After two months of Shakshoka, I called my mother and asked her to
teach me something else because I couldn't have Shakshoka any more!!!
She
decided to teach me Mbakbaka, which I was more than happy to learn, not
just because I had had enough of Shakshoka, but also because it is a
delicious Libya
pasta where the pasta is cooked in a red sauce. It is called Mbakbaka,
because the pasta is added when the sauce is boiling, and 'Bak Bak Bak'
represents the sound of the bubbles. ;) It is also called the singles
pasta because it is so easy that even single men can make it. Mbakbaka is
definitely one of the main Libyan dishes and is made in every Libyan house at least once a week.
After
I learned how to make Mbakbaka, I decided to invite one of my friends
to dinner.
Luckily I decided not to cook until she came because, when I got out
meat to begin cooking, she said, "I don't eat meat. I am vegan." My
mind started
shouting, panic panic. A Libyan meal without meat!! Then I said aha,
went to the fridge and got out chicken. She looked at me surprised
and said again, "I don't eat meat." Then I with absolute confidence
replied, "I
know, this is chicken." The poor soul was amazed at my definition of
meat and had to explain to me that meat is not only lamb but also beef,
chicken and any other living thing. The fun part is that on the next
day I was talking with my mother and told her that I cooked for a
friend without using meat and, when she asked why, I answered that it
was because she
doesn't eat meat. My mother replied, "Why didn't you use chicken then?"
Now the recipe,
Ingredients:
- Meat ( as much as you can eat )
- Pasta
3 tbsp Oil
1 Chopped onion
2 Chopped tomatoes ( the more the better )
2 tbsp Tomato paste
- Salt
- Chile powder
- Curry powder
- Cumin
- Cinnamon
- Black pepper
Preparation method:
1. Fry the onions on medium heat until golden then add the meat and leave it for couple of minutes.
* For vegetarian/vegan skip the meat .
2. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and the rest of the spices (
the spices use as much as you can bare ! ). If you are using meat leave it cooking for an hour. If not let it cook for about 5-10 mins.
3. Check if the sauce needs water if it does add. I personally like the meal to have loads of sauce some like it with less. So the amount of water depends on your taste.
4. After the sauce started boiling, add the pasta and cook as long as it is instructed on the package.
5. Serve hot :) easy beasy :)
