This month's Food Chain was lead by Huntly local Meriem Kayoueche-Reeve. Meriem showed us how to make Algerian Djari (soup) and Kesra (semolina flatbread), taking us through a few twists and turns on the traditional recipes.  Check out Meriem's recipe here! A note from Meriem -

Djari (soup) and Kesra (semolina flatbread) are Algerian dishes that as a dual heritage 2nd generation Welsh-Algerian, my Welsh mum made for us every Ramadan, although this is definitely a meal to be enjoyed throughout the year!

Traditionally Djari would be made with spare bits of beef and freekeh/cracked wheat, although in Cardiff in the 80's/90's you couldn't get hold of freekeh and we grew up eating the soup with bulgar wheat, a fairly similar grain. I've also adapted the recipe, as I don't eat much meat and make it with chickpeas instead of beef. Kesra is an everyday flatbread that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. We used to love eating it toasted with lots and lots of butter with honey or jam. It can be made with or without yeast; my Algerian family make it with yeast and traditionally on a ceramic plate (of concentric circles) on a gas burner. This was something else we didn't have in Cardiff growing up, so my mum used a heavy frying pan on the hob. Recently I've started adding bits and bobs to my Kesra, a handful of mixed seeds or some chopped spring onions.

I'd love to share with you my mum's and then my take on two very traditional Algerian recipes.

About Food Chain
Which rich culinary backgrounds do we have resident in our own community? Come along to our monthly group cook-along to learn someone else's recipes of home. Together we'll learn about each other's cultural backgrounds as we cook.