chakhchoukha شخشوخة
Algerian Darja · noun
“chakhchoukha” (شخشوخة) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning torn flatbread dish in sauce.
Meanings
- torn flatbread dish in sauce
Usage
Chakhchoukha is a traditional dish very widespread in the east and interior of the country, notably in Biskra, Constantine, Sétif and Batna. It consists of thin flatbreads crumbled or torn into small pieces, topped with a spicy red meat sauce, often lamb, with chickpeas. Depending on the region, the flatbread and the recipe change, and several variants are distinguished by the name of their city. It is a dish for celebrations and hospitality. The word is feminine. Not to be confused with chakchouka, a dish of eggs and vegetables.
Example
في العرس داروا شخشوخة بلحم العلوش
f el 3ers daru chakhchoukha b lham el 3allouch
“At the wedding, they served chakhchoukha with lamb.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “chakhchoukha” but also “chekhchoukha” and “chakhchokha”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.