Yiddish delight
The Middle East, Israel, North Africa, Turkey: The humble and hearty SHAKSHUKA could have originated anywhere. But what makes it the global dish of 2014 ?
If it’s not on your list of must-try foods already, this is the year it will be. The humble Shakshuka—a delicious and hearty Middle Eastern dish of eggs poached in tomato-and-onion gravy—is set to be the recipe of the year. The reason for its sudden success: Its simplicity. “It doesn’t surprise me at all,” says award-winning Israel-born British chef Yotam Ottolenghi, who grew up eating shakshuka in Jerusalem, a city that is as much a culinary melting pot as it is cultural. “It’s a simple, rustic, comforting, easy, delicious, and versatile meal-in-a-dish,” he adds. “The eggs make it the perfect meal for brunch as well. You can also prepare the sauce in advance so, as well as being very comforting to eat, it can also be very relaxing to make for friends as you can get everything ready and then just slip the eggs in to poach just before serving.”
Today, r est aurants everywhere—from the family-owned Los Poblanos in Albuquerque in New Mexico, America (listed in
Bon Apetit magazine as one of the Best Food Lover’s hotels in America) to the pointedly- named Dr Shakshuka in Tel Aviv in Israel—are serving their versions. In India, you can head to Frangipani in Trident, Mumbai, or to Shamiana, at The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, where it is listed on the menu.
Down south in India, homemade versions feature curry leaves and coconut milk, made popular by Jews who settled in the land generations ago. Recipes are as varied as the cooks. Ottolenghi surprised himself last year “by making a version of shakshuka with the eggs braised in a sauce of smoked aubergine and minced beef which really worked well. I served it with a tahini sauce and it was delicious.” It is time for you to surprise yourself now.