Chachouka

Chachouka

Chachouka is a spicy North African recipe. It will have your tastebuds doing a dance of celebration. It is spicy, bursting with flavours, super healthy and nutritious. It is the kind of recipe that will leave you with a healthy and satisfying glow. I tend to add a small amount of chilli to this chachouka recipe as it adds an extra burst of zing. However, the original recipe omits the chilli, so go with your own preference.

The chacouka I have photographed for this recipe was for two people, hence the two eggs. All other ingredients (to serve 4) are as below. If you wanted to create a larger batch, I would suggest adding an extra tin of chopped tomatoes and 2 extra peppers (colour of your choice). Most chachouka recipes for 4 people follow the ingredients below, except for I add extra tomatoes and also the chilli.

I recommend you prepare Chachouka in an ovenproof frying pan.

Serves 4

1 tbsp coconut oil

2 red peppers

2 yellow peppers

4 large tomatoes chopped roughly or handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

400g tin of chopped tomatoes

1 large onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1½ tsp ground cumin

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp chilli flakes (or to suit your taste)

2 or 3 saffron strands

4 eggs (happy eggs from pasture raised hens if you please!)

Black pepper

Heat the coconut oil in the frying pan, add the onion and let it cook over a medium heat for approximately 5 minutes until the onion is starting to brown.

Add the cumin, garlic and peppers and cook on a low heat for approximately 15 minutes until the peppers begin to soften. Add the chopped tomatoes, tinned tomatoes, paprika, chilli flakes and saffron strands. Stir well and simmer on a low heat for a further 10 – 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4.

Taste the mixture and add salt and pepper to taste. Make 4 shallow dips in the mixture and crack an egg into each of them.

Transfer the frying pan, with the lid removed, into the oven and cook for a further 10 – 15 minutes.

Serve with a fresh green salad or vegetables.