Start your day the Shakshouka way. Why is Breakfast important? Well, it kick-starts your metabolism, helps you burn calories throughout the day and also gives you the energy you need to get things done while helping you focus at work or at school.
Many studies have linked eating breakfast to better memory and concentration, lower levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, and lower chances of getting diabetes, heart disease, and being overweight.
So what better way to start the day than with Shakshouka?
Shakshouka or shakshuka (Arabic: شكشوكة) is a dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers, and onions, often spiced with cumin. In its present egg and vegetable-based form it is of Tunisian and Moroccan origin and is now popular among many ethnic groups of the Middle East and the Maghreb.
We borrowed this incredible recipe from Chef Samuel Haurissa at Pantry Café in Dubai:
Ingredients:
- 4-6 free-range organic eggs
- 40g chopped red onions
- 10g chopped garlic
- 80g thinly sliced red bell peppers
- 4g cumin powder
- 10g chopped jalapeños
- 4g coarse salt
- 60ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 400g chopped organic tomatoes 4g fresh parsley
- 20g feta cheese
- 2 pieces of pitta bread
- Pinch of chilli powder
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
2. Heat a skillet pan over a medium heat and add the extra-virgin olive oil. When the oil is heated, add the chopped onions, garlic and red peppers, and sauté gently until soft.
3. Add the chopped jalapeños and tomatoes, and stir. Sprinkle the chilli powder and cumin powder over the mixture.
4. Season with a little salt to taste, then add half of the chopped parsley to the pan.
5. Continue cooking until the tomatoes become soft.
6. Crack the eggs straight into the pan, then remove the pan from the heat.
7. Place the pan into the oven. Bake for two minutes at 220°C, until the eggs are cooked.
8. Take the pan out of the oven. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese and the remaining chopped parsley.
9. Serve straight away and in the pan, placing a table mat underneath it to protect your table.
Enjoy!