Author: A&L

Creme Caramel (Doolshe Banaaddir) Crème Caramel كريم كراميل

Creme Caramel (Doolshe Banaaddir) Crème Caramel كريم كراميل

  In Somalia, creme caramel was not a dessert that was made on a regular basis. It was usually made when guests were invited. We believe it was due to the fact that eggs were not easy to come by.  Most of the good restaurants [Click for Full Recipe]

Pizza 4 Ways (Biitso 4 Nooc) Pizza 4 Façons البيتزا – 4 انواع

Pizza 4 Ways (Biitso 4 Nooc) Pizza 4 Façons البيتزا – 4 انواع

  In a previous post, we told you the story of Hooyo Fadumo’s beginnings with cooking and her fish debacle. Wanting to learn, she sought out anyone who could teach her: family, friends, and even total strangers. She tells the story of how she approached [Click for Full Recipe]

Mashmash (Mashmash – Bishbishi) Mashmash مشمش

Mashmash (Mashmash – Bishbishi) Mashmash مشمش

Mashmash (rhymes with hush-hush) is a classic Somali snack that is usually paired with samosas. It is on the greasy side but in Somalia, greasy was not always associated with bad. There was a time when oily meant nutritious. We remember seeing construction workers in [Click for Full Recipe]

Vegetable Soup (Barooddo Qudaar) Soupe de Légumes شربة خضار

Vegetable Soup (Barooddo Qudaar) Soupe de Légumes شربة خضار

  We learned how to make this soup from Hooyo¹ Fadumo Abdulle (Abdullahi’s mother). Hooyo Fadumo is an amazing cook but her story with cooking did not have the greatest start. Actually, it began with an embarrassing experience. Even though born and raised in Mogadishu, [Click for Full Recipe]

Somali Malawah (Malawax) Malawah الملوًّح الصومالي

Somali Malawah (Malawax) Malawah الملوًّح الصومالي

  What is round, goes around, comes around. To us, that sums the story of the Somali Malawah (Malawax). We wish to think that the crepe originated in the Horn of Africa. The Horn is the home of the Ethiopian Injera, the Eritrean Injera, Somali [Click for Full Recipe]

Jerky-Style Beef Cubes (Oodkac/Muqmad) Cubes de Boeuf Façon Viande Séchée لحم بقري مجفف

Jerky-Style Beef Cubes (Oodkac/Muqmad) Cubes de Boeuf Façon Viande Séchée لحم بقري مجفف

  Oodkac or Muqmad is what Somalis prepare whenever they want to preserve meat. During times of plenty, that is the rainy days, the nomads save for a dry day. Rainy days bring abundance (barwaaqo), when the milk from the herd is flowing and meat [Click for Full Recipe]

Chicken Parmesan (Kutuleeti Digaag) Escalope de Poulet Panée au Parmesan دجاج بجبن البارميزان

Chicken Parmesan (Kutuleeti Digaag) Escalope de Poulet Panée au Parmesan دجاج بجبن البارميزان

  In this recipe, we did not follow the traditional method of preparing chicken parmesan. We asked ourselves, “Why prepare crispy chicken parmesan, then make it soggy with marinara sauce?” Fresh mozzarella is also always best fresh. In our version, all the components are on [Click for Full Recipe]

Beef & Lamb Fatayer (Fataa’ir) Chaussons au Boeuf et a l’Agneau فطائر باللحم

Beef & Lamb Fatayer (Fataa’ir) Chaussons au Boeuf et a l’Agneau فطائر باللحم

  For Middle Eastern recipes, we owe a lot to Jeddah where we lived for several years. With so many expatriate friends as well as all the different types of restaurants, it was very easy to fall in love with Middle Eastern cooking. Leila was [Click for Full Recipe]

Kalkals (Shushumoow – Zinanaande) Kalkal كلكل

Kalkals (Shushumoow – Zinanaande) Kalkal كلكل

  There are sweets that you eat because they taste good; then there are those that go a step further by bringing back memories of your childhood, a way of life long gone, of places fondly missed. That is what shushumoow (kalkals) does for us. [Click for Full Recipe]

Refreshing Salad (Insalaaddo) Salade Rafraîchissante سلطة منعشة

Refreshing Salad (Insalaaddo) Salade Rafraîchissante سلطة منعشة

  This cool, refreshing salad says summer to us but it is great all year round. The refreshing feeling comes from the moisture-laden cucumbers and tomatoes, and the mild onion flavour from the green onions.  The salad also has a wonderful texture with different levels [Click for Full Recipe]