Secrets of street eating in Tunisia: 7 popular Tunisian dishes you will not forget

Tunisia is an Arab-African country located in North Africa, characterized by its rich history, geography and culture. Tunisia is also a country famous for its diverse and delicious cuisine, which reflects the influences of ancient and modern civilizations that have passed through it. Among the popular Tunisian dishes that you find in the streets and restaurants, there are Tunisian plates, omelets, frikassi, chapati, ivy and other fast food or so-called street food, which are nutritious and distinctive. In this article, we will learn about some of these dishes, how they are prepared, and their price and taste.

What is street eating in Tunisia?

Street food in Tunisia is a term that refers to foods and fast food that can be bought and eaten in streets, markets and public squares. This type of food reflects the importance of Tunisian cuisine in people's lives and culture, as it mixes local and foreign flavors, spices, and traditions.

The history and origins of street food in Tunisia go back to ancient times, as Tunisia was a station for trade and cultural exchange between East and West. This has influenced its cultural and social impacts, as it reflects the diversity, openness, vitality and innovation of Tunisian society.

Fricassi: A Tunisian snack that everyone likes

One of the most popular Tunisian snacks is the Frakassi. This meal consists of balls of fried dough filled with delicious ingredients such as harissa, potatoes, tuna and olives.

Harissa is a spicy sauce made from dried red pepper, garlic and ground spices. Fricassi is distinguished by its great taste, ease of preparation and cheapness.

To prepare the fricaci, you need flour, water, salt, oil and baking yeast. Mix these ingredients with each other to form a smooth and firm dough. The dough is left to rest and ferment for about an hour. Then form the dough into small balls and fry in hot oil.

After the balls are cooked, open with a knife and stuff with your favorite ingredients. You can use boiled potatoes, tuna, olives and boiled eggs as a common filler. Or you can try other fillings to your taste.

You can enjoy fricacas at any time of the day, whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can also eat it as a snack between meals. Fricasi are sold in small-scale popular restaurants, often scattered on the streets of Tunisia, especially in popular neighborhoods. You can also find it in the sub-approaches of downtown Tunis. The price of a frikassi ranges from one to two Tunisian dinars (equivalent to about half a dollar).

Daraa Sheet: A popular meal that characterizes Tunisian cuisine

If you're visiting Tunisia, don't miss the chance to sample the shield meal also known as sahlab or sahlab. This meal is one of the most famous street dishes that you find in many popular restaurants and shops, where vendors serve it skillfully and innovatively.

To prepare this meal, soak the shield beans and then grind them until they become a fine powder. Then it is boiled in water or milk until a thick paste is formed. After that, it is sweetened with honey and dry fruits such as raisins, dates and nuts are added. The shield, which is served hot, helps to warm up on cold days. You can get a shield sheet at a nominal price, it costs about 3 Tunisian dinars (about the equivalent of a dollar).

But be aware, the shield sheet is only prepared by restaurants in winter and you will not find it if you visit Tunisia in the summer. This is because it is a warm and nutritious meal that suits the cold weather. So, if you want to try this unique meal, you should plan your visit to Tunisia in the colder months.

Tunisian plate: the most famous street food in Tunisia

Tunisian dish is a delicious meal that combines a variety of balanced ingredients, such as harissa, salads, potatoes, tuna, olives and eggs. It is prepared in a simple and quick way, and served in a large plate that everyone shares. This meal reflects the diversity and richness of Tunisian cuisine and culture.

You can find the Tunisian dish in many popular restaurants in Tunis, especially in the old quarters. The price of a Tunisian dish is reasonable and suitable for all categories, as it costs about 4.5 Tunisian dinars (approximately $1.5).

Koftaji: A popular Tunisian dish that appeals to everyone

Among the popular dishes that characterize Tunisian cuisine, there is the keftaji dish, which is very popular in various Tunisian restaurants. The way this dish is prepared changes from region to region, but Tunisia and Kairouan are the main centers of making this delicious dish.

Koftaji consists of simple ingredients available in any kitchen, namely peppers, tomatoes, pumpkins, potatoes and eggs. These ingredients are fried in oil and then cut with a knife. Then add some spices and olive oil to give it a special flavor. The price of this dish is reasonable and suitable for all categories, as it costs about 4 Tunisian dinars (approximately $ 1.3).

You can eat koftaji with bread at any time of the day.

Ivy: a popular Tunisian meal that resists the cold

Lablabi is one of the popular street dishes in Tunisia, which is hummus cooked with bread, cumin, harissa, oil and water. Eggs, tuna, olives, adults, vinegar and lemon can be added to taste. Ivy is characterized by its spicy, salty and sour taste, and helps to warm on cold days.

Ivy is a cheap, nutritious and easy meal to prepare, costing about 8 Tunisian dinars (about $3 and a half) and containing protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Ivy is very popular among people, especially in winter, when adults and children alike accept it.

You can find ivy in various popular shops and restaurants in Tunisia, especially in the old neighborhoods. Serve ivy in large or small dishes as desired.

Chebati: Tunisian bread stuffed with harissa and tuna

Among the popular Tunisian dishes you find in the streets and restaurants, there is the chapati, which looks like Indian bread, but in a special Tunisian way. Shabati is a thin and crispy bread prepared from flour, water, yeast and spices, and then baked on special stoves called "tagine". After the bread is cooked, it is stuffed with delicious ingredients such as harissa, grilled salad, onion, parsley and tuna.

Chapati is a quick, tasty and nutritious meal, as it contains protein, fiber and vitamins. You can eat chapati at any time of the day, whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can also eat it as a snack between meals. Chabati is sold in various popular restaurants in Tunisia, especially in the capital. The price of Chabati is reasonable and suitable for all categories, as it costs about 3 Tunisian dinars (approximately dollars).

Omelet: A popular Tunisian dish that combines eggs and markaz

One popular Tunisian street dish that is admired by many is omelette, a medium-heavy meal consisting of eggs, markaz and sauce. Omelets are prepared in a simple and fast way, and are served in most popular restaurants in Tunis and other cities.

To prepare the omelet, you need eggs, marqaz, garlic, oil, tomato paste, harissa, spherical paste, black pepper and salt. Start by frying the crushed garlic with oil, tomato paste, harissa and spices. Then add the chopped margaz and let it simmer with the sauce. At the end, pour the eggs over the mixture and let it seem. Garnish the omelet with parsley, onions and olive oil.

You can eat omelettes with bread at lunch or dinner time. This meal gives you energy and warmth, and helps you resist the cold. The price of an omelet is reasonable and suitable for all categories, as it costs about 15 Tunisian dinars (approximately $5).

Best popular restaurants in Tunis for tasting street food

Tunis is a historical and cultural city that combines the present and the past, characterized by its rich and diverse cuisine, which reflects the influences of the civilizations that have passed through it. If you want to taste delicious and distinctive street food, you should visit some of the most important streets and neighborhoods of the capital Tunis, where you will find popular restaurants that serve famous Tunisian cuisine. Among these streets and neighborhoods, we mention:

Habib Bourguiba Avenue: It is the most important and famous street in Tunis, and includes many secondary streets, such as Paris Street, Carthage Street, Algiers Street, and others. On this street you can enjoy popular Tunisian cuisine.

Palestine Street: It is a street surrounding the medina, and includes several types of street food in Tunisia. On this street you can taste delicious inverted and spicy charcoal-grilled shawarma.

Avenue de Jomhouria: A main street in Tunis, it houses the porridge restaurant, a Tunisian dessert consisting of starch, milk, sugar, butter and nuts.   On this street you can taste hot or cold porridge, which is decorated with almonds, pistachios and jaljalan.

Avenue de Liberty: It is a street in Tunis, and it houses the Tunisian salad restaurant, on this street you can taste a light and healthy salad, which is served with bread, French or chapati.

In this article, we learned about some of the popular Tunisian dishes that you find on the streets of Tunis, namely the Tunisian plate, omelette, frikassi, chapati, ivy, shield and koftaji. These dishes represent the diversity, richness and culture of Tunisian cuisine, are very popular among people and are prepared by popular restaurants with perfection and dedication.