Baku Kitchen! An independent reference of traditional food

Algeria

Ask what Algeria eats and the answer starts with this: hearty Berber-Arab cooking of couscous, slow stews, semolina breads and Ramadan soups, spiced with ras el hanout and dried mint. Look for Couscous (hand-rolled steamed semolina with vegetable and meat broth; the national dish), Chorba frik (lamb and cracked green wheat soup with tomato, coriander and mint) and Chakhchoukha (torn flatbread pieces drenched in spicy tomato-lamb sauce with chickpeas). Steamed in a couscoussier over stew; UNESCO inscribed couscous knowledge and practices in 2020 following a joint nomination by Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritania. This atlas has 45 Algeria dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.

45 dishes.

BaklawaBaklawalayered nut-filled pastry cut in lozenges, drenched in honey syrupBerkoukesBerkoukeslarge hand-rolled pasta pearls stewed with vegetables, chickpeas and meatBouhezzaBouhezzacheese ripened inside a goatskin, fed daily with fresh buttermilk until sharpBourekBourekcrisp fried pastry rolls of minced meat, egg and onion; Ramadan starterBouzeloufBouzeloufsinged sheep's head steamed with cumin, eaten for the cheek and tongueBradjBradjdate-filled semolina squares from Kabylie, griddled dry on a hot plateChakhchoukhaChakhchoukhatorn flatbread pieces drenched in spicy tomato-lamb sauce with chickpeasCherbetCherbetSweet lemon cordial perfumed with orange-flower water, served very coldChorba beidaChorba beidaWhite chicken soup with chickpeas, vermicelli and cinnamon, finished with eggChorba frikChorba friklamb and cracked green wheat soup with tomato, coriander and mintChtithaChtithaRed pepper and tomato stew, most often made with liver, chicken or beansCouscousCouscoushand-rolled steamed semolina with vegetable and meat broth; the national dishDersaDersapounded garlic, cumin, paprika and oil, the base of countless Algerian saucesDjouziaDjouziaDense walnut and honey nougat cut into diamondsDolmaDolmavegetables stuffed with spiced minced meat, simmered in white chickpea sauceDouaraDouaraTripe and offal stewed with chickpeas, mint and dried herbsDzirietteDziriettealmond-filled Algiers pastries glazed with honey and dusted with sugarGriwechGriwechribboned sesame pastry knots fried and dipped in honeyHamoud BoualemHamoud BoualemAlgiers-brewed sparkling lemonade, drunk instead of cola with couscousHmissHmissgrilled pepper, tomato and garlic salad cooled and dressed with olive oilKalb el louzKalb el louzsyrup-soaked semolina and almond squares, beloved during RamadanKarantikaKarantikasilky baked chickpea-flour custard dusted with cumin and harissa; Oran iconKesraKesragriddle-baked semolina flatbread, torn to scoop stewsKhliaKhliaspiced dried beef kept in fat, stirred into eggs, stews and semolinaKhobz darKhobz darhomestyle round semolina house bread topped with sesameKlilaKlilaDried crumbly curd made from soured milk, kept for months and cooked into stewsLbenLbentangy churned buttermilk, drunk cold alongside couscousLham lahlouLham lahlousweet Ramadan dish of lamb, prunes and raisins in orange-blossom syrupLoubiaLoubiawhite beans slow-cooked with garlic, cumin and tomatoMakroudMakroudsemolina diamonds stuffed with date paste, fried and dipped in honeyMascara wineMascara winedeep, robust red from the Mascara highlands, Algeria's best-known appellationMderbelMderbelFried courgette or aubergine stewed with garlic, vinegar and mintMerguezMerguezspicy grilled lamb sausage with harissa, tucked into crusty breadMesfoufMesfoufsweet steamed couscous with raisins, dates and butter, eaten before dawnMhadjebMhadjebsemolina crepes folded around spiced tomato-onion filling, griddled to orderMhalbiMhalbirose-scented rice-flour milk pudding dusted with cinnamon

  • Cherbet

    Sweet lemon cordial perfumed with orange-flower water, served very cold. Ready in 20 min prep and 15 min plus 4…

  • Chtitha

    Red pepper and tomato stew, most often made with liver, chicken or beans. Ready in 20 min prep and 40…

  • Mhalbi

    Rose-scented rice-flour milk pudding dusted with cinnamon. Ready in 10 min prep and 20 min plus 3 hr chilling cooking.…

  • Mesfouf

    Sweet steamed couscous with raisins, dates and butter, eaten before dawn. Ready in 20 min prep and 50 min, in…

  • Rechta

    Fine hand-cut noodles under white cinnamon-scented chicken and chickpea sauce. Ready in 1 hr for the noodles prep and 1…

  • Tamina

    Toasted semolina bound with butter and honey, made to celebrate births. Ready in 10 min prep and 30 min cooking.…

  • Chakhchoukha

    Torn flatbread pieces drenched in spicy tomato-lamb sauce with chickpeas. Ready in 1 hr prep and 1 hr 30 min…

  • Chorba frik

    Lamb and cracked green wheat soup with tomato, coriander and mint. Ready in 25 min prep and 1 hr cooking.…

  • Couscous

    Hand-rolled steamed semolina with vegetable and meat broth; the national dish. Ready in 40 min prep and 2 hr cooking.…

  • Zlabia

    Coiled deep-fried batter soaked in honey syrup, sold by the kilo. Ready in 25 min prep and 3 hr cooking.…