O salata ca un Babilon al gusturilor: Méchouia / A salad as a Babilon of tastes: Méchouia

(scroll down the page for English translation)

Ca au fost fenicienii sau romanii, ca au fost francezii sau berberii, ca au fost arabii sau turcii, in urma lor a ramas o bucatarie tipic mediteraneana cu citeva particularitati insa.

Mincare nu foarte iute, citeva ingrediente de baza (ulei de masline, rosii, fructele de mare si carnea, in principal de miel), ustensile de bucatarie putine (tocmai datorita stilului de viata nomad), arome si culoare ce inunda farfuria si privirea, fara carne de porc care e complet interzisa de legile Shariei (legile islamice), o patiserie care te lasa cu privirea agatata de minunile ce le produce…cam asta este bucataria tunisiana. Poate prea putin dar atit de complexa in acelasi timp, cu un produs final a carui simplitate si rafinament frapeaza.

Spre deosebire de alte preparate din Africa de Nord, mincarea tunisiana nu este prea picanta. Si salata Méchouia  nu e in afara acestui aspect.

Un hors d’ouevre* de rosii, ardei dulci (acestia pot fi si usor iuti), ceapa, usturoi, uneori si vinete, toate coapte la gratar, decojite si tocate dupa aceea, amestecate si drese cu sare, piper, un praf ceva mai bunicel de tabil tunisian (seminte de coriandru zdrobit amestecat cu seminte zdrobite de caraway** ) si totul stropit cu ulei de masline.

Unii(si eu ma numar printre ei) adauga la aceasta salata suc de lamaie sau otet. Salata este adesea insotita de masline, ton si oua fierte tari. Poate fi, de asemenea, servita drept baza pentru realizarea unei caserole***. Cei care iubesc mincarea foarte usor picanta, va asigur ca vor adauga mechouia la obiceiul lor culinar, mai ales daca ardeii folositi, nu sunt foarte picanti.

Am facut salata asta ca pe un fel de mincare strict vegetarian, fara nici un adaus de carne, oua sau brinza si-am lasat-o in compania unei garnituri simple de orez fiert in apa usor sarata. Am folosit de asemenea, usturoiul verde si ceapa rosie, aducind un excelent gust dulce acestei retete, totul fiind facut dupa gustul si dorinta mea, fara nici o masura anume.

Nu pot sa va descriu senzatiile pe care, gustul usor afumat combinat cu cel dat cu darnicie de legumele moi alaturat celui de caraway l-a produs papilelor mele gustative! Un singur lucru, insa, va pot spune: un razboi al simturilor s-a declansat instantaneu.

Un singur gind mai am a pune in spatiul asta virtual si alb:  حرية، نظام، عدالة   !
Hurriya, Nidham, ‘Adala  pentru bucataria tunisiana !

Enjoy!

The world of Mediterana is a complex and unforgiving world. You can only exist if you raise your standards to the same level as it was raised by so many civilizations before: the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Berbers, the Arabs or more recently: the French and the Brits. Anything less would just simply vanish into obscurity, into nothingness, into a world of sub standards and mediocrity.

The food is obviously a great part of each civilization’s identity. And when we are talking about a melting pot of so many civilizations, we can only expect a great deal of dish variety and aromas which during the two and a half millenniums of existence, built what we now know as: “Mediterranean Cuisine”

Today, I am introducing to you a product that is representative of Tunisian Cuisine: Mechouia Salad.

This Cuisine is less spicy then its North African sisters, yet the ingredients and the spices are not much different. Everything comes down to the way you mix the ingredients so at the end you get the desired result.

….literally „roasted salad”, is a Tunisian dish. An hors d’oeuvre* of grilled: tomatoes, sweet peppers (they can be hot if you like a good kick into your food, or they can be moderately hot, as I recommend), onions (and sometimes grilled eggplant), garlic. Everything is peeled and chopped after grilling, seasoned with salt, pepper, a touch of Tunisian tabil (ground coriander seed mixed with ground caraway** seed) and drizzled with olive oil. Some people (I’m among them) add to this salad some lemon juice or vinegar. It is often accompanied by olives, tuna and hard-boiled eggs. It can also be served as the basis for the making of a casserole***.

I can assure you that, all those who love spicy food will add méchouia to their culinary habit, especially if those grilled peppers are not very spicy.

I made this salad as a strictly vegetarian dish, no meat, eggs or cheese and I left it in the company of a simple garniture of boiled rice in slightly salted water. I used fresh-green garlic and red onion.  I cannot describe the sensation the smoky taste gave it to those vegetables. My taste buds were enticed by some absolutely phenomenal sensations!

Hurriya, Nidham, ‘Adala for Tunisian cuisine !

Legend:

* hors d’oeuvre  – appetizer (which translates to “outside the work”)

** caraway – also known as meridian fennel or Persian cumin

***casserole – a). a dish, usually of earthenware, glass, or cast iron, in which food is both    baked and served; b). food prepared and served in such a dish.