10.172 Tajine with Shrimps

10.172

26 (Wed) June 2019

Tajine with Shrimps

2.5

at Walima

-Sheraton Tunis Hotel-

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Mission to Tunisia, Day 5 of 6.

In Tunis.  Attending the First Meeting of the Regional Parliamentary Forum for Health and Well-Being in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 24 (Mon) to 26 (Wed) August – the official launch of the forum that our office had helped set up last year (see generally 9.332 Kibbeh Nayeh).  Very gratifying and exciting that parliamentarian engagement is spreading across the Organization, with the Western Pacific Region leading the way.

Thoroughly impressed by the spread of snacks during the tea breaks.

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Standard complimentary appetizer spread, consisting of bread with canned tuna, harissa, and olives.
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Tchich with Octopus (2.5) – “It is in Tunisia only and nowhere else that you should taste this delicious soup with tchich (crushed barley semolina) and dry octopus” – identical to the chorba frik last night.
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Kabkabou with Grouper (2.75) – “A fish stew with a rich and tasty tomato sauce, married with capers and lemon confit” – tasted exactly as it looked.

For the fourth evening in a row, I had dinner in the hotel.  Not counting home or a college dorm cafeteria, I’ve never in my life eaten in the same place four dinners in a row.  No alternatives within walking distance of the hotel, and I certainly didn’t have the energy/time/wherewithal to make an extra effort to go beyond.  Fortunately, the hotel food was decent enough.

My general impression of Tunisian food is that it sits somewhere between Mediterranean and South Asian cuisines: lots of meat and/or seafood, grilled and/or braised, with couscous and/or rice and/or flat breads, seasoned with subtle spices.

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Tajine is a Tunisian fritter.  As per the menu: “A Tunisian dish between the quiche and the gratin, the pink shrimp are associated with a persillade, make attention to the pleasure of gourmets!”

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