Calling Shakshuka Shakshuka even if they put pork in it

[datcherygrateful]

I recently came across a menu offering a twist on the traditional dish, shakshuka, by adding chorizo. Traditionally, shakshuka is a Middle Eastern and North African dish beloved, originate and enjoyed mainly by Jewish and Muslim communities, where pork products aren't consumed due to religious reasons. This new variation has sparked quite a debate within me, (I am Middle Eastern), and I'm curious to hear your thoughts.

I understand that we put twists on lots of dishes, and yes I 've seen feta and random stuff thrown into shakshuka, but this particular thing is bothering me a little seeing as the one ingredient that is contradictory to Jewish and Muslim dietary laws is put in it.

I'd be ok if they called it something else, like Chorizo Eggs or Spanish Skillet or something to that effect, but it is fundamentally a vegetarian dish and not only that, fundamentally originating from non pork eating cultures and in my eyes, cannot be shakshuka.

Am I being unreasonable to say you cannot call this dish Shakshuka if you put pork in it?

I don’t think you are being unreasonable at all. This was probably just done out of culture ignorance.

I mean I'm Mexican of ME background and the weird things that I've seen called as Mexican dishes is appalling. I think you're overreacting TBH.

@chatenoire I'd like to know more- what dishes are you talking about specifically?

This!

I'm Moroccan, and there's nothing Moroccan about a falafel salad with hummus

YABU. At least while vegan "chicken" and "bacon" and "sausages" and "burgers" are a thing. If you follow a particular diet through choice or through necessity you can always check the ingredients before eating it.

but how is that the same?@Twiklo
I'm talking about putting pork into a dish that is famously not only vegetarian, but is supposed to be halal and kosher

I’m Middle Eastern and can’t get worked up about this. The name seems to be just acknowledging they’ve taken shashouka as a base (which totally renaming it wouldn’t do), and added chorizo.

I think if you are cooking in your own home, you can call what you cook whatever you want, and put whatever you like in it (but obviously you shouldn’t ever serve guests something they don’t eat).

If you are selling/buying a product in a restaurant or shop that’s completely different and it should absolutely always be properly labelled and not called by misleading names, and YANBU at all.

There are loads of pork shakshuka recipies around. It's not a new thing.

Fair.

YABU. I add chorizo to mine and thought I was the only one. Its delicious!

So you’re worried about ‘cultural appropriation’ in a way that could offend the main cultures the dish came from?

If the dish used the traditional ingredients for the dish, plus pork, and didn’t acknowledge that it was based on the traditional dish, called it something else, would you think that better?

I'm South East Asian OP and this happens everywhere, with all kinds of dishes. I couldn't get worked up about it - UNLESS, the addition of pork wasn't clearly marked!
For every single person like you there'll be another several people complaining that it was 'stolen' and the name changed. One can't win really.

But I am talking about the principle of putting an ingredient that is technically not allowed, then keeping the name the same

Maybe I'm not articulating my point.
This is not the same as Vegan Beef

To add, I’d expect to see chorizo in the actual name (“chorizo shakshouka” etc) - which is how I’d originally read the post.

If they JUST called it shakshouka, I’d find it weird and a bit incongruous but no stronger emotion than that.

Sorry for the misunderstanding, I don't think you're overreacting, I meant that a lot of international dishes are modified in such ways that they become completely different dishes.
I agree with you that's it's quite distatesful

Sorry I misread your post

No they did label it as Shakshuka with

But it still bothered me a little- such a contradiction

The laws of kashrut are much stricter than simply not eating pork. Unless its made in a kosher kitchen with eggs that have been checked and all other ingredients prepared according to the relevant rules, an orthodox Jew wouldn’t be able to eat it. Presumably the chorizo was clearly included in the menu description so it wouldn’t have been a surprise? If so, i think this post is a bit unreasonable.

Oh I like the idea of feta.

If they call it Chorizo Shakshuka I think I'd just about be ok with it but yeah I do see your point. It's quite disrespectful to the original dish.

That even better then as it's acknowledging Shakshuka is the dish and they've added some chorizo "with" it.

Also it could have been veggie chorizo (which does exist!) Also, cheeseburgers aren't kosher and I think most people don't know about this.

Ive only ever seen chorizo offered as an additional paid extra with shakshuka.

OP culinary traditions have always been globally influenced since the beginning of time with migration, travel, etc. Modifying a dish isn't disrespecting its history. Unless one claims to make an 'authentic' dish.