After visiting a restaurant for the first time, Europeans who visit Tunisia ask for their dishes in a less-smoking version. But they don't have digestive problems. And Tunisian cuisine will warm us up on cold days.

Like every Arabic cuisine,Tunisian cuisineis almost burning for our palate. You can find Mediterranean accents in it, especially French and Italian, but also Turkish. Many dishes are almost red in color due totomatoesand peppers. Tunisians believe that the color red stimulates the appetite. The dishes are based on fish and seafood, lamb and poultry. They can't do without couscous, potatoes, eggs and bread.

According to an expertAbdelfettah Gaida, vice president of Exim Tours, former head of the Tunisian Tourism Authority

Vegetables all year round

Tunisia has regionally diverse cuisine - in the south it is much spicier, on the coast, which is most often visited by Polish tourists, it is milder. The restaurants do not serve really spicy dishes, but always harissa is served so that everyone can season the dish on their plate. Tunisian cuisine is full of vegetables. Thanks to the favorable climate, tomatoes, peppers, beans, artichokes, broccoli, and various salads are harvested over and over again. There is no need to import any vegetables from abroad. It is recommended to use parsley (a rich source of vitamin C and iron) not as a garnish on top of the ready-to-eat meal, but as an ingredient (e.g. in salads), as well as spinach and sorrel. Turnip leaves are used in a similar way. It is also worth knowing that Tunisia is an important producer of excellent oil, unfortunately not available in Poland.

Spices and aromas occupy an important place in Tunisian cuisine

The most important thing ispaprika- sweet and hot, then turmeric, garlic, cumin and cumin. The dishes are flavored by lemons and parsley. The Tunisian speci alty is harissa - a paste made of hot pepper and garlic. Almost everything is seasoned with it. It is served as a snack, on a flat plate with olives and olive oil, which slightly soften the burning taste. The baguette pieces are dipped in olive oil and then (carefully) in the harissa. Tourists often buy a jar of Harissa as a souvenir, but locals prefer to make it at home.

No need to move without bread

Tunisians say that their dishes can be divided into those that are eaten with a spoon (including couscous and rice), and those that are eaten with the help of a piece of bread. In Tunisia, bread is eaten very much.
A baguette (a remnant of the colonial period) is an indispensable addition to many dishes, which here - like in France - tears to pieces.

Brik - fast food1

The role of the unknown fast food here is played by brik - a dumpling made of a special thin dough (a kind of strudel dough, eventually it can be replaced with Greek filo dough, but not French dough), filled with stuffing. The most typical is egg and tuna, mashed potatoes with tuna, shrimp. When making a brik with an egg, be careful not to spill it while shaping the dumpling. After baking, it still remains semi-liquid, the trick is to eat the brik without cutlery so that the stuffing does not spill out. There are also sweet bricks (e.g. dried fruit).
They don't have to be triangular, they can have the shape of a cylinder, a pancake. They are usually deep-fried, but sometimes baked in the oven - then they are much less caloric. There are stalls with bricks on almost every street corner, but this Tunisian speci alty (much he althier than our fast food) can also be eaten in an elegant restaurant.

Couscous

This wheat porridge is considered by the Tunisians as their national dish. The fact is that couscous with fish is a local speci alty, while with chicken or lamb, multi-vegetable or dried fruit can be eaten in other Arab countries.
For us, couscous is an instant porridge (just pour boiling water over it), but the Tunisians first boil the wheat grains, then grind them into fine groats, which they slowly steaming in a special vessel.

Sweets for dessert

The best are the seasonal fruits - fresh dates and ripe figs. It's hard not to be tempted by sweet cookies filled with honey and dried fruit filling. They resemble Turkish baklava, fortunately they are tiny, larger ones could not be eaten, especially since extremely sweet mint tea is served at the end of the meal.

Mint tea

This is the national drink of Tunisia. It is served in miniature glasses (the size of a glass), necessarily with a spoon. The bottom can be roasted almonds or pine nuts - they are eaten after drinking tea. Although sweet mint may seem out of place after a heavy meal, it turns out to be a great help in digestion.

You must do it

Homemade Harissa

The basis of Harissa are chili peppers. Dried ones (about 5 grams) need to be soaked briefly in warm water. Then, rub 2-3 cloves of garlic with s alt. Addthoroughly drained peppers, grind everything in a mortar or mix, sprinkling a teaspoon of cumin, coriander seeds, cumin. Finally, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Put the finished sauce into a jar, pour a layer of olive oil on top. Store Harissa in the refrigerator. Use as a seasoning for meat, vegetable, pasta or rice dishes.

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