Shakshuka or Chakalaka

Ingredients

(serves 4-6)

• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 60ml olive oil
• 1 large onions, peeled and sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 red capsicum cut into 2cm strips
• 1 yellow capsicum, cut into 2cm strips
• 1 green capsicum, cut into 2cm strips
• 2 tsp soft brown sugar
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 thyme sprigs, picked and chopped
• ¼  bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• ½ bunch fresh coriander, chopped
• 2 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 red chilli chopped
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper
• Up to 150ml water
• 4 free-range eggs
  
  

Method

Dry-roast the cumin in a pan on high heat for two minutes and set aside. Add the olive oil and sauté the onions for a few minutes then add the capsicums, sugar, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, cumin and half of the coriander, and cook on high heat to get a nice colour. Add the tomatoes, cayenne, salt and pepper. Cook on low heat for 15 minutes, adding a little water from time to time to keep it the consistency of a pasta sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Place into 4 small serving dishes, (or one large) and  make little indentations in the mixture and break an egg onto the top of each dish. Sprinkle with salt, cover and cook very gently for 10-12 minutes, until the egg just sets. Sprinkle with coriander and serve with labneh and harissa. Labneh is simply drained natural yogurt, seasoned with salt and a little crushed garlic and harissa is a chilli paste.