Dobara
Aperçu
Dobara is a chickpea and fava bean soup from Biskra in northeastern Algeria, and it is winter food in a place that gets genuinely cold at night despite sitting on the edge of the Sahara. It is also spelled doubara, and it is known widely enough by its region that Algerians call it doubara Biskra. It is vegan by construction rather than by choice. Meat is expensive in Algeria and many households cannot buy it regularly, and dobara is one of the dishes that answers that directly: beans, chickpeas, spices and bread, filling enough that nobody at the table is thinking about what is missing. It is also the dish that gets made when a guest arrives unannounced, because the components are always in the house. The heat is not incidental. Harissa goes in, and so do chilli, black pepper and paprika, and Algerians describe the warmth it produces as the reason to eat it in winter. What makes it distinctive is that the fresh elements go in at the table rather than in the pot: grated tomato, chopped coriander, garlic, pickled peppers, lemon slices and olive oil are added to each bowl as it is served, so the dish is finished by whoever is eating it.
Note de Patrimoine AFN
Dobara is documented as a dish of the Biskra region of northeastern Algeria, built on fava beans or chickpeas, and its name is derived from the Arabic d'bara. It belongs to the body of Algerian dishes developed in households where meat was not a regular purchase.
Ingrédients
Les mentions alimentaires sont fournies par les contributeurs à titre indicatif. Elles ne sont pas vérifiées par AFN et dépendent des produits que vous achetez. En cas d’allergie grave, vérifiez vous-même chaque ingrédient. Cuisine, allergies et votre propre jugement
Préparation
- 1
Cook the chickpeas first. In a saucepan over medium high heat, put the chopped onion with 2 minced garlic cloves.
- 2
Add the bay leaf and chickpeas.
- 3
Add salt, pepper, cumin, coriander and olive oil.
- 4
Cook for about a minute, then add hot or boiled water, about 4 cups to begin with.
- 5
Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low and cook for 30 to 45 minutes until the chickpeas are done. Add more boiled water during cooking if needed.
- 6
Meanwhile prepare the salsa. In a food processor, combine the grated tomato, Serrano pepper, chopped coriander and garlic cloves. Process for a few seconds.
- 7
Transfer to a bowl and add the tomato paste, harissa, paprika, salt, coriander, cumin and black pepper. Mix well.
- 8
Add 4 to 5 tablespoons of olive oil and mix together. Set aside.
- 9
Once the chickpeas are cooked and the liquid has reduced, ladle 2 or 3 ladles of chickpeas with their liquid into a serving dish.
- 10
Add a tablespoon or more of the salsa and mix well.
- 11
Top with grated fresh tomato, Serrano pepper and chopped coriander.
- 12
Add pickled peppers and lemon slices, drizzle with olive oil, and serve with bread.
Notes de l’Africook
- Do not salt the beans while they are boiling from dry. Salt early toughens the skins and the chickpeas will refuse to soften however long you give them.
- Soak overnight without exception. Chickpeas and fava beans cooked from dry will not reach tenderness in the time this recipe allows.
- The fresh elements go on at the table, not in the pot. Grated tomato, coriander, pickled pepper and lemon added at serving are what give the dish its brightness against the soft cooked beans.
- Harissa varies in strength between brands. Start with half and build, or leave it out entirely and use chilli powder if you cannot find it.
- Fava beans, chickpeas or a mixture of both are all correct. Some regions add white or red beans as well.
Questions fréquentes
Is dobara made with chickpeas or fava beans?
Both, and either. There are three recognised preparations: dobara with fava beans, dobara with chickpeas, and dobara with a mixture. Fava beans are the more traditional base in Biskra. This recipe uses chickpeas. Some regions add white or red beans as well, which is a local variation rather than a departure.
How spicy is dobara?
Genuinely hot. Harissa, chilli pepper, black pepper and paprika all go in, and Algerians describe the heat as the point rather than an accent, since the warmth is why it is eaten in winter. You can reduce the harissa or leave it out, and the dish still works as a well spiced bean soup.
What is dobara served with?
Bread, and specifically a crusty baguette or similar, used to take up the liquid. It is a one bowl meal otherwise. The fresh garnishes of grated tomato, coriander, pickled pepper and lemon are part of the serving rather than optional extras, and they go on at the table.
Can I use canned chickpeas?
Yes, and it takes the cooking time down to about ten minutes. Drain and rinse them, then simmer them in the seasoned liquid so they take on the spices, which is what the long cook would otherwise do. The texture is slightly firmer than chickpeas cooked from dry, which most people will not notice.
Avis
3 avis
chale serrano pepper was impossible to find around Kirkgate Market today, so I just chopped a bit of green scotch bonnet into the grated tomato mix instead. herh, when you bloom the garlic, bay leaf, and cumin in the olive oil, the aroma in the kitchen is crazy! Simple and warm for this Leeds rain, good food paa.
made this as a side for the braai yesterday instead of chakalaka. used two tins of Koo chickpeas because i forgot to soak dry ones overnight. added the exact 1 tsp cumin and coriander powder. very lekker with that raw grated tomato and chili topping! just needed a extra pinch of salt to balance the olive oil.
Had to trek down to the grocer on City Road to find proper serrano peppers for the salsa, but so glad I did. The contrast between the warm cumin chickpeas and that cold grated tomato on top is brilliant. Took me closer to 55 minutes for the chickpeas to get soft enough though.