Houria

Name: Houria
Yield: makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds carrots, julienned, sliced, or diced; 2 garlic cloves, peeled; 2 teaspoons sugar; Salt and black pepper to taste; 2 teaspoons caraway seeds; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 1 teaspoon sweet paprika; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 teaspoon Harissa (page 598) or cayenne to taste; 12 good-quality black olives, pitted, optional; 1/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled, optional; 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish, optional

December 14, 2011

Houria is a great starter, but you can also serve it alongside North African meat dishes, like Lamb Tagine with Prunes (page 407) or Chicken and Lentil Tagine (page 284). It comes in many forms but always combines the sweetness of carrots with the typically earthy spices of North Africa. It’s best with cooked carrots, but if you’re in a hurry you can make it with raw carrots; see the variation. Julienning carrots for houria is easiest with a mandoline (see page 167); if you don’t have one, slice or chop them roughly.

Recipe notes

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