Moroccan Taktouka

Blessing Funmilayo
Blessing Funmilayohttps://afrifoodnetwork.com/
Hello, my name is Funmilayo, and i love to write about food, beauty, fashion and wellness. So welcome to my Food world! I share histories, discoveries, uniqueness, tips, and tricks on different dishes .Come let's take this adventure together. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do and hope to see you back here again soon.
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Salads are an important part of Moroccan cuisine and taktouka is one of the most beloved salads.

Now, I know the first thing you might think is why would you need a recipe if taktouka is a salad?  The answer is simple; taktouka isn’t a typical salad and it requires some cooking. But before we get to the actual recipe, let me give you some background.

What is Taktouka?

It sounds like shakshouka right,? And it even looks somewhat similar if you try really hard to see similarities. The word taktouka is derived from the Arabic verb taktak meaning to grind.

It is an extremely popular dish. In Morocco, it is a very common warm salad, like zaalouk, made mainly of very simple ingredients: roasted bell peppers, fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic, and olive oil.

The salad originates from Morocco but is also popular in Algeria. In the eastern part of Morocco, this salad is known as flifla while in Algeria, they call it felfla mechouia.

History & Origin Of Taktouka

This dish has its origin in the former Ottoman Empire. Tomato-based stews were one of the most common appetizers throughout the Ottoman Empire, the Middle East, and Northern Africa.

In North Africa, these dishes were referred to as shakshouka and consisted of cooked vegetables and liver or minced meat.

As trading with the American continent and Europe grew, tomatoes and chili peppers were added to these gravies and became so popular that a vegetarian version of this dish eventually appeared.

The exact origins of taktouka are disputed. Some historians believe the dish originated in Spain, others claim it was invented in today’s Israel (and brought to North Africa by Tunisian Jews), and others claim the dish is 100% Moroccan.

However, there’s no doubt that the original recipe is a part of Moroccan cuisine today.

Taktouka Vs Shakshouka 

Shakshouka is a similar Tunisian dish with similar ingredients and preparation methods but there are some differences.

The main difference is shakshouka is served as a main course dish while taktouka is an appetizer. Shakshouka originates from Tunisia and is a saucier and slightly spicier version of taktouka that features a poached egg on the top.

The dish is also popular in Israel and the southern islands of Sicily where it’s referred to as sciakisciuka. Both dishes have coexisted for centuries and it’s difficult to say which one came first.

Taktouka Recipe

Regarding the recipe, you can always experiment and add large pieces of smoked peppers rather than grinding. This makes the peppers chewier and adds a very nice texture to the dish. It’s not the traditional way to make it but it can save you some time.

And last but not least, adjust this recipe depending on the region you’re coming from. I’m saying this because tomatoes are sweeter in some parts of the world and if you happen to come from them, perhaps you should skip adding caster sugar to your recipe.

Serving Suggestions

The right way to eat taktouka is by dipping some khobz (or some other Moroccan bread) into the salad or as a side dish with grilled meat, fish, or a stew but if you like it, you can eat it as a sandwich or as a snack alongside some harcha bread.

Taktouka is usually served warm but it’s also quite tasty when served cold. I’ll go as far as to say that taktouka is just as tasty if not even more the next day after preparing it.

Just to mention that eating this without bread, or any other saucy Moroccan dish, is just wrong. They are made to be enjoyed with bread.

Be sure to recreate this incredible Moroccan delicacy. Bon appétit!

Moroccan Taktouka : roasted peppers and tomato salad

Idriss
This easy Moroccan Side dish is 100% vegan and super easy to make. It's made using roasted sweet peppers, fresh tomatoes and a banging blend of spices!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Moroccan
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 2 large sweet peppers
  • 1 tbsp olive oil plus more for garnish
  • 1 large onion finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 5 ripe italian tomatoes grated
  • 1 tsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika and 1 tsp salt

Instructions
 

  • To roast your red bell peppers you need to broil them in your oven for about 8-10 minutes, turning them halfway to ensure even cooking.
    Once ready put your peppers in a Ziploc bag and seal it.

Making the sauce

  • Start by mincing your onion and garlic. Heat up 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a non stick pan on medium-low and add your onion and garlic.
  • Cut your tomatoes in half (length-wise) and use a box grater to grate the inside of the tomato into a bowl to extract the pulp out and set aside. If you don't feel like grating tomatoes, you can just dice them.
  • Cook for 4-5 minutes and add your fresh grated/diced tomatoes, cumin, paprika and salt. Cook for 5 minutes and add your tomato paste.
  • Open your Ziploc bag and peel the charred skin from the peppers along with the seeds. Cut the peppers into strips and add to the sauce. Cook for another 3-5 minutes and turn off the heat.

Garnish

  • Garnish with some freshly chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Blessing Funmilayo
Blessing Funmilayohttps://afrifoodnetwork.com/
Hello, my name is Funmilayo, and i love to write about food, beauty, fashion and wellness. So welcome to my Food world! I share histories, discoveries, uniqueness, tips, and tricks on different dishes .Come let's take this adventure together. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do and hope to see you back here again soon.
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