This Macroona Imbakbaka Recipe Is a Traditional Dish in Libya

Undoubtedly, one of the most quintessential dishes people enjoy all throughout Libya is Macroona Imbakbaka. It has some of our favorite things: tomato, chicken, and pasta. Add in flavorful spices to the mix, and you have a scrumptious stew-like dish that will keep you wanting more and more. Here’s how to make it!

Ingredients

• 1 chicken, cut and quartered.
• 1lb pasta of your choice
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves
• ⅔ cup tomato paste
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 ½ tablespoon of Bzaar
• 11 cups of water (will be used in parts)
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Prepare Macroona Imbakbaka Like They Do in Libya

Step 1

Grab a pot and put it on medium-high heat. Add the oil and sauté the onions. Then, add the chicken and let it brown for a few minutes.

Step 2

Lower the heat, then add the bzaar, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Combine everything well and let it cook for 3-4 minutes. After that, raise the temperature back to medium-high and add 7 cups of water. If you want to speed things up, you can pre-boil the water before pouring it into the pot.

Step 3

Bring the tomato mixture to a boil, then lower back to medium-low heat and cover the pot with a lid. Let it simmer for about 25 minutes (or until the meat is cooked through).

Step 4

Once the meat is cooked, add the pasta. To get the traditional a-la Libya dish, break the pasta into 2-inch parts. Bring the heat back up to medium-high, add the remaining water, and let it boil. Crush the garlic cloves and add them to the pot together with the jalapeno. Stir occasionally, so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom.

Step 5

When the pasta is ready, serve and enjoy while still hot like they do in Libya.