Imbakbaka (Libyan Chicken and Pasta)
Imbakbaka (Libyan Chicken and Pasta)
This is the first Libyan recipe on stonedsoup.net; and it is probably the most commonly eaten home cooked dish: imbakbaka. With Italy having a huge influence over Libyan cuisine, this dish has the essence of the classic Italian dish, minestrone. Imbakbaka is really the Libyan version; much less soupy. Chicken pieces are seared then braised in a tomato based broth with a large variety of spices used in a plethora of North African dishes: coriander, cayenne, cumin, caraway, paprika, turmeric, to name a few. Then dry pasta is added, soaking up the remaining broth. This version of imbakbaka is fairly spicy with the cayenne and jalapeños, so adjust accordingly to your spice level.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 bone in chicken thighs
- 1 lb dry pasta shells, penne, gemili
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp ground caraway seeds
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 pinch ground cardamom
- 1 large jalapeños thinly sliced
- 8 cups boiling water
Instructions
- Heat up the vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken to the pan. Brown for 5 minutes on each side.
- Turn the heat down to medium. Add in the garlic, tomato paste, and all of the spices. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Pour in the boiling water. Simmer the chicken for 45 minutes on medium low heat.
- Stir in the pasta and jalapeños.
- Simmer for 20 minutes until the pasta is cooked through.
You must be logged in to post a comment.