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Chicha (dchicha): photo of the dish
Illustrative photo: Slothtysloth — CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Everyday meals

Chicha (dchicha)

Dchicha is a family dish made of crushed wheat or crumbled barley, steamed and then mixed with a tomato and meat sauce or vegetables. Very common in western and southern Algeria, it is often served at festive meals.

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Ingredients

Ingredients

Sauce

Spices & seasoning

Optional extras

On the side

Instructions

  1. Brown the lamb pieces in olive oil for 5 minutes in a large casserole, then remove them.
  2. Fry the sliced onion and chopped garlic for 5 minutes, then add the tomato paste, grated tomatoes and spices.
  3. Return the meat, cover with water to just above it, add the carrot and courgette cut into large chunks, then simmer for 45 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, dampen the cracked wheat with a little salted water and rub it between your hands to break up any lumps.
  5. Place the wheat in the couscoussier or a sieve above the sauce, then steam for 20 minutes.
  6. Tip the wheat into a large dish, sprinkle with a few ladles of broth and fluff with a fork.
  7. Top with the meat and vegetables, and serve with the sauce and harissa.

Variations and tips

Vegetarian version. Replace the lamb with cooked chickpeas and add potatoes to the sauce.

With what you can find here. Medium couscous can replace the cracked wheat if needed.

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Original Ecomely recipe.