Thread by @Sarrazine_TN

[Thread] on Tunisian cuisine.

Tunisian cuisine isn't something that the country has really worked to promote not even in its own touristic sectors.

And arguably one could only truly enjoy authentic Tunisian food in the house of a tunisian or a very good traditional restaurant!

Tunisian cuisine can be separated into 2 categories "Mekla Za3ra" (White food) & "Mekla 7amra" (Red food).

Mekla za3ra is older than Mekla 7amra and predates the introduction of red Tomatoes in the country by the Spaniards during the Spanish occupation in the 16th century.

Another specificity of Tunisian (and Libyan) cuisne within the Maghreb region is that it is more often than not, (very) spicy.

Red peppers were probably introduced by the Spaniards (again) in the 16th century & have been dried by locals to create the famous spicy Harissa paste🌶

We take food presentation seriously💫

Another point is that we love decorating our foods, both savory and sweet.

For our savory foods we use eggs, olives, tuna, peppers, nuts, persil, finely shopped onions etc.

For our sweet dishes we use all kinds of nuts, dates etc..

Almost every main dish comes with different versions.

Different types of red meats: beef, sheep, mergez, dried meat (Qadid), Osban (stuffed sheep stomach) etc... All kinds of poultry.

And coastal towns are famous for their great sea food dishes, calamari, octopus, fish etc.

Red pasta 🍝

With Chicken, Red meat, fish or sea food.
According to statistics, Tunisia is the 2nd biggest consumer of Pasta per capita right after Italy.

The dish was probably introduced by Italian migrants & adapted to Tunisian tastes with local spices.

Briks and similar dishes

1) Brika: An indispensable of every Tunisian Ramadan Table (with a runny egg yolk).

2) Brik dannouni: it's different from the other brik despite what the name might suggest and is possibly of Andalusian origins.

3) swebe3 Fatma: the fingers of Fatima

Salads.🥗

Salads are usually drizzled with olive oil and decorated with Tuna, olives & eggs.
Eg:
1) Ommek 7ouria: smashed carrots with harissa
2) Grilled Salad: (spicy)
3) Blankitt Salad: harissa dipped baguette
4) Tunisian Salad: with a hint of sour sweetness from green apples

Nwasser

It is said that Nwasser, a dish with square shaped "pasta" is named after the Almoahd caliph, Muhammad An-Nassir.

The squares presumably mimick the shape of the Almoahd square coins which were still in use in Ifriqyah during the Hafsid era!

Tajine

The recipient we call Tajine is different from the one Moroccans and Algerians use (our Tajine is flat and rectangular).
What they call tajine is called Tebsi in Tunisia.

Some examples of Tajines:
1) Tajine El Bey
2) Tajine war9a
3) Tajine malsouka
3) Regular Tajine

Mloukhiya.

It is very appreciated by locals.
Foreigners either love it or hate it (yes, I admit the color might be off putting).

The ingredients are very basic (olive oil, spices, mloukhiya, beef) but it takes hours to make because the beef is supposed to melt in your mouth!

Couscous

There is a plethora of different types of Tunisian couscous.

It can be red or white, sweet or savory, with red meat (regular or Osben or dried meat, mergez, a combination of all of these etc) or chicken or fish or sea food or vegetarian etc...

A few examples:

Stews 🍲

There are many different types of sauces that combine different meats and different vegetables.
They are usually eaten with baguette or another type of bread.
Some examples:
1) Marqat Loubia (white beans)
2) Madfouna
3) Marqat jelbena (pea)
4)Marqa za3ra (potato sauce)

Stews 2🍲

Some other examples of stews:

1) Kammounia (beef liver stew)
2) Kammounia bel Soubia (cuttlefish stew).
3) Mdarbel, eggplant stew
4) Fondoq el ghala

Soups/ Chorbat 🍵

There are dozens types of different chorbas and some of them are the following:

1) Chorbat Ch3ir
2) M7ammsa
3) Broudou
4) 7sou
Chorbat Lsen asfour
Vermicelli soup
Etc

Other types of pasta based dishes 🍝

There are multiple pasta based dishes. Some examples:

1) Ma9rouna jerya liquid pasta (with sardine patés in the picture below).
2) Ma9rouna za3ra (yellow sauce pasta)
3) Rechta

Other dishes🥘

1) M7amssa
2) Mosli djej (chicken with sauce and potatoes)
3) Dwida mfawra (vermicelli)
4) Mosli l7am (meat)

Street food and struggle food🥪

These foods are considered "mekla cha3bia" they are cheap to make and don't take too much time to make but they're very appreciated!

Some examples:
1) Chakchouka
2) Fricasse
3) Lablebi (especially in the winter!)
4) Mtabqa

Other types of street foods:

1) Kafteji
2) Mlewi
3) Maqloub
4) Kaskrout Hrissa w Ton (Tuna Harissa sandwich)

1) Mo9li: Fried fish, a favourite after a day at the beach!

2) 3in Sbayouriya: translating to " The Spanish Eye" ground beef with cheese and an egg at the center mimicking an eye. Can also be made chicken meat.

3) Felfel Me7chi: Peppers stuffed with meat, cheese, potatoes etc

Rices🍚

Rice isn't as popular as pasta or couscous but it is still part of Tunisian cuisine and is frequently eaten in different ways.

Some examples:
1) Rouz Jerbi (Djerbian rice made with couscous pot)
2) Rouz bel Fekiya
3) Rouz a7mar bel Osban
4) Another rouz az3ar bel Fekiya

1) I didn't include sweet foods
2) I didn't include many regional varieties
3) I didn't include all dishes & all versions of the same dish!

This isn't an exhaustive thread and was merely a brief presentation of our cuisine which many don't know about not even our own neibghors!