North African Chicken and Mushroom Stew with Turmeric

1. In a large pot heat the olive oil on medium heat. When oil is warm add the chicken pieces and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grate or dice your onion. Add the onion and all of the spices into the chicken mixture. Allow it to cook for 8-10 minutes.

2. Add the flour to the mixture and stir rapidly to dissolve. Add approximately 1 cup of water and stir again. Reduce heat to low, cover and let it simmer.

3. Meanwhile clean and roughly chop your mushrooms. Remove the core and seeds then roughly chop the pepper.

4. After about 10-15 minutes of cooking add the mushrooms to the stew. Add approximately another cup of water. Your total water count will depend on the mushrooms and heat level, feel free to add water slowly and adjust based on your own tastes. Turn down the heat to medium low and let it simmer for another 10 minutes. Add the pepper chunks. Cook an additional 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Remove from heat and serve with rice or with a rustic baguette. Enjoy!

Note: Ras hanout or tebel are two different Tunisian spice blends. If you do not find these at your local grocery store you can make your own by blending equal quantities of pepper (in the United States I would use a red pepper or cayenne), garlic powder, coriander and cumin. Ras hanout adds a pinch of cinnamon and cloves to the mix. You can do the blend to your own taste liking.