TUNISIAN FOOD INFORMATION

As a vegetarian I found eating in Tunisia, at times, somewhat challenging. It seems everything has tuna in it. And if you find something without tuna, it has lamb! On top of that the concept of not eating meat seemed to baffle some of my Tunisian friends... even after I explained they still asked "Yes, but why?". If you are like me and don't eat meat, or certain foods, make sure you know how to communicate that! Since most people in the tourist industry speak French, these following phrases should be a part of your vocabulary.

Vegetarian phrases in French:
Je suis un végétarien(ne) -- I am a vegetarian(female).
Je ne mange pas de viande, de porc ou de poulet -- I do not eat meat, pork or chicken
Je mange des œufs, du lait et du fromage -- I eat eggs, milk or cheese
Je ne mange pas d'œufs, du lait ni de fromage -- I do not eat eggs, milk or cheese

TUNISIAN CUISINE
This page is in it's growing stages. So for now, please consult the below pages for further information on Tunisian cuisine.

Tunisian Cuisine

ArabNet -- Tunisia, Culture, Food

TUNISIAN RECIPES

TUNISIAN EGGPLANT SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb Eggplant
1 lg Green bell pepper -- chopped
1 Garlic clove -- crushed
1/2 c Olive oil
1/3 c Red wine vinear
1 t Dried oregano -- crushed
1 t Salt
1 cn Chunk-style tuna (12 1/2-oz) - drained
1 lg Tomato -- seeded and chopped
1/4 c Crumbled feta cheese
Crisp salad greens
DIRECTIONS:
Cut eggplant in 1-inch cubes. Steam over 1/2 cup boiling water 2 to 5 minutes until eggplant is tender. Drain. Arrange with green pepper in 2-quart shallow casserole. Combine garlic, oil, vinegar, oregano and salt in covered jar. Shake well. Pour over eggplant mixture. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Drain marinade and reserve for other use. Toss marinated vegetables with tuna and tomato. Spoon into salad bowl lined with crisp greens. Top with cheese.

Serving Size : 4

VEGETARIAN TUNISIAN RECIPES

Thanks to those at Veglife listserv who supplied the Vegetarian recipies.

Garbanzos and Swiss Chard in the Style of the Tunisian Sahel (Morshan)

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 pound Swiss chard leaves, stemmed, rinsed and torn into large pieces
2 large cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 small dried red chile
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 cup Basic Cooked Garbanzos, with 3/4 cup cooking liquid
1 lemon, cut in wedges, optional
DIRECTIONS:
1.In pot steam, parboil or microwave chard leaves until tender, about 5 minutes.
2.Set leaves in colander to drain.
3.Squeeze out excess moisture and shred coarsely.
4.Crush garlic in mortar with salt, coriander and chile until thick, crumbly paste forms.
5.Heat olive oil in 10-inch skillet and saute onion until pale-golden.
6.Add garlic paste and tomato paste and stir into oil until sizzling.
7.Add chard, Basic Cooked Garbanzos and cooking liquid and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.
8.Remove from heat and let stand until ready to serve. (Contents of skillet should be very moist but not soupy. For looser texture, stir in more garbanzo cooking liquid.)
9.Serve warm, at room temperature or cold with lemon wedges.

Makes 4 servings.

Note: Broccoli rabe, dandelion leaves, mustard greens, kale or turnip tops may be substituted for Swiss chard. Discard any yellow or damaged leaves and cook like chard.
Cooking time will vary.

Each serving contains about:
165 calories; 667 mg sodium; trace cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 1.74 grams fiber.

Tunisian Eggs & Peppers

From The Book of Mediterranean Cooking by Lesley Mackley

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
1 fresh red chile, seeded and finely chopped
6 tomatoes, peeled and quartered
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
4 eggs
mint sprigs, to garnish
DIRECTIONS:
Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Add onion and cook 5 minutes or until soft. Add bell peppers and chile, cover and cook 8 minutes or until bell peppers are just tender. Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Add tomatoes to bell pepper mixture, cover and cook 5 to 8 minutes or until vegetavles are blended but still retain their shape and texture. Season with salt and pepper and stir in mint. Divide mixture among four ovenproof dishes. Make an indentation in vegetables and carefully add an egg to each one. Cook in oven 12 to 15 minutes or until eggs have set. Garnish with mint sprigs and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Note: The eggs may be cooked in skillet, if preferred. Make four indentations in mixture and break in eggs. Cover and cook over low heat 5 minuts, basting occasionally with juices.

TUNISIAN CARROT SALAD

Bon Appétit, January 1996

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
DIRECTIONS:
Cook carrots in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Drain well. Stir oil, cumin and cayenne in heavy large skillet over medium heat until aromatic,about 30 seconds. Add carrots, then 1/2 cup water and vinegar. Simmer over medium heat until liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Cool. Mix in cilantro. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

4 Servings

Tunisian Vegetable Stew

Serve on couscous or other grain.

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups thinly sliced cabbage
dash of salt
1 large green bell pepper, cut in thin strips
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, (or to taste)
1 28 oz. can undrained, chopped tomato
1 16 oz. can drained garbanzo beans
1/3 cup currents or raisins
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups cooked couscous (below)
4 tablespoons feta cheese
toasted slivered almonds
salt, to taste>
DIRECTIONS:
In a large non-stick dutch oven, saute the onions in olive oil for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the cabbage, sprinkle with salt, and continue to saute for at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell pepper, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne to the pot and saute for another minute for so. Stir in the tomatoes, chick peas, and currents or raisins, and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender. Add the lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve over couscous, top with crumbled feta cheese, and toasted almonds if you like.

Tunisian-Style Greens and Beans

INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, sliced
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed chile flakes
4 cup chopped greens, such as beet greens or Swiss chard
1 cup diced tomatoes with juices
1 cup cooked beans (garbanzos are my favorite)
approx. 1/2 cup bean cooking water
DIRECTIONS:
1. Stew the onion and garlic in a little oil until the onion is soft.
2. Stir in the salt and spices.
3. Chop the greens and stir them in. (A little water left on the greens from washing them is good, it helps steam them done.)
4. When the greens wilt, add the tomatoes, beans and some of the bean cooking water. Cook for 10 or 15 minutes. The finished dish should be a little saucy, but not soupy. Add bean water or plain water accordingly.

Chickpea Soup (Tunisia)

FROM THE LANDS OF FIGS AND OLIVES, Habeeb Salloum and James Peters. 1995. INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups chickpeas -- soaked overnight in
10 cups water
4 cloves garlic -- crushed
1 hot pepper -- finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves -- finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds
1 teaspoon oregano
to taste salt and pepper
***GARNISH***
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups croutons
DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan, bring the chickpeas and water to a boil, then cover and cook over medium heat for 2 hours. Add the remaining ingredients, except the garnish; then cook over a medium heat for a further 30 minutes or until the chickpeas are tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and olive oil. Top with croutons.

Serving Size : 8

Red Pepper Spice - Harrisa

FROM THE LANDS OF FIGS AND OLIVES, Habeeb Salloum and James Peters. 1997. INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons caraway seed -- ground
5 cloves garlic -- crushed
1/2 cup cayenne pepper -- ground fresh
1/4 cup cumin
2 tablespoons salt
1/2 cup olive oil
DIRECTIONS:
Thoroughly mix all ingredients. Store in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid; refrigerated. Unknown shelf-life.

Serving Size : 1

Other Sites With Recipes:

TUNISIAN EGGPLANT SALAD

Chackchouka

Couscous

Salata Mechouia Nablia (Tunisia) I like Mechouia, yum.

culinarypleasures- has a few recipes

Your Recipes