KaoutarNever deprive yourself of the pleasure of eating: this is probably the principle from which the idea of street food was born. In the land of good food, in fact, even a walk can become a good excuse to fill your stomach with a tasty snack. And Algeria knows something about this. The cuisine of Algeria is influenced by Algeria’s interactions and exchanges with other cultures and nations over the centuries. So here are some of the most popular street food you should try
Garantita
Prepared from ground chickpeas and eggs, Garantita is among the most famous dishes in Algeria, as you will not find a “fast” restaurant in Algiers that does not offer it to customers. And with its low price, which ranges between 20 and 40 Algerian dinars (0.15 and 0.30 dollars), Garantita has become this popular food with a special place in everyone’s heart, due to its taste and ease of preparation.
The name of the dish somewhat “strange” raises many questions about its origin, and some historical sources have gone to trace the origin of Garantita to the Spanish word (calentita) meaning (warm in Arabic).
It is called “Garantita” in the dialect of Algiers, and it is called “Karantika” in the Western Algerian dialect, and with different labels, it remains one of the most popular dishes in the country, and it sits on the throne of Algerian dishes, whether in homes or restaurants throughout the year.
Check out the recipe from here
Mhajeb
Mhajeb is one of the oldest Algerian dishes that are still prepared to this day. It consists of a dough made of flour and semolina, stuffed with cooked vegetables - mainly onions, tomatoes, and some chili- and drizzled with olive oil.
Although there is dough in it, it is very thin and contains a mixture of vegetables that are cooked well.
In Algeria, it has many names, the most famous of which are Mhajib, and Mhajib Harin, or Mahjouba, while in the south of Algeria it is called al-Makhtoumah.
Check out the recipe from here
Frite Omelette: Or French Fries Omelette:
It is simply the most famous dish in Algeria and the go to sandwich to most people who want a quick bite without the hazel of the clean-up, it’s made with two simple ingredients potato and eggs. There’s not one single fast food in Algeria who doesn’t makes French fries omelette sandwiches.
Check out the recipe from here
Pizza Carré (Squared Pizza)
It’s an Algerian version of the normal pizza, the dough is made sometimes with flour and other times with semolina, the first thing you notice when you see it is that it’s squared and not triangle shaped like your typical pizza. What makes it special is the lack of toppings, with just a few olives on the tomato sauce; “Pizza Carré” is one of the cheapest street food in Algeria.
Check out the recipe from here
Zlabiya
the popular sweet “Zlabiya”, which sits on the throne of Algerian sweets, is spread in many cities of the country, where almost no street is devoid of shops that manufacture them, but the most famous city in the making of this traditional dessert is “Boufarik” in Blida (west of the capital).
The consumption of “Zlabiya” in Ramadan becomes a habit and a tradition that cannot be abandoned by the Algerian citizen, who accepts it greatly with his interest in some other sweets such as “Qatayef”, “Qalb al-louz”, “Maqrout” and “Baklava”, and others.
There are many shapes and types of Zlabiya in Algeria, with large and rectangular ones, including small circular ones, and their tastes and colors vary according to their ingredients and method of preparation.
And speaking of its history, there are conflicting accounts about the origin of the name of Zlabiya. But the majority refer it to the name of the Andalusian Ziryab, who invented it when he traveled to Andalusia and then the Maghreb, where his name was changed from Ziryab to Zalyab.
Check out the recipe from here
