Name: Chakhchoukha
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Algeria, North Africa
Ingredients: 2 tbsp vegetable oil, for browning; 500 g lamb, cut into pieces; 1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight; 2 large onions, finely chopped; 3 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp ras el hanout; 1 tsp dried chilli flakes; salt, to taste; black pepper, to taste; water, enough to cover the stew; 2 cups fine semolina; ½ tsp salt

Chakhchoukha

A rustic Algerian dish of hand-torn flatbread soaked in a rich, spiced tomato and lamb stew with chickpeas. A beloved comfort food from the eastern highlands.

Country

Algeria

Region

North Africa

Time

95 min

Serves

Level

medium

What to know before you cook

Chakhchoukha hails from the Aures mountains and the high plateaux of eastern Algeria, particularly the cities of Biskra and Batna. It is the pride of the Chaoui Berber people. The dish gets its name from the sound of tearing the rougag flatbread into small pieces. Families prepare it for religious holidays, particularly Eid and Mawlid, gathering around a communal platter.

What the dish tastes like

A rustic Algerian dish of hand-torn flatbread soaked in a rich, spiced tomato and lamb stew with chickpeas. A beloved comfort food from the eastern highlands.

When to cook it

Best for Eid, Mawlid, family gatherings, with a medium cooking level and about 95 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

Buttermilk (lben)

Regional lane

Algeria national table. A verified Algeria dish in the AfroKitchen archive.

Chef watch-outs

Stopping the base before the pepper, onion, or spice edge has mellowed.
Thinning the pot before the body of the soup or stew has developed.
Rushing the rest or fermentation period.

How you know it is ready

The sauce should coat the spoon and taste rounded, not watery or raw.
The bread or batter should smell pleasantly fermented, toasted, or nutty rather than floury.
The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.

Make the rougag

Mix semolina with salt and enough water to form a smooth dough. Roll very thin and cook on a dry griddle until lightly spotted. Tear into small bite-sized pieces and set aside.

The flatbread should be paper-thin for the best texture.

Start the stew

In a large pot, heat oil and brown the lamb pieces on all sides. Add onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Brown meat 05:00

Build the sauce

Add tomato paste, ras el hanout, chilli flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Add the chickpeas and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 60 minutes until the lamb is very tender.

The sauce should be thick and rich — reduce uncovered for the last 10 minutes if needed.

Simmer stew 60:00

Assemble

Place the torn flatbread pieces in a large serving dish. Ladle the hot stew and sauce over the bread, ensuring every piece is well soaked.

Let the bread absorb the sauce for a few minutes before serving.

Steam and serve

Cover the dish and let it sit for 5 minutes so the bread absorbs the broth. Serve on a communal platter with the meat arranged on top.

Traditionally eaten with spoons from a shared platter.

Rest 05:00

Chakhchoukha

What to know before you cook

See the dish before you cook

Build the table around Chakhchoukha

Step-by-step method

Chakhchoukha

What to know before you cook

See the dish before you cook

Build the table around Chakhchoukha

Step-by-step method

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