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Thikourbabine
Thikourbabine: Kabyle semolina dumplings simmered in a red pepper, tomato and vegetable sauce
High in the Kabylie mountains east of Algiers, thikourbabine is a winter dish made from what is in the store cupboard: small balls of semolina dough poached in a fragrant red sauce of tomato, paprika, garlic and dried red peppers, with chickpeas, potatoes and courgettes. The dumplings turn tender and slightly chewy and soak up the sauce, which is peppery and warming rather than very hot. Families eat it from a shared bowl on cold evenings. Some cooks add meat; this is the meatless way it is often made at home. Chef's tip: let the dumplings rest after shaping; the surface dries a little and they hold together in the simmering sauce.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dumplings
- 10 ½ oz medium semolina
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried mint
- ¾ cup warm waterabout
For the sauce
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onionchopped
- 4 garlic clovescrushed
- 1 red pepperchopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 potatoesin 2 cm chunks
- 7 oz cooked chickpeasdrained
- 5 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 courgettein chunks
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix 10 ½ oz medium semolina, ¾ tsp salt, 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp dried mint. Add ¾ cup warm water a little at a time, kneading into a firm dough that holds together without crumbling. Rest under a cloth for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 2: Roll the dough into marble-sized balls, about 2 cm across, and spread them on a tray to dry for 15 minutes while you start the sauce.
15 minStep 3: Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in a wide pot over a medium heat. Cook 1 onion and 1 red pepper for 7 minutes until soft.
7 minStep 4: Add 4 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tsp sweet paprika, ½ tsp hot paprika or chilli flakes and ½ tsp ground black pepper and stir for 2 minutes until fragrant and brick red.
2 minStep 5: Add 2 potatoes, 7 oz cooked chickpeas, 5 cups water and 1 tsp salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 6: Drop in the dumplings and 1 courgette, stir gently once and simmer for 15–18 minutes, until the dumplings are swollen and tender right through and the sauce has thickened. A common mistake is stirring hard in the first 5 minutes, which breaks the dumplings; shake the pot instead.
17 minStep 7: Rest for 5 minutes off the heat, scatter with 2 tbsp fresh coriander and serve in bowls.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 510 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 82 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does thikourbabine take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of dried mint?
- Fresh coriander, same amount (different but just as fresh).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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