Shakshuka - Eggs Poached in Spiced Tomato Sauce

Method9 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: In a heavy bottomed pot, add just enough olive oil or vegetable oil to coat the bottom. Add onions (1) and salt (½ tsp), and stir occasionally over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent.

   Uses 1 onion · ½ tsp salt · enough olive or vegetable oil to coat pan bottom

2. 2

   Step 2: Meanwhile, grind cumin and coriander seeds (½ tsp) into a powder.

   Uses 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted · ½ tsp coriander seeds, toasted

3. 3

   Step 3: Add chopped garlic (5 cloves) and green bell pepper and cook for a few more minutes until the peppers are softened.

   Uses 5 cloves garlic, chopped · 1 green or red bell pepper · onion softened in oil with half teaspoon salt

4. 4

   Step 4: Add cumin, coriander, paprika and cayenne pepper (½–1 tsp) and toss with the vegetables for 1 minute.

   Fry ground spices · 1 minUses ½–1 tsp cayenne pepper · 2 tsp smoked paprika or regular paprika · toasted cumin and coriander seeds ground to a powder · onion, garlic and bell pepper cooked until soft

5. 5

   Step 5: Stir in tomatoes (1 can), if using whole tomatoes break them up with your spoon into small pieces. Add a splash of water so that the sauce looks a bit thinner than you want it to be at the end. Simmer the sauce on low heat for 20-30 minutes to allow the flavours to meld and for the sauce to thicken to the desired consistency.

   Simmer tomato sauce · 25 minUses 1 can diced or whole tomatoes · a splash of water to thin sauce before simmering · soft vegetables tossed one minute with ground cumin, coriander, paprika and cayenne

6. 6

   Step 6: Taste the thickened sauce and season with fish sauce OR soy sauce (1 Tbsp). Add brown sugar (1–2 tsp) only if the sauce is too tart. If preparing ahead, refrigerate the sauce promptly and reheat before adding eggs.

   Uses 1 Tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce · 1–2 tsp brown sugar · vegetables and tomatoes simmered twenty to thirty minutes until sauce thickens

7. 7

   Step 7: Ladle the sauce into a skillet so that it's about 1/2 inch deep. Bring sauce to a simmer, then turn heat down to low. Use a spoon to create craters for the eggs (8–10) and put 1 egg into each crater, spreading them out around the sauce evenly. Push the tomato sauce aside to allow the egg white to slip under the tomato sauce. You can also spoon some tomato sauce over the whites.

   Uses 8–10 eggs · cooked sauce adjusted with fish or soy sauce and optional brown sugar

8. 8

   Step 8: Cover the pan (use foil or a cookie sheet if you don't have a lid) and cook over low heat until the eggs are done to your liking: 5 minutes if you want the yolks runny, 7-8 minutes if you want the yolks fully cooked. If using a cast-iron skillet, there will be carry-over cooking so turn off the heat a little bit before it's done to your liking.

   Poach eggs to taste · 5 minUses eight to ten eggs distributed into craters in about half-inch deep hot tomato sauce

9. 9

   Step 9: Garnish with optional cilantro, cheese, olives or ready-cooked crumbled sausage and serve with toast.

   Uses cilantro · toast for serving · optional crumbled goat cheese or feta topping · optional olive topping · optional ready-cooked crumbled sausage topping · eggs cooked in tomato sauce to chosen doneness before adding optional ready-to-eat toppings