ncha نشا
Tunisian Derja · noun
“ncha” (نشا) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning starch, cornstarch.
Meanings
- starch, cornstarch
Usage
Ncha is a cooking and household noun meaning starch, in particular cornstarch sold in packets. In pastry, it is used to thicken creams (pastry cream, mhallbia) or to coat balls of dough so they don't stick. In the past, it was also used to starch laundry. The word has no plural. A pitfall to know: online, "ncha allah" is often a mistaken spelling of "inchallah", which should not be confused with this noun.
Example
و تقسّمها 9 كعبورات قد قد تلفّهم مليح في نشا
w t9asamha 9 ka3bourat 9ad 9ad tlefhom mli7 fi ncha
“And divide it into 9 equal balls, and coat them well in starch.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ncha” but also “nchei” and “nacha”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.