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Bazin (Steamed Barley Flour Dome in Tomato Meat Stew)
A firm, sculpted barley flour dome enveloped by a fiery tomato-based lamb stew, crowned with hard-boiled eggs and blistered chili peppers.
The story
Revered by southern Tunisian Berbers and the islanders of Djerba, Bazin is the culinary centerpiece of Friday family gatherings and wedding banquets, consumed communally with the right hand. Cooking the barley dough requires immense physical strength, as the flour must be kneaded over an open flame inside a deep pot using a traditional wooden baton known as a magraf. The dough's unique dense yet smooth texture is achieved because the barley flour gelatinizes under direct heat, holding its architectural dome shape against the rich, hot sauce.
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