tcharak چاراك
Algerian Darja · noun
“tcharak” (چاراك) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning almond-filled crescent pastry.
Meanings
- almond-filled crescent pastry
Usage
Tcharak, a spelling variant of tcharek, is a traditional Algerian crescent-shaped pastry filled with almond paste. There are two main variants: tcharak msakar, rolled in icing sugar, and tcharak el-aryane ("the naked one"), decorated with crushed nuts. These pastries accompany festivals, Eid and weddings, and are served with coffee or tea. The word is invariable and is used as a collective ("dert tcharak", "I made tcharak"). The initial sound is pronounced "tch". You can also buy them from pastry shops that specialise in traditional sweets.
Example
يما دارت الچاراك المسكر، يجي بنين
yemma dart tcharak msakar, yji bnin
“Mum made icing-sugar tcharak, they're delicious.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, it is written “tcharak”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.