Unlike other North African cuisine, Tunisian food is typically quite spicy. However it can also be quite easily toned down to accommodate guests’ palates. Because it is usually accompanied by harissa, a spicy Tunisian red chili sauce, it can be added ahead of time or left on the table for personal preference. Since the spiciness of the meal also has a traditional meaning of love behind it, why not serve up some Tunisian passionate food for your loved one this year for Valentine’s Day? According to Tunisian folklore, the spicier the meal, the more the woman who prepares it loves her man. So
Handpainted lead-free Tunisian Bowl
the heat of the meal also represents the heat of her passion for him. It is believed that if the wife starts preparing bland meals for her husband, than too, her love is waning.
We have included some fabulous Tunisian recipes for you to try, some spicy and some not so spicy, along with some beautiful Tunisian bowls for serving up the passionate meal to your loved one. You may also consider giving one of these beautiful hand-painted Tunisian bowls to your special love: they come in many shapes and sizes. Since they are lead and cadmium free, they are oven, microwave and dishwasher safe . In addition the large bowls have a couple of holes on the back to make them part of your home decor when not in use for cooking or serving.
According to Wikipedia popular ingredients included in Tunisian foods are: garlic, anise, saffron, cinnamon, caraway, coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, ginger, white pepper, black pepper, red pepper, cloves, onions, bell peppers, carrots, tomatoes, capers, celery, turnips, potatoes, chili peppers, cucumbers,eggplants, lemon, oranges, figs, dates, olives, apricots, quince, hazelnuts,
pinenuts, peanuts, parsley, cilantro, mint, basil, rosemary, bay leaves thyme. harissa, rose water.
Tunisian Djerbi Rice is a mild rice dish that is easy to prepare
Tunisian Djerbi Rice
400gr basmati rice
200 gr beef, thinly sliced
4 tbsp olive oil
handful chickpeas
3 finely chopped onions
1 pack fresh spinach or frozen spinach
3 tbsp tomato puree
1/2 tsp dried Turkish mint
1 heaped tbsp tabil spice
1 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
Method
Fill the bottom pan with water and bring to the boil. In a big bowl mix all the ingredients together with your hands. Once the water is boiling fill the top pan with the rice mixture and steam for about 1hr. Stir every now and then to make sure the rice is evenly cooked.
Tunisian Baked Chicken
4 whole chicken breasts, split 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 1/2 c. onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. paprika pinch of cayenne pepper 1/2 c. chicken broth
juice of 1 small lemon 1 small lemon, thinly sliced
pimento, stuffed green olives, halved 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
Wash and pat chicken dry. Combine flour, salt and pepper on wax paper. Turn chicken into flour mixture, coat evenly. Shake off excess. Saute chicken, a few pieces at a time, in oil in a large skillet. Remove the pieces to a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish as they brown, arranging them in a single layer. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add onion, garlic, cumin, paprika and cayenne to skillet. Saute until onion is slightly softened. Stir in chicken broth and lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a boil and pour over chicken. Arrange lemon slices on top. Cover. Bake in preheated oven 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with olives. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with harissa.
This Valentine’s Day spice up your life with some Tunisian cuisine and the passion inspired Tunisian bowls. We have tapas sets, small, medium and large bowls. These high quality products come in many patterns and are an inexpensive way to add color to your life! LivingLa Buena Vida is an attitude.
