Algerian cuisine is very rich in foods ranging from simple desserts to very sophisticated dishes. It is considered one of the best countries in North Africa. It developed after the independence of the country, even if it was already well diversified before.
The most important and best known dish is couscous, which is also the national dish of Algeria.
The specialties most appreciated by foreigners are so-called oriental pastries, which are traditional pastries, are very sweet and contain a lot of ingredients. They are usually accompanied by mint tea and small assortments.
The rich Algerian cuisine reflects the cultural variety of the country: stews of lamb, poultry or vegetables are characteristic of Berber cuisine; spices and pastries attest to Turkish and Arabic influences. The Spanish influence is great around Oran, in the north-west of the country, where many paellas are served. Algerians also enjoy French bread and olives.
Couscous is, of course, the national dish. "Couscous" is the name of the durum wheat semolina that makes up part of the dish. This is usually steamed, served with meat or vegetables, and sprinkled with sauce. Burek is another very popular Algerian dish: it is a mix of meat, eggs and onions in a very thin puff pastry. Chorba is a stew of mutton or chicken with spicy vegetables flavored with fresh herbs. Vegetables stuffed with meat and spices are named dolma. Any traditional Algerian meal consists of a mechoui (mutton or sheep quarter cooked on a spit) and merguez (spicy lamb sausages).
Algerians take their coffee and serve it with a glass of water; but the most popular drink is the mint tea. We often drink fruit juice. Before independence, the wine industry was flourishing, but the Muslim tradition prohibiting the consumption of alcohol, it is now falling.
As for traditional Algerian desserts, mention may be made of kalb-el-lowz (semolina cake with almond paste with rose water), samsas (stuffed pastries), makrouds (lozenges with figs or dates), chacabs (crescent-shaped almond pastries), potatoes (honey pastries) and taminas (roasted semolina pancakes with butter and honey).
