Assegas Amegaz,
Happy new year to all the Amazighs/Berbers in the world. We are now in year 2965.
This year we had a Kabyle ( a Berber tribe residing in North central Algeria ) traditional dish called: Asvan. Some other Kabyle regions call it Tikerbabine. It's samolina based hand rolled balls, simmered in light red sauce.
The sauce consists of veggies, such as, tomatoes, carrots, courgettes, radish and green beans, as well as some legumes, such as, chick peas, black eyed peas. I added chicken, cause the tradition to celebrate Yennayer is to have chicken for lunch or dinner.
Yennayer is the first month of the Berber year.
Yen = the first / number 1
Ayyer = month / moon.
We celebrate it every 12th January by making special lunch or dinner. Other regions bring a huge wooden round container and fill it with all sorts of nuts and sweets and sit their babies in it, or shower their kids with all those treats. In other Berber countries Yennayer involved more treats such as Tasmina (a samolina based dessert mixed with butter and honey), special dishes such as Rechta (this looks like noodles, eaten with a broth made with chicken stock, radish, courgettes and chicken.I had the intention to make Rechta this year.. I got the machine and all ( offered to me by Gingerbeard) but I couldn't bring myself to doing it last minute I had a change of heart.
Pedro and Kiki (our furry adopted kids) enjoyed some Yennayer chicken. I sent Asvan some to my bestie who's from West Algeria and who had never tasted it before that time. In their city they celebrate Yennayer by preparing what they call Cherchem. (a mixture of many legumes steamed and added together in a thick sauce) So, she said Asvan tasted delish and that she's welcome another plate anytime soon. bless
