, tomatoes, cucumber, lemon juice, remaining oil, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
5. Serve with the burgers and hummus, if using.

El-Bourak

Ingredients

• 12 leaves of douel (brik)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 250g - half pound ground beef
• 4 eggs
• bunch of chopped parsley
• wedges of Laughing cow  cheese (or any other creme style cheese) half wedge per bourek
• pinch of salt, pepper, cinnamon
• 1 egg + water for brushing
• oil to fry in
• optional - 1 large courgette, diced

Directions

1. Brown the onion until soft
2. Now add the minced meat and stir well
3. Then add in the spices.
4. Cook over low fire for 10 and when the meat is thorougly cooked break the eggs over the mixture
5. Keep stirring so the egg cooks in with the meat
6. Leave to cool before filling the bourek pastry with it
7. Fold the bourek
8. separate each sheet of douel.
9. place about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the lower center of the sheet
10. Fold the two on opposite edges of the sheet to get a rectangle
11. Roll into cigar shape
12. Egg wash the seam of the bourek
13. Fry the bourek in hot oil
14. Salt still hot from the oil
15. Drain dry in a napkin.

Kessra

Ingredients

• 300g fine semolina
• 100g medium semolina
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt ( to taste)
• 125ml water

Directions

1. Mix the semolina and salt together and stir in the olive oil until all the grains are coated.
2. Slowly add enough water whilst mixing to make a soft dough
3. Knead the dough until it has a slight spring when pressed and leave covered for 30 minutes.
4. Divide the dough into two if using a frying pan and press into a circular disc approximately 1/4 inch deep.
5. Cook in frying pan or kessra griddle for about 20 mins turning often. the kessra should have a firm crumbly exterior and be moist inside.

Mhadjeb

Ingredients

200g Flour

200g semolina

250ml water

1 tsp salt

1 cup oil/ghee

Filling 

400g minced meat

1 red capsicum (chopped)

An onion (chopped)

A green chilli (chopped)

1 tsp ginger + garlic paste

1 tsp ketchup

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/4 turmeric powder

2 tsp olive oil

Coriander leaves

Salt to taste

Method

Fry the onions till light golden brown

Add chopped capsicum along w salt

Then add ginger - garlic paster & chilli powder

Then minced meat along w tomato sauce

Add some water & cook for 10 mins

Garnish with coriander leaves & keep aside.

Mix first four ingredients & knead well

Cover the bowl with a damp cloth & keep aside for 1 hour

Sprau some more flour & knead it again

Make evenly sized balls

Smear the glass chopping board with some oil

Take a lemon sized ball & flatten it as thin as possible with greased palm

Fold one end & spread the filling in the square shape

Fold again so that the filling  is well covered.

Fold the other two sides to get a square shaped mhadjeb.

Repeat the process with other dough  balls

Heat a non stick pan, spread oil on it

Cook on both sides & serve hot