Tunisian · lunch, dinner
Marqit Khodra (Tunisian Chard, Chickpea and Beef Stew)
مرقة خضرة
Video by Sonia Cuisine on YouTube, in Arabic · Open on YouTube
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
About 34 g protein, 9 g fibre and 24 g net carbs a serve from beef, chickpeas and half a kilo of chard, which also make it rich in vitamins K, C and A.
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Ingredients 18
Method
The cook speaks Arabic; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. The video’s English subtitles come on by themselves.
- Strip the chard leaves from the stems (the stems aren't used), slice the leaves into thin strips and wash them several times in water with a splash of vinegar. Dice the tomatoes and chop the onion. 1:36
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot and sauté the onion 2–3 minutes until translucent. 2:15
- Add the beef, season it with the salt, turmeric and black pepper and brown 2 minutes. 2:46
- Add the tomatoes and let them soften, then stir in the tomato paste, harissa, paprika and coriander-caraway and sauté 1–2 minutes. 3:32
- Pour in a small glass of hot water. When it boils, add half the chard, scatter over the soaked chickpeas and cover with the rest of the chard. Cover and cook 20–30 minutes without stirring; the chard releases its own water. 5:09
- Add the sliced carrot, cover and simmer 15 minutes, then check the meat and add a little hot water only if needed; cook another 15 minutes until the beef is tender. 7:14
- Stir in the parsley, lay the slit green peppers on top and cook 5–7 minutes on very low heat until the oil rises to the surface. 8:44
Tip. Serves 4 is our estimate, and so is the chard: about 500 g of leaves from her 2 large bunches. Add a turnip with the carrot if you have one. Eat with crusty bread, or on its own as a hearty winter stew.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 4
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 19%
- Protein 27%
- Fat 54%
Low carb: under 26% of the energy is from carbs.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin K High992%
1190 µg a serve, mostly from swiss chard (87%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Vitamin C High97%
87 mg a serve, mostly from swiss chard (43%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin B12 High85%
2 µg a serve, mostly from beef (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Vitamin A High75%
674 µg a serve, mostly from swiss chard (57%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Zinc High72%
7.9 mg a serve, mostly from beef (79%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Vitamin B6 High51%
0.9 mg a serve, mostly from beef (44%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Folate High50%
200 µg a serve, mostly from dried chickpeas (70%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Selenium High50%
28 µg a serve, mostly from beef (94%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin E High47%
7 mg a serve, mostly from olive oil (47%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Iron High39%
7.1 mg a serve, mostly from beef (32%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Magnesium High39%
164 mg a serve, mostly from swiss chard (62%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Potassium High29%
1340 mg a serve, mostly from swiss chard (35%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Omega-3 Source15%
0.2 g a serve, mostly from olive oil (73%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Calcium Source10%
135 mg a serve, mostly from swiss chard (47%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Show the other 1
Vitamin D0%
0.1 µg a serve, mostly from beef (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Sonia Cuisine; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.