mhajeb محاجب
Algerian Darja · noun
“mhajeb” (محاجب) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning flaky crêpes filled with tomato and onion.
Meanings
- flaky crêpes filled with tomato and onion
Usage
Mhajeb (singular mahjouba) are a very popular specialty across Algeria: a thin, hand-stretched dough filled with a spicy onion and tomato sauce, folded into a square and cooked on a griddle. They are sold in the street and in small shops, and are widely made at home, especially during Ramadan. Depending on the region and the family, the dough is made with semolina or with flour. The word is mostly used in the plural to name the dish; for a single piece, one says mahjouba or "habba mhajeb".
Example
ماما دارت المحاجب للفطور
mama dart lmhajeb lel ftour
“Mom made mhajeb for the iftar meal.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “mhajeb” but also “mhadjeb”, “mahjouba”, “ma7ajeb” and “ma7ajab”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.