Cabbage and Pepper Chakchoukah

By Martha Rose Shulman

Published January 26, 2014

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
About 1 hour
Rating
5(356)
Comments
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This is a spicy Tunisian pepper stew with poached eggs, called chakchoukah. In this version, cabbage is substituted for some of the peppers in the traditional version.

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 6

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 large onion, quartered lengthwise, then sliced thin across the grain

  • 1 large green bell pepper, quartered lengthwise, seeded and sliced thin across the grain

  • 1 large red bell pepper, quartered lengthwise, seeded and sliced thin across the grain

  • Salt to taste

  • ½ medium or 1 small head cabbage, cored and shredded (about 4 cups)

  • 2 serrano chiles or jalapeños, seeded and minced

  • 4 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 to 2 teaspoons harissa, to taste, or ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne

  • 1 teaspoon lightly toasted coriander seeds, ground

  • 1 teaspoon lightly toasted cumin seeds, ground

  • ½ teaspoon caraway seeds, ground

  • 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice

  • Freshly ground pepper

  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, or a mix

  • 6 eggs

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

15 grams carbs; 160 milligrams cholesterol; 166 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 9 grams fat; 6 grams fiber; 733 milligrams sodium; 8 grams protein; 8 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oil over medium heat in a large heavy casserole or skillet, or in an earthenware casserole set on a flame tamer. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 10 minutes. If they begin to stick to the pan add a generous pinch of salt. Add another generous pinch of salt and the peppers and cook, stirring often, until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add the cabbage, chiles, coriander seeds, cumin and caraway and cook, stirring, until cabbage has wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the harissa or cayenne, salt and pepper, stir together and add the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, cover partially, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring from time to time, until tomatoes have cooked down and the mixture is thick and fragrant, about 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in all but 2 teaspoons of the parsley or cilantro, taste and adjust seasonings.

  2. Step 2

    With the back of your spoon, make 6 depressions in the vegetables. Break an egg into each depression. Cover and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the eggs are set. Sprinkle the eggs with salt, pepper and the remaining parsley and serve.

Tips

  • If you are using an earthenware casserole, the cooking times will be longer. It will take about 10 minutes for the peppers to soften, and 30 to 40 minutes for the mixture to cook down.

  • This can be made a few days ahead through Step 1, and it will taste even better on the second day.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
356 user ratings
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Comments

Christina

I had an extra green pepper and threw that in too as well as a whole small green cabbage. It came out great. Next time, I might cut it down to 1 chile.

Since it was so spicy, I served it over couscous with a dollop of Greek yogurt. Delicious!

Andras

I understand the role of the tomato in this recipe, yet I think that it could do with a smaller amount (perhaps one 15-oz can), and with only one chili pepper. If you add a full 28-oz can the tomato will bury the spices, especially the caraway and the cabbage. It's still a satisfying recipe, but if I were to do it again, I'd cut down on the tomato.

Mel

In making this I added some chickpeas which added a nice contrast in texture. Second time around I added some sausages which was a really tasty addition. Next time around i'll be trying this with the addition of chicken. I really loved this way to use up cabbage!

Judith S Bee

I can't believe how good this is. I didn't have all the ingredients (spices, jalapenos, etc) but I improvised (ground cumin and coriander and lots of red pepper flakes) and it turned out GREAT. The texture and bite of the cabbage gives it a pleasing crunch that's not too crunchy. And I sprinkled the top with feta that really worked. A true 5 stars.

Anna

This was great! We used red cabbage, which works really well with the tomatoes and peppers. I did not add jalapeños but used some mildly spicy red peppers. I used 1 1/2 tsp of harissa but would use 1 tsp next time for more sensitive palates. I also omitted the caraway as I didn’t have it. I thought this recipe could use some side carbs, so I decided to make Mlawi, a Tunisian flatbread. It was a MUST with the intense spice and flavor of the dish, and great for scooping up stewy vegetables.

Charlotte

If your eggs or their edges turn blue/green while cooking this recipe, do not be alarmed--it is a natural chemical reaction between red cabbage juice and naturally alkaline egg white. boy was i shocked to find this out the hard way

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