If I would need to choose one cake in the whole world it would be poppy seed cake. You might have difficulties finding ground poppy seed in your country as it is forbidden in some as it is said to be addictive. This is a fact in my country of emigration so please think of me when you have your helping on this wonderful cake! NOTE: Semolina is wheat flour
This recipe is from week five of my food blog, “Travel by Stove.” I am attempting to cook one meal from every country on Earth, and Algeria is my fifth stop. This flatbread is cooked in a pan and has a texture similar to cornbread.
M’shewsha is a delicious Algerian dish made with lots of eggs, a little semolina & a little flour. Most traditional recipes call for quite a lot of oil, my other recipe has reduced oil in it but I wanted to find a healthier version – here it is! You pour warm honey over it & allow it to soak in……..delicious! M’shewsha can be enjoyed for breakfast or with afternoon coffee – it tastes like a cross between cake, a fluffy pancake & French toast! Traditional, it is thought to give you a lot of strength – manual labourers eat it often, as do women who’ve just had a baby! This is also great for Suhor during Ramadan – yum!
Tamina is a very old Algerian recipe. Traditionally it is served to celebrate the birth of a baby, however many people eat it whenever they get the craving for something seriously sweet! It is most commonly served in small plates & people each have a small spoon with which to eat it, you can of course, serve individual portions. Algerian children go crazy for this so don’t forget a plate for them!
This is the traditional bread of every home in Algeria, hence it’s name which transaltes into English as ‘Bread of the House’. Every home has a different version & this particular recipe is from my lovely sister in law ‘Um Youcef’ 😉 Just a word of warning, if you have never made this kind of bread before, you will be shocked at how sticky & hard to work with the dough is. Unlike a regular bread, when your dough is too sticky you may add more flour – here adding more flour or semolina will make things worse…instead add a little water & knead gently with your fingertips . Water will always make the dough come together & away from your hands & the mixing bowl. You can also knead the dough in a KA or similar mixer with a sturdy dough hook.
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