Category Archives: Recipes/Soo’yo/وصفات/Recettes

Somali Chapati (Sabaayad) Chapati Somali

Somali Chapati (Sabaayad)

  This flatbread is different from the Indian chapati and is more like a paratha. The Somali chapati (sabaayad) is crispy on the outside and flaky and tender inside. It is slightly sweet, and it is cooked to a golden colour with a little oil. This style of chapati is popular in many parts of East…

Potato & Cumin Rice (Bariis iyo Bataato) (Pilau) Pilaf de Riz aux Pommes de Terre et au Cumin

Potato & Cumin Rice (Pilau)

  This is an easy and tasty rice dish. It brings back beautiful memories of Mombasa, Kenya. However, this dish is not limited to Kenya but is popular in many parts of East Africa. The cumin seeds gives it a flavour that is hard to resist and the potatoes make it very delicious. There are…

Swahili Fish Curry (Malaay Qumbe) (Mchuzi Wa Samaki) Curry de Poisson Swahili سمك بصلصة الكاري

Swahili Fish Curry (Mchuzi Wa Samaki)

English Af-Soomaali Français عربي Swahili Fish Curry www.xawaash.com When we started this blog, one of our objectives was to feature recipes from neighbouring countries. This is one such recipe that is popular among the Swahili-speaking peoples of East Africa. We added a few touches of our own and we simplified the recipe. This dish is…

Eggs & Veggies (Ukun iyo Qudaar) Oeufs et Légumes

Eggs & Veggies (Ukun iyo Khudaar)

We usually cook this recipe on weekends, on those days that we wake up a bit later than usual. Yes, we do sleep in on weekends! It’s true that it makes it harder to wake-up on Monday mornings, but we do it anyhow, particularly on Saturdays. We need to recharge and relax… Brunch. We coined…

Somali Corn Grits (Soor Furfur ah) (Zijjo zaa Gelle) Semoule de Maïs Somali

Somali Corn Grits (Zijjo za Gelle)

Zijjo zaa Gelle (Corn Grits) is a staple in Brava, Somalia. The Bravanese are known for maanda or muufo Baraawe (Bravanese bread), but this is the main dish served for the midday meal. Unlike soor (polenta-style grits) that is popular in other parts of Somalia, these grits are light and fluffy just like couscous.  However,…

Roasted Lamb (Hilib Ari la-foorneeyey) Agneau Rôti au Four

Roasted Lamb

When my mother’s maternal grandfather moved to Mogadishu, he stayed at his daughter’s house. All his life he was a pastoralist but as he became old and feeble, he decided to settle down. City life was new to him and he had to learn a few things the hard way. One of the problems he…

Somali Halwa (Xalwo) Halwa Somali

Somali Halwa (Xalwo)

  For Somalis, Halwa (Xalwo) is synonymous with festive occasions, particularly weddings. When a Somali says, “Xalwaddeeda ma-cunin,” (lit. “I didn’t eat her halwa”) it means “I didn’t attend her wedding.” Made mainly of butter/oil and sugar, halwa is laden with calories. However, it was a delicacy that was consumed on special occasions and in…

One-pot Rice & Goat Meat (Bariis Isku-karis) Potée de Riz à la Viande de Chèvre

One-pot Rice & Goat Meat (Bariis Isku-karis)

We have received so many requests to make this dish that we moved it up in the list of recipes that we want to post. It is quite understandable though why so many wanted us to post it. This one-pot rice dish can be very addictive. The flavour imparted to the rice from the goat…

Chicken Steak (Bisteeki Digaag) Steak de Poulet

Chicken Steak (Bisteeki Digaag)

This is an easy and very quick dish that is useful to have in your repertoire. It’s fantastic when you get unannounced visitors who need to be fed in no time. Somalis, or at least first generation immigrant Somalis, are known to just show up without calling ahead. Please don’t misunderstand us, ’cause we’re not…

Mixed Vegetables (Qudaar) Légumes mélangés

Mixed Vegetables (Khudaar)

Somalis have very few vegetarian dishes. In the southern part of Somalia, where most of the agriculture is concentrated, more vegetables are consumed. For most Somalis, vegetables are added to meat dishes. Potatoes, carrots, green peppers, pumpkins, and plantains are popular. The following is a vegan recipe that is both nutritious and flavourful. The vegetables are…

About (Annaga)
Qui Sommes Nous نبذة عنا

We are a husband and wife team and we live in Canada. In a world full of food complications, we make cooking very simple. Our recipe videos will make your cooking easy, relaxed and enjoyable. We bring you the foods we love from Somalia and from around the world.