In all eras, meat has been a luxury food, a rare and expensive part of the human diet. People often have had to be satisfied with what some think of as “second-choice meats” such as chicken, turkey, rabbit, or even wild goat (“Berchni”), less expensive than mutton or lamb (“Allouche”).

Meat, especially before refrigeration, was often dried for reasons of preservation. The festival known as “Aid el Kebir” (sacrifice of the sheep) was an opportunity to eat fresh meat and also to cook it so that it could be kept (“Kaddid”).

As in all Muslim societies, religious festivals are extremely important in Kairouan. The feast of sacrifice is an opportunity for all levels and classes of society to enjoy meat, at least for a day or two.

Known for its caloric and nutritional values, camel meat (“gbaoud”) is today largely being replaced by beef and veal (“Ajil”) which only fifty years ago could not even be found in our culinary traditions. Only a few butchers on the road to Tunis, specifically at Draa Thamar, continue to practice their profession.

It should be noted that for a good Muslim, all meat animals should have been butchered according to rules set for in the Coran (the throat is slit and the animal bled) while calling on God’s blessing that the meat should be “hallal,” or fit for consumption. Pork is formally forbidden, and it is also against the rules to eat or drink blood.

Fish, “Oueld el bhar” (child of the sea) was relatively rare in Kairouan in times past. It was brought inland from Sousse or Mahdia (a region famous for its “blue fish”) by the Office of Fisheries (“Diouan el hout”) which had the monopoly on fish distribution within the entire country. It has since been disbanded and the fishing industry is now run by free enterprise. Kairouanese people, not used to eating fish, did not often acquire a taste for it. My own grandmother refused to have fish in her house, believing it to be a type of “zarzoumia” or lizard!

People often ate only blue fish, and only in summer. It was served “Mokli” (fried) or “Mosli” (baked), in the form of “benadek” (fishballs), or as” bil couscous” (fish couscous). The better species of fish, such as “Karous” (sea bass), “Dandik (bream), or “Trilia” (redfish), only became known very recently in Kairouan.

Many people believe that Mediterranean fish are the most flavorful in the world. Fish is thought to stimulate brain function, “al hout ythaki,” improve eyesight, strengthen the immune system, and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Food from the sea can therefore be eaten in quantity and with gusto.

Varieties of Meat :

• Allouche (lamb, mutton)
• Berchni (wild goat)
• Gaoud (camel)
• Ajel (beef and/or veal)
• Kaddid (dried meat)
• Merguez (North African spicy sausage)
• Kercha (veal tripe)
• Hargma
• Rass (sheep’s head)
• Daouara (a type of sausages)
• Djaj arbi (free-roaming chickens)
• Djaj souri (mass-produced chickens)
• Dindoun (turkey)
• Arnab (rabbit)

Varieties of fish (2) :

• Sardina (sardines)
• Scombri (mackerels)

Old-time Kairouan butchers :

• Fredj EL LESSIS
• Kacem EL LESSIS
• Hfaëdh ROMANI
• Med & Ahmed BARRAK
• Ali BARRAK
• Youssef BARRAK
• Kacem BARRAK
• Romdhane OMRANI
• Brahim DOUMAR
• Belgacem ZAIDI
• Mahmoud HARGUEM
• Kenani AL AJRA
• Med NABLI & Regäïech AL AJRA
• Naceur GUENNA CHAABANI
• Fredj DOUMAR
• Ali MIMOUN
• Hassine AL BARSALOU
• Ali MAJED
• Abderrazek MAJED
• Béchir MILED
• Jilani SOUIDEN

Mohamed Rebai
info@kairouan.org