One of our favorite reasons to travel is the opportunity to try new and delicious foods. In this blog, I’ll tell you why Algeria should be one of your next food destinations! From warm, comforting dishes, to fresh seafood, spectacular spice blends, and sweet treats, thinking about Algerian food makes our mouths water and our stomachs growl.
Frik and Brik
One of our favorite dishes in Algeria is the combo of Frik and Brik- that’s not just because it’s really fun to say! The “Frik” part of this dish is a bowl of Chorba Frik- a popular Algerian soup. The soup is typically made with meat (usually lamb or beef), vegetables, and of course freekeh (frik), which is a type of cracked green wheat that is high in fiber and nutrients and has a slightly smoky flavor from the roasting process. The soup is made with warming spices like turmeric, paprika, cinnamon, and ginger, and topped with herbs like coriander and mint. It is a hearty and delicious dish on its own, but it is often served with Brik, which really ups the comfort food factor!
Brik is a fried stuffed pastry most similar to a spring roll in flakiness, but with a flavor all its own. It is often stuffed with tuna, harissa, olives, and a raw egg before frying, resulting in a gooey yolk explosion when you bite into it. It is crispy, savory, and one of the first things we search for as soon as we arrive in the country! You can find brik in triangle shapes or square shapes.
Bourek
Bourek is very similar to the crispy deep-fried yumminess of Brik, but with a couple key differences. Bourek is usually found in fat log shapes (picture an egg roll made with filo dough), though it can be found in smaller bite site pieces too. They usually have ground meat and melty cheese, but can be stuffed with with a variety of fillings! One of our absolute favorite versions of Bourek is with shrimp and cheese at Le Dauphin in Tipaza. Bourek is also often seen paired with soup, or on its own sold by street food vendors. You can find it at many restaurants year-round, but it is especially popular for iftar during Ramadan.
Couscous and Tagine
We can’t talk about North African foods without talking about couscous and tagine! Like it’s neighboring countries, these dishes are a big part of Algerian cuisine. Algerian couscous can very slightly between regions, but is typically made with lamb or beef stewed with chickpeas, squash, and root vegetables like onion and carrot, and is cooked with a warming spice blend like ras el hanout. In a great couscous dish, the meat should be tender and falling apart, and the carrots will practically dissolve in your mouth.
Algeria has huge variety of Tagine dishes that are distinctive from the versions in neighboring countries. Tagine, a dish named after the earthenware vessel it’s cooked in, is a stew of meat and vegetables. Popular Algerian versions include Tajine Zitoun- which is made with lamb or chicken combined with green olives and vegetables in a tasty savory broth. There are also sweeter versions like Tagine Lham Lahlou- which combines red meat with prunes, apricot, almonds, and a sugary syrup made with orange blossom water.
Djouzia
Djouzia (sometimes spelled Jawzia) is a very sweet nougat made of walnuts, honey, sugar, egg whites, and vanilla extract. The nuts are lightly toasted before being combined with the other ingredients and made into a paste that is cut into small cubes after it cools. This dish originated in the beautiful city of Constantine, and that is still the best city to try it in, though you can find it all over the country now. Originally this sweet treat would have only been brought out for special occasions, like Ramadan, but today you can find it any time of the year. Many shops sell Djouzia in elegant packaging, making it a great souvenir to take home!
Grilled Fish
It should go without saying, but when you’re in a Mediterranean country like Algeria, you can’t go wrong with a simple grilled fish dish! Popular fish in the northern region include dorade, sea bass, whiting, and sardines. Sometimes, fish is rubbed in chermoula before grilling- a classic North African marinade of garlic, parsley, coriander, and olive oil. We visit our favorite seafood restaurant, Le Dauphin in Tipaza- a little over an hour’s drive from Algiers, every time we’re in the country.
French Tacos
This is the kind of food that is meant to be enjoyed on your way home after a couple pints at the local brasserie. It is a delicious, melty, fast food that is in no way similar to a Mexican taco. Some might call it a North African crunchwrap, or a shawarma panini. The first time I had one, I described it as a New York chopped cheese grilled inside a tortilla (it was post-beer bliss).
You will find tacos in most late-night fast food joints. Usually there will be a variety of filling options, but the basis will be meat chopped up with cheese, fries, and of course Algerian Sauce, which is a varying mixture of mayo, ketchup, harissa, lemon juice, onion, and cumin.
If your mouth is watering and you’d like to try some of these delectable dishes, consider a trip to Algeria for yourself! Our tours make the visa process a easy as pie, and as food-lovers ourselves, we make sure we’re eating everything this amazing country has to offer. You can check out our Algeria tours here! If our dates don’t work for you, but you’d like help planning a trip to Algeria, send us an email at [email protected].
