Street Staple · Stuffed flatbread

Mhajeb (M'hadjeb)

Photo: Charit halima / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

It's naturally vegan, needs no cutlery, and Algerians eat it for breakfast, lunch, and midnight snacks alike.

Mhajeb (also spelled mhadjeb or mahdjouba) is a semolina flatbread rolled thin, filled with a spiced mixture of tomato, onion, garlic, and pepper, then folded into a square and cooked on a hot griddle. It's sold hot off the pan at street carts across every region of Algeria, wrapped in paper for eating on the go.

Why it's made this way: Semolina dough is a Maghrebi kitchen staple, and folding it around a ready-made vegetable filling turns it into a self-contained, mess-free meal — practical for vendors and customers who need something fast and portable.