True story: I once asked my mom to Netflix and Chill.
To be fair, it took me a long time to realize what Netflix and Chill meant. You could say I'm someone who's quite behind on my fresh lingo (is that even right to say or do I say it's lit? Dope? On fleek?) Either way, I definitely thought nothing of asking friends and family if they wanted to come home from an exhausting day to watch some Netflix and chill out on the couch with me and be a potato.
And then, I learned the real meaning.
That's why I am rebranding Netflix and Chill to a definition I want to have--Shakshuka and Hookah. I don't even smoke, but I think there's something therapeutic about the smoking process for people. It's probably not the tobacco, nicotine, or, you know, elevated risk of lung cancer. I think it's the deep inhaling and exhaling. My therapist always encourages deep breathing exercises for anxiety relief, so I guess this is their unhealthy version of taking calming breaths?
The shakshuka part is pretty obvious (to me at least). I grew up eating this dish for breakfast, and although I am a tomato hater, I absolutely love it. It's a comforting warming (and in our house, always spicy) dish that is meant to be shared with the people who equally warm your heart and give you acid reflux.
So yeah, Shakshuka and Hookah - a stress-reducing activity that allows you to relax and bond with loved ones (preferably food-based activity).
This shakshuka is actually my uncle's recipe. My uncle is one of the loudest, funniest, and most affectionate men I have ever seen. No niece, nephew, or relative goes unscathed without a crushing hug and a kiss on the head from him. No matter how many people are in a room or around the table, he loves to get up to dance, joke, or sing at least once.
We could all be eating a meal together in a restaurant or a relative's home. Everyone is having their own discussions or debates and suddenly you feel a beat vibrating from the table. You look over and see him tapping his hands on the table. Then, he'll start to sing a song that's so catchy and nostalgic to our culture that everyone eventually join in. At that point, he'll jump up from his seat with his hands in the air, fingers snapping, and feet stomping. He'll dance enthusiastically and grab you from your seat to join in.
Eventually, he'll sit back down to eat and just carry on making jokes and living his life like laughing and loving is the purpose of it.
He showed me this recipe and it was such a blast to make with him, so I'm hoping you make this with someone with that same exuberance and passion. Please don't make this alone and if you think you have no one to cook with, then you should know that you have me. Just reach out to my email cause I'd love to virtually join in and cook with you.
Uncle's Dancing Shakshuka
Ingredients
Serves 3-4 people
3 Large tomatoes (or 5 medium/small ones), large slices
3 Hot Dogs (Can use Meatballs, Cold Cuts, or Sausage Links), sliced
1 Italian Hot Pepper*, one-inch slices
1 Onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp chili flakes*
1 tsp cayenne*
3 tbs paprika
1 tbs tomato paste
1/4 c water
6 large eggs
3-4 sprigs parsley, chopped
1 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
3-4 pieces of toast or pita
*If you want spicy. If not, use bell pepper and a pinch of chili flakes. Don't add the cayenne.
Steps
Place a frying pan or a deep skillet on the stove. Turn heat to medium. (This kind of preheats it for now).
Cut all your ingredients and separate them according to the ingredient (This is called mise en place).
Crack your eggs into a bowl or a large 2-cup measuring cup. You basically need a vessel with a spout.
Come back to your stove top and splash a few drops of water in the pan. If it sizzles and burns off immediately, it's ready to cook in.
Turn heat to medium-high, add olive oil to the pan and add your sliced hot dogs.
Cook until brown on both sides (around 2-3 minutes).
Add in the peppers and onions and let it cook about 5 minutes or until the onions are soft and slightly browned (the edges should look crispy brown).
Add tomatoes and expect the sizzle and steam. Resist stirring until the bottoms get browned (3-5 minutes or so).
Add the seasonings and the tomato paste. Keep mixing everything for 2 minutes.
Add water and mix again. Lower heat to medium.
Now make 6 wells and, using your spouted vessel, pour the eggs into each well. Salt and pepper each egg.
Keeping the egg yolks in tact, carefully mix the egg whites into the sauce around the yolks. (This step is optional, but it does make the dish cook quicker. You can also set the flame to medium-low and cook till the egg whites just get firm enough).
Once cooked, top with fresh parsley and serve straight out of the pan. Serve with pita or toast on the side.
Substitution Suggestions
Vegan: Can use your favorite vegan egg product (like just egg) and serve it scrambled into the shakshuka instead of sunny side up.
Vegetarian: Can exclude the hot dogs.
Gluten-Free: Use your favorite gluten-free hot dogs (I think there are some brands that aren't so make sure) and toast your favorite gluten free bread.
Dairy-Free: This dish is dairy free.
Kosher: This dish is kosher.
Halal: This dish is halal.
No Tomato: If you like tomatoes, I will upload a cream version of this dish that you can make. If you want a tomatoey version but don't have fresh tomatoes, use either a canned tomato sauce, 3 tbs of tomato paste (with a pinch of sugar), canned tomatoes, or red bell peppers for the color.
No Onion: You can use 2 shallots, 2 scallions, a handful of chives, or go heavy on some onion powder (1 tbs).
No Paprika: Add 1 whole bell pepper when adding in the hot pepper into the skillet.
Any other substitutions you'd like? Let me know below!
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