radhkha — Tunisia

Radhkha names a rustic Tunisian preparation built around stale bread soaked in a spiced broth, in the same general spirit as other bread-and-broth dishes found across North Africa, where day-old bread is given new life rather than thrown away. Chickpeas and olive oil round out the dish into a filling, simple meal. It is reported from Tunisia, where dishes built on soaked bread and a spiced broth are commonly associated with modest, resourceful cooking, using what is on hand rather than following a fixed set of ingredients from one household to the next. Preparation is straightforward: garlic is warmed gently in olive oil, harissa and ground caraway are stirred in to build the base of the broth, and water and chickpeas are added and left to simmer briefly. The hot, spiced broth is then poured directly over torn stale bread, which is left to soak until it softens and absorbs the liquid, finished with a little lemon juice and a final drizzle of olive oil. What is said to mark this version is the particular balance of harissa and caraway used to spice the broth, and how long the bread is left to soak before serving, some preferring it barely softened and others letting it turn almost porridge-like. Other bread-and-broth preparations from the region use different spicing and different breads, according to the sources describing them.