Every ethnic group has its culinary pride. New Zealand Maori tout their under-dirt cuisine called the ‘Hangi’, the English have toad in the hole, the Scots wave around their Haggis, the Germans put that look on their face with their sauerkraut and the French, apoof! (their cuisine largely exists because Catherine de Medici of Tuscany deigned to stoop that low and marry the French regent).
The Jews of the Maghreb, a geographic sub-region incorporating the North African coastline from Morocco to Libya, have their own pride and prejudice: the ethnic culinary banner of excellence and one that all shall be judged by is the quality and ‘HEAT’ contained in their chraime. The important thing is that it is so spicy that guests at your table will attest to its lava like qualities to whomever they meet well into the future.
Chraime comes from the Arabic word hot and is a mixture of all the paprikas, smoked, hot and sweet, giving body and colour to a tangy tomato sauce that the fish are poached in. A white fish variety with bones is usually used, although as salmon has become more common and doesn’t dry as easily its usage in less traditional settings has become more common.
Chraime considered top notch is commonly served at the Sabbath and festival festive tables.
Chraime. Photo credit The BFD.
Chraime
Ingredients:
- Olive oil x 3 tablespoons
- Medium onion x 1 peeled and diced
- Garlic clove x 4 diced
- Sweet paprika x 2 tablespoons
- Hot paprika x ½ tablespoon
- Smoked paprika x 1 tablespoon
- Cumin x 1 teaspoon
- Tomato paste x 2 tablespoons
- Zest of one lemon
- Hot chilli pepper deseeded and mostly scraped, diced
- Can of tomato pulp x 400 gram
- ½ cup of water
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 600-800 grams of fresh Norwegian salmon cut into individual portions
- One bunch of coriander, stems removed, roughly chopped.
- Flour for dusting fish
Method:
Add oil to deepish pan; when hot, add fish to sear, turn down heat to low, sear fish on all sides (this will keep the fish whole as it is poached), remove and set aside on paper towel.
Add onion, stir for a minute or two until it starts to become clear, add garlic, cumin, all three paprikas, hot chilli pepper, stir for a minute, add tomato paste and lemon zest, stir for a minute then add tomato pulp, ½ cup of water (more if depth is required), stir until combined, salt and pepper to taste, then place fish portions in sauce ensuring they are fully covered by sauce, put on lowest flame and simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes. Taste, add salt and pepper as needed; when ready to serve sprinkle chopped coriander over the contents of the pot and serve. Best with white Basmati rice.
For next week’s post let’s just wait and see.
Shabbat Shalom
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