A dense, savory baked cake made from chickpea flour, eggs, and spices, sliced into thick wedges and served with cumin and harissa. This popular Algerian street food from Constantine is hearty, affordable, and deeply satisfying.
Ingredients
3 cups chickpea flour
3 cups water
3 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground caraway
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Harissa and extra cumin for serving
Instructions
1Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Oil a deep baking dish generously with olive oil and place it in the oven to preheat for 5 minutes.
2In a large bowl, whisk the chickpea flour with water until completely smooth and free of lumps. The batter should be thicker than karantika batter, more like a thick porridge consistency.
3Add the beaten eggs, olive oil, cumin, caraway, salt, and pepper. Whisk vigorously for 2 minutes until the batter is uniform and all spices are evenly distributed throughout.
4Carefully remove the hot baking dish from the oven. Pour the batter into the sizzling dish. The edges should begin to set immediately, creating a crispy outer layer.
5Bake for 40-45 minutes until the top is deeply golden and firm to the touch. The center should be set and dense, not custardy like karantika. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean.
6Let cool in the dish for 10 minutes before cutting into thick wedges or large squares. The texture should be dense and cake-like, holding its shape firmly when picked up.
7Serve warm with a generous dusting of ground cumin and a smear of harissa on each piece. The combination of the earthy chickpea cake with the fiery harissa is classic Constantine street food.
Did You Know?
Garantita vendors in Constantine are known for their theatrical serving style, cutting enormous steaming slabs with dramatic flourishes while bantering with regular customers. The best vendors have loyal followings spanning decades.