OT: Libyan food
 

Recent events in Libya inspired me to read about Libyan food, which looks quite delicious. I found this site which has quite a comprehensive set of photos and descriptions:

http://www.temehu.com/Libyan-food.htm

But I'm interested in hearing some more details about one particular dish: bazin (or "bazeen" or "bazine", depending on transliteration).

It looks like a ball of dough or dumpling in the middle of a plate, surrounded by a sauce/stew of meat/fish/vegetables/tomatoes or even, instead, a yoghurt sauce.

I'd like to know what the consistency of the bazin is like. Is it like a doughy bread? Does boiling the flour and water mixture make it chewy like a bagel? Or is it more like a dumpling, and fluffy but solid in texture? Is the top of the dome more solid/hard than the inside?

Perhaps Stez has some experience here, or any of you who did those ex-TIP trips... :D

Nothing to substantive to add, other than congratulations on being a hot early contender for OT thread of the month. ;)

Thanks! What's the prize? Will someone who knows how to cook me some Libyan food? ;)

Some people on this board might read that as a challenge :)

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standa...ilk-flavour.do

Mods with a sense of humour - that's what I love about the FT BAEC forum. ^

I won't mention the spelling mistake in case I'm punished. ;)

Dumplings in stew is quite a common dish in several countries....my mother used to give it to us back in the last century.
Seasoned flour and water is all a dumpling is although you can add suet if you want. They don't go soggy at all...in fact they are quite light in texture.

Unfortunately these days it seems that the tyrant Gadafi would like his opponents to eat lead more than anything else. :td:

Although North African cuisine can be wonderful I hope that the people of Libya taste freedom, which is more sweet than any other dish, as soon as possible.

I wish humble pie was on Moammar al-Qadhafi's menu but I am afraid that he only eats hallucinatory stuff.

As a PS: I am kinda glad I did not start this thread... ;)

No offence, but The reading for the months of January/February must have been Tunisian and Egyptian food. ;)

A vast, vast improvement on the meals I've had in Libya.

http://s-hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/2489..._1474571_n.jpg

Thanks for the pic Stez. But I shall give that one a miss.

Is that lamb, chicken ,pasta, vegey ,mixed grill type thingy?:eek:

It's strange reading this because there's little I recognize. I imagine the current regime tossed out the Colonial past, however the thing I remember best from 45 years ago as a kid was the Italian food - the Country had been an Italian colony until the early 40's. Looking at the pictures (including the "offering" from Stez!) and the descriptions I suspect Italian would still be a better option today.

How you must have longed for a munchy box...
;)

Do I remember the Scots have a higher incidence of heart & stroke related illness? It looks like the diet is right up there with the Russians....

You're correct, except one is allegedly a pizza, albiet a very soggy one topped with raw tuna.

At least some of that is edible enough to fill a hole! :D

Careful ... that's a meal for a family of 7. ;)

^

^:D

Me too. The chicken leg looks OK but the rest looks decidedly questionable! :eek:

To answer the original question rather than reminisce about Life in Scotland many years ago, it does have a chewy quality because it is primarily made with Barley flour which lacks the gluten that gives a bagel its elastic texture. Personally I would rather have the food in the pics than what is currently served in CW....at least its not pretending to be something it isn't. :D

2nd you there ^^