Chtitha Batata
Abuja, Nigeria · Voir toutes les recettes
Aperçu
Chtitha batata is the Algerian potato stew, and it is built on dersa. Dersa is a paste of garlic and chilli ground in a mortar with cumin, paprika, black pepper and cayenne, and it is the starting point for a whole family of Algerian dishes, chtitha among them. The technique is straightforward and the order matters. The dersa is fried first until fragrant, which is what opens up the spices, and the potatoes go in and are turned through it so every surface is coated before any liquid arrives. Tomato paste follows, then just enough water to cover, and it cooks until the potatoes are soft and the sauce has thickened around them. It is vegan as written and eaten as a main course on its own terms, not as a compromise, which is unusual for a stew of this kind. Meat can go into the sauce and often does, and chickpeas are a common addition that the source's prose mentions though the recipe itself does not include them. It keeps four days refrigerated and reheats well, and the flavour improves overnight as the dersa works into the potatoes.
Note de Patrimoine AFN
Chtitha batata is an Algerian potato stew built on dersa, a mortar-ground paste of garlic, chilli and spices that forms the base of a family of Algerian dishes.
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
Combine the garlic, chilli, cumin, paprika, black pepper, cayenne and salt in a mortar and grind with a pestle until it forms a paste. Add the olive oil and mix the dersa well.
- 2
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and fry the dersa until fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes.
- 3
Add the potato halves and turn them to coat in the dersa.
- 4
Stir in the tomato paste.
- 5
Pour in enough water to just cover the potatoes and bring to the boil.
- 6
Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 40 minutes.
- 7
Ladle the potatoes into a serving bowl and spoon any remaining sauce over them.
Notes de l’Africook
- Grind the dersa in a mortar rather than a blender. The pounding releases the garlic oils in a way blades do not, and the paste is the whole foundation of the dish.
- Fry the dersa until genuinely fragrant before anything else goes in. Two to four minutes is what opens the spices up.
- Coat the potatoes in the dersa before adding liquid, so the flavour is on every surface rather than only in the sauce.
- Use just enough water to cover. More gives a thin sauce that never concentrates around the potatoes.
- New or waxy potatoes hold their shape. Floury potatoes break down and thicken the sauce, which some people prefer.
- Chickpeas are a common addition, as the source's prose notes, and meat can go into the sauce. Neither is in the recipe as written.
Questions fréquentes
What is dersa?
Dersa is an Algerian paste of garlic and chilli ground in a mortar with cumin, paprika and other spices, bound with olive oil. It is the starting point for a family of Algerian dishes including the chtitha stews. The name comes from the Arabic for crushing, which describes how it is made.
Is chtitha batata vegan?
As written, yes, and it is eaten as a main course in its own right rather than as a meat-free compromise. Meat is often added to the sauce in Algeria and the source notes this, but the plain potato version is entirely standard and is what this recipe gives.
Can I make the dersa in a blender?
You can, but a mortar and pestle gives a better result. Pounding crushes the garlic cells and releases the oils in a way that chopping blades do not, producing a smoother, more pungent paste. A blender also needs more liquid to work, which loosens the paste.
What is it served with?
Bread above all, for the sauce, which is how it is eaten across Algeria. It works as a main course on its own, and as a side to grilled meat or fish. Chickpeas stirred in make it more substantial, which is a common variation.
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