Shakshuka is a hearty Middle Eastern and North African breakfast of eggs poached in a tomato and bell pepper sauce. Traditionally, it's served straight from the skillet with pita bread.
This recipe adds rice (how Asian of us!), which soaks up the shakshuka sauce. Cooking it low and slow makes sure that every bit of rice is perfectly cooked and coated in the sauce. It's a crispy bottom away from becoming a vegetarian paella. Add color and flavor with crumbled feta, chili flakes, and fresh greens like spinach or cilantro.
Ingredients
- 3 red bell peppers
- 4 large cloves of garlic
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 1 (400g) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp chili flakes
- ¾ cup uncooked white rice
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup cilantro leaves, picked
Preheat an oven to the broiler setting or to 500°F. Place the red bell peppers and garlic in a baking sheet underneath the broiler, turning every couple of minutes, until fully blackened and blistered, about 8 minutes. Alternatively, char the peppers and garlic over an open flame.
Peel off the charred layer from the peppers and chop into 1-inch pieces. Mince the charred garlic.
Add oil in a large cast iron skillet or oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the white onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the prepared bell peppers and garlic and stir.
Add in the crushed tomatoes, cumin, paprika, and chili flakes, stirring until well combined. Add the uncooked rice and stir it into the sauce.
Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10–15 minutes, until the rice is almost completely tender but still has a bite (this will finish with the eggs). If at this point the mixture is too dry, add 2 tbsp water at a time until loosened.
Remove the cover and make four indentations in the rice using a large spoon. Crack one egg into each indent and put the cover back on.
Continue to cook over low heat until the egg whites are set, the yolks still runny, and the rice is tender, about 8 minutes.
