North Africa · Soup
Dobara Biskria (Spicy Simmered Chickpea and Fava Bean Broth)
A fiery, tangy desert broth loaded with tender pulses, crushed cumin, harissa, fresh tomatoes, and an abundant drizzle of raw olive oil.
The story
Hailing from Biskra, the gateway oasis of the Algerian Sahara, Dobara is the quintessential working-class street fuel eaten throughout biting winter mornings and midday breaks. Born out of the necessity for hearty, affordable, and sustaining warmth, it is assembled fresh per order in specialized street stalls known for gigantic bubbling pots of legumes. Technically, Dobara is not cooked as a combined stew; rather, the dried chickpeas and split broad beans are slow-simmered separately in unseasoned water to retain their individual purity, then married in deep earthenware bowls under an intensely spiced cold slurry (chermoula) of ground cumin, raw garlic, chili paste, and lemon.
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