Shakshuka- Poached Eggs in spicy Tomato Sauce

“All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.”-John Gunther

In Israel the word Shakshuka is synonymous with breakfast. It’s best served with a slice or two of challah bread to sop up the juices. Shakshuka is a dish of  poached eggs  in a sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers, and onions, often spiced with cumin. It is believed to have a Tunisian origin. Shakshuka is a staple of Tunisian, Libyan, Algerian, Moroccan, and Egyptian cuisines, traditionally served in a cast iron pan  with bread to mop up the sauce. It is also popular in Israel, where it was introduced by Tunisian Jews and Maghrebi Jews, hundreds of thousands of whom immigrated to Israel during the 1950s.

Because eggs are the main ingredient, it is often on breakfast menus, but in Israel, it is also a popular evening meal. According to some food historians, the dish was invented in the Ottoman Empire, spreading throughout the Middle East and Spain, where it is often served with spicy sausage. It’s a one-skillet recipe of eggs baked in a tomato-red pepper sauce spiced with cumin, paprika.

If you aren’t familiar with shakshuka, I’m thrilled to introduce the concept to you! It’s one of my favorite dishes—a simple, go-to meal that works as a breakfast, lunch, or dinner .Nutritionally, Shakshuka is just the perfect breakfast that I need. You get to eat spiced up tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions—a well of vitamins (A/C), antioxidants, and other anti-inflammatory compounds—with those sunny side up eggs floating on top.

INGREDIENTS
• 2 tbsps oil
• 1 medium size onion , finely chopped
• 1 cup bell pepper chopped finely ( green, red and yellow)
• 6 to 7 cloves garlic chopped
• 2 tomatoes , finely chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 tbsp cumin powder(If freshly made better)
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped coriander leaves

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat the oil in a shallow, medium skillet. Add the onion and Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent. Add the bell pepper and cook till softened.
2. Add in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
3. Now add the chopped tomatoes, chili powder, cumin powder, salt, sugar and pepper. Stir until everything is well combined. Add tomato puree and stir. Cover the skillet with a lid and let the tomatoes cook on medium heat until they are soft and mushy, about 5 to 10 minutes. You should now have a sauce that is a gravy like consistency. If the sauce is too thick, add water and stir.
4. Layer the coriander leaves on top.
5. Now carefully crack the eggs. Gently pour the egg into the surface of the tomato sauce. Repeat with all remaining eggs so that the surface of the tomato sauce is covered in eggs. Take care not to disturb the egg yolks, they need to be intact.
6. Cover the skillet and let the sauce gently simmer until the egg whites are set, about 2 minutes. If you like your eggs firm, cook the shakshuka covered for another 2 minutes or until the egg whites and yellows are fully cooked and set.
7. Sprinkle some ground pepper and Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve hot with bread.

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Shakshuka- Poached Eggs in spicy Tomato Sauce

Course

breakfast

Cuisine

israeli

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Servings

serving

Ingredients

• 1 Onions medium , chopped finely
• 1 cup bell pepper of ( green, red and yellow) chopped finely
• 6 to 7 cloves garlic chopped
• 2 nos Tomatoes , chopped finely
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 tbsp cumin ground powder
• 1 tbsp sugar
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp coriander leaves chopped

Course breakfast Cuisine israeli Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes Servings serving Ingredients 1 Onions medium , chopped finely 1 cup bell pepper of ( green, red and yellow) chopped finely 6 to 7 cloves garlic chopped 2 nos Tomatoes , chopped finely 1 tbsp tomato puree 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder 1 tbsp cumin ground powder 1 tbsp sugar salt to taste 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground 4 eggs 1 tbsp coriander leaves chopped

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a shallow, medium skillet. Add the onion and Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent. Add the bell pepper and cook till softened.Add in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
2. Now add the chopped tomatoes, chili powder, cumin powder, salt, sugar  and pepper. Stir until everything is well combined. Add tomato puree and stir. Cover the skillet with a lid and let the tomatoes cook on medium heat until they are soft and mushy, about 10 minutes. You should now have a sauce that is a gravy like consistency. If the sauce is too thick, add water and stir.
3. Layer the coriander leaves on top. Now carefully crack the eggs. Gently pour the  egg into the surface of the tomato sauce. Repeat with all remaining eggs so that the surface of the tomato sauce is covered in eggs. Take care not to disturb the egg yolks, they need to be intact.
4. Cover the skillet and let the sauce gently simmer until the egg whites are set, about 2 minutes. If you like your eggs firm, cook the shakshuka covered for another 2 minutes or until the egg whites and yellows are fully cooked and set.
5. Sprinkle some ground pepper and Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve hot with bread.
6. Some additional Tips:Remove eggs from refrigerator at least 30 minutes prior to cooking.

Recipe Notes