In all time, the Tunisian and Mediterranean kitchen are rich, fine, varied, full with savour and authenticity based on olive oil whose virtues are not any more to be shown, spices full with therapeutic properties, vegetables and fish.

Family tradition

Well before the invention of the refrigerator and the freezer, traditionally each family stores the essence of the food in the "Dehliz" an underground cellar or "Bit el mouna" (local food storage in the house).

You would find olive oil for a whole season, any kind of spices and particularly the couscous "Diari" home made. The wheat grains are cleaned and grounded in the "Reha" (manual granite grinding stone), the semolina is prepared in the "Ghorbal" (various sieves) in order to separate it from the "Barkoukech" (grains more bigger than the couscous prepared with dry vegetables – fava bean, chick peas, ...) then dried with the sun on the "stah" (roof). The "borghol" (boiled dried and crushed). Even the meat can be salted, dried and be stored as "Keddid".

Preparation (planning)

The spices with their exotic flavours are bought fresh from the market then dried with the sun "samchi" and not with the furnace "paskouchi", grinded with the mill of the district "Rahay" or crushed at home with the "mehrass" (manual rammer). All was bought in quantity sufficient for one year.

While the cereals, the dry vegetables and fruits, the olive oil is stored in earthenware jars to protect it from the light. Do not pose problems of conservation.

On the other hand, the perishable goods are carefully prepared according to traditional techniques which passed from mother to daughter to ensure their perfect conservation as meat "kaddid", "cheriha" (dried fig), butter, tuna, table olives, garlic, onions, dry peppers, tomato). 

In spring, the roses "ward", the flowers of orange tree "zhar" and the geranium "atrechia" with the multiple uses and virtues were distilled in a traditional way by the distillery "kattar" and put in bottles "feshka".
The main thing is not to be in need for the bad days or taken with deprived when a guest is received.

The preparation of the food products for their storage has always proceeds in family and in the general joy of young and adults. Work is always interrupted with women “youyou” from the first to the last day.

Currently few families still performing these traditions, young couples usually occupied by work and they do not have time for such work, they usually buy ready food spices from foodstores that will last them on week almost.

They eat "djaj el hakem-zit el hakem-khobz el hakem" (chicken-oil vegetable-bread of the State) the fruits and vegetables treated with the weedkiller, the pesticide and insecticide, GM (genetically modified). In summary, a food "Frankesteïn".

Then highly the "Gaoud" and the "hindi" as long as it is still bio "hindi el ala tawa ja" (prickly peartree of el Ala, a small village located at the western north of Kairouan considered for its cactus). Let us not speak about it about "hindi Thala ya waqala" even more famous.

Epices

Aoud kronfel : Clove
Arinj : Bigarade
Camoun : Cumin
Carouia : Corriander
Chibt : Dill
Chouchouard : Dried roses
Besbes : Funnel seed
Felfel Akhal : Black pepper
Felfel bar labid : Hot pepper
Felfel zina : Paprika
Foul : Fava beans
Habbit Hlaoua : Funnel
Harissa : Paste of hot pepper.
Hbak : Spermint
jenjbir : Gingerelle
Kabar : Capres
Kamoun : Cumin
Karis : Lemon
Kerfa : Cinnamon
Korkom : Turkman
Melh : Salt
Nanaa : Peppermint
Rand : Bay leaves
Rass el hanout : Mixte spices
Sman : Salted butte
Skanjbir : Gingerelle
Tabel : Coriandre
Thoum : Garlic
Zafran : Safran

Mohamed Rebai
info@kairouan.org