Tunisian Seafood Ojja (Ojja Hout)
We make seafood ojja the way it is made in Tunisian kitchens, where tomatoes and harissa come together in a spicy sauce in which the shrimp and squid are submerged and then the eggs are cracked over it.
We cook it in a single pan that is brought to the table as it is; it is a quick coastal dish that gathers the warmth of the spices and the tenderness of the seafood in a single bite with bread.
Heat the olive oil and stir the tomatoes over medium-high heat for about five to eight minutes until they soften and break down, for this is the base of the sauce.
Add the garlic and stir it for three minutes, then blend in the harissa, tomato paste, coriander, turmeric, caraway, and green pepper and let them brown for two minutes until the spices become fragrant.
Pour in the hot water and let the sauce simmer gently, and meanwhile clean the shrimp and squid well.
Add the shrimp and squid and stir, and after two minutes add the cumin and let the mixture simmer gently for three minutes until the shrimp is cooked and the squid turns tender.
Crack the eggs over the sauce and stir them a little, as you prefer, between set firm or scrambled, then leave them to set over medium heat for five to seven minutes, sprinkle the black pepper, and serve it hot with bread.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Tunisian Seafood Ojja (Ojja Hout), and how to fix them:
Let it simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes before adding the eggs until it thickens, for the eggs need a sauce of thick consistency.
Cook it for only a few minutes, for shrimp cooks quickly and shrinks and toughens if overcooked.
Cook it over low heat for a short time, for squid toughens over high heat and only softens again with very long cooking.
Keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to two days, and reheat it gently without boiling so the seafood does not toughen.
We do not recommend freezing it because the cooked eggs and seafood change texture after thawing.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| shrimp | chopped white fish | same weight, 180 g | A lighter seafood alternative added at the same time |
| squid | extra shrimp | same weight, 150 g | For those who do not care for squid, while keeping the seafood character |
| harissa paste | hot paprika and garlic | 15 g paprika | To ease the heat while keeping the red color |
| caraway | extra cumin | same weight, 1 g | The flavor moves closer to cumin and is less aromatic |
| Ingredient | Half amount | Amount (base) | Double |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chopped tomatoes | 225 g | 450 g | 900 g |
| Peeled shrimp | 90 g | 180 g | 360 g |
| Squid rings | 75 g | 150 g | 300 g |
| Eggs | 75 g | 150 g | 300 g |
| Harissa paste | 15 g | 30 g | 60 g |
| Hot water | 240 ml | 480 ml | 960 ml |
Add the cumin at the end of cooking rather than the beginning, for its aroma evaporates with long simmering and keeps its sharpness if added late.
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