Shakshuka — eggs poached in a spiced tomato sauce — is among the most democratic dishes in the Levantine and North African repertoire, eaten across Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Israel, and Palestine with minor regional variations. Khan's documentation focuses on the doneness precision: the eggs must be set in the whites with yolks still runny — a window that closes within 60 seconds of the correct moment.
A spiced tomato sauce (onion, pepper, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne) with eggs poached directly in the sauce — covered to create steam that sets the whites from above while the sauce cooks the whites from below.
- The sauce must be thick before adding eggs — thin sauce produces boiled rather than poached eggs. Reduce until the sauce holds a clear path when a spoon is drawn through it [VERIFY consistency] - Make wells in the sauce for each egg — the wells hold the whites in place while they set. Eggs dropped onto flat sauce spread into shapeless pools - Cover immediately after adding eggs — the steam produced by the covered pan sets the whites from above simultaneously with the sauce cooking from below. Without covering, the whites remain raw on top while the base overcooks - The doneness window: the whites must be fully set (no translucency) while the yolks remain liquid — approximately 4–6 minutes covered over medium heat, depending on pan depth and sauce temperature [VERIFY time] - Season the eggs individually with salt as they cook — unseasoned egg whites in well-seasoned sauce produce an uneven flavour experience Decisive moment: The jiggle test — shake the pan gently. If the whites wobble with the yolks, the whites are still liquid. When the whites hold firm while the yolks jiggle independently, remove from heat immediately. Residual heat in the pan and sauce continues cooking for 60+ seconds after removal.
ZAITOUN THIRD BATCH + TSUJI JAPANESE ADDITIONAL