Somali Anjero (Canjeero) Anjero Somali

Somali Anjero

Somali Anjero (Canjeero) Anjero Somali

 

Somalis have their version of Hot cross buns! Hot cross buns! Only it’s not a nursery rhyme, it’s not about buns, and it’s not about something that you give to your daughters or sons. It’s a street cry, it’s about anjero, and you give it to the lion in the house. That lion of course is the husband who enjoys a privileged status in the Somali patriarchal household. The street cry echoes across neighbourhoods in Somali towns and goes like this:

Waa canjeera kulul!
Waa canjeera kulul!
Nin cawa leh iyo cawaalaa cuna
Gaaridooy gado
Geesiga uggeey
Haku-guuxee!

Hot anjero!
Hot anjero!
Fortunate is he who gets it
Lucky is the one who eats it
Good wife, buy it
Give it to your knight
So he would roar like a lion!

That cry was used by street vendors selling anjero very early in the morning before people went to work and schoolchildren left for school. Most Somalis prepare the anjero themselves, but it needs to be prepared the night before using a starter that was left from the previous morning’s anjero batter. If they use up all the batter, they would borrow some from the neighbours. If for some reason it is not available, then the anjero lady would come to the rescue early in the morning.

Every night, before the cities and towns of Somalia go to sleep, you will hear rhythmic sounds of slapping, the sound of mixing the anjero batter. It is a comforting and reassuring sound that lulls you to sleep, knowing that tomorrow’s meal is being prepared. This rhythmic sound together with the anjero street cry that echoes early in the morning, punctuate the urban soundscape of Somalia.

So what exactly is anjero? Most people would know its older sibling, the Ethiopian injera. It is a fermented, crepe-like pan bread that looks like a thin pancake. The Somali anjero has its own character and is different from the Ethiopian injera. It is much less sour, it is smaller in size, and it doesn’t contain teff flour. The traditional Ethiopian injera is usually fermented for a couple of days, whereas the Somali anjero is fermented just overnight.  

Anjero is a staple food in Somalia and it’s the most common breakfast food. Everyone would eat an average of three anjeros with a cup of tea. The anjero would be sprinkled with some sugar and drizzled with a little sesame oil or melted ghee. For those who can afford it, the anjero is served with liver and onions, with suqaar (small pieces of beef), or with oodkac (tiny pieces of jerky-style beef). Occasionally anjero is eaten during lunch. It is served with a tomato-based stew or with a goat and vegetable stew.

Anjero was traditionally made of maize, flour, and water. Different types of flour were used; the most common being wheat flour, sorghum flour, and corn flour. The maize was ground finely and then made into a paste. This was then added to the flour and water and was left to ferment overnight. When the anjero was cooked in the morning, some of the fermented batter was left for preparing the next day’s anjero.

Nowadays, Somalis use self-rising flour or a combination of all-purpose flour and baking powder. Yeast is used to cut the time needed for fermentation. It is very common to combine different types of flour to help improve the texture of the anjero. Below, you will find several recipes of anjero using different ingredients. This will help you make anjero with ingredients that are more readily available in your area. You can also experiment with the different recipes and find the one that best suits your tastes.

 

Les Somalis ont leur version de “Hot cross buns! Hot cross buns! Seulement ce n’est pas une chanson enfantine, ça ne parle pas de buns, et ce n’est pas pour donner à vos filles ou vos fils. C’est une chanson de rue, qui parle d’anjero, et qui est pour le lion de la maison. Ce lion bien sûr est le mari qui a un statut privilégié dans le foyer patriarcal Somali. Cette chanson résonne à travers les quartiers dans les villes Somali et dit ceci:

Anjero chaud!
Anjero chaud!
Fortuné est celui qui l’a
Chanceux est celui qui le mange
Gentille femme, achètes-en
Donnes-en à ton chevalier
Pour qu’il rugisse comme un lion!

Cette chanson était utilisée par les vendeuses de rue d’anjero très tôt le matin avant que les gens partent travailler et que les enfants aillent à l’école. La plupart des Somalis préparent l’anjero eux-mêmes, mais il a besoin d’être préparé la veille avec un levain qui a été prélevé sur la pâte du matin précédent. Si pour quelque raison que se soit le levain n’est pas disponible, la dame anjero venait à la rescousse tôt le matin. Chaque nuit, lorsque les villes et villages de Somalie s’endorment, on entend le bruit rythmé des battements, le son de la pâte à anjero battue. C’est un son réconfortant et rassurant qui vous berce, vous laissant savoir que le repas du lendemain sera prêt. Ce son rythmique et l’écho de la chanson des vendeurs d’anjero tôt le matin, font partie du paysage sonore de la Somalie.

Qu’est ce que l’anjero exactement? La plupart des gens connaissent son grand frère l’injera Éthiopien. Il est fermenté, une galette de pain qui ressemble à une crêpe fine. L’anjero Somali a son caractère propre et est différent de l’injera Éthiopien. Il est bien moins aigre, il est de plus petite taille, et il ne contient pas de farine de teff (millet). L’injera Ethiopien traditionnel est normalement fermenté pendant deux jours, alors que l’anjero Somali est fermenté une nuit.

L’Anjero est une nourriture de base en Somalie et elle est la nourriture la plus populaire du petit déjeuner. Chacun mange en moyenne trois anjeros avec une tasse de thé. L’anjero est saupoudré de sucre et aspergé d’un peu d’huile de sésame ou de ghee fondu. Pour ceux qui ont les moyens, l’anjero est servi avec du foie et des oignons, avec du suqaar (petits morceaux de boeuf), ou du oodkac (tout petits morceaux de boeuf séché). Parfois l’anjero est mangé au déjeuner. Il est servi avec un ragoût à base de tomate ou de la chèvre ou un ragoût de légumes.

L’anjero était traditionnellement fait avec du maïs, de la farine et de l’eau. Différents types de farine étaient utilisés; les plus communes étaient la farine de blé, la farine de sorgho, et la farine de maïs. Le maïs était finement moulu puis transformé en pâte. Elle était ensuite ajoutée à la farine et l’eau et était fermenté une nuit. Quand l’anjero était cuit le matin suivant, un peu de pâte fermentée était conservée pour pour préparer l’anjero du lendemain.

De nos jours, les Somalis utilisent de la farine avec levure incorporée ou un mélange de farine tout usage et de levure chimique. La levure permet de réduire le temps nécessaire à la fermentation. Il est très commun de combiner plusieurs types de farine pour améliorer la texture de l’anjero. Ci-dessous, vous trouverez plusieurs recettes d’anjero utilisant différents ingrédients. Cela vous aidera à faire de l’anjero avec les ingrédients que vous avez de disponibles près de chez vous. Vous pouvez aussi expérimenter avec les différentes recettes et trouver celle que vous préférez.

 

 

Ingredients:

Starter mixture
½ cup Sorghum flour

1 cup White corn meal
1 Tbsp Instant dry yeast

1 cup Water (lukewarm)

Add the starter to the following:
4 cups Self-rising flour (Bur canjeero)
¼ cup Sugar
4¼ cups Water (lukewarm)
 

Waxa loo baahanyahay:
(QW waa qaadda weyn midda – cuntada lagu cuno; qy waa qaadda yar)
(1 koob = 237 mL; 1 QW = 15 mL; 1 qy = 5 mL) 

Qamiirka
½ koob Bur masaggo
1 koob Bur galleey cad
1 QW Qamiirka rootiga (Instant dry yeast)
1 koob Biyo qandac ah

Qamiirka waxaad ku-dartaa
4 koob Bur-canjeero (bur qamiir leh)
¼ koob Sokor
4¼ koob Biyo qandac ah

Ingrédients:

Mélange de levain
½ mesure de Farine de Sorgho
1 mesure de Semoule de Maïs Blanc
1 cs de Levure Sèche Instantanée
1 mesure d’Eau (tiède)

Ajouter le levain aux ingrédients suivants:
4 mesures de farine avec levure incorporée (Bur canjeero)
¼ mesure de Sucre
4¼ mesures d’Eau (tiède)

Directions:

Step 1: Prepare the starter mixture

Combine the sorghum flour, white corn meal, yeast, and lukewarm water. Mix well then let the yeast activate and the mixture soak for one hour.

Qamiirka diyaari:
Isku-dar bur masaggo, bur galleey, qamiirka iyo biyaha. Si fiican u-qas. Dhig muddo hal saac.

Instructions:

Étape 1: Préparer le levain

Assembler la farine de sorgho, la semoule de maïs blanc, la levure, et l’eau tiède. Bien mélanger puis laisser la levure agir et le mélange tremper pendant une heure.

Starter mixture

Starter mixture - Mélange de levain

 

Starter mixture - one hour later

The starter mixture an hour later - Mélange de levain une heure plus tard

 

Step 2: Prepare the anjero batter

Combine the starter mixture with the self-rising flour, sugar and water. If you mix by hand, add the water in stages to avoid lumps. You can also use a blender, food processor, or handheld electric mixer. After mixing the batter very well, let it ferment for at least two hours. Fermentation is essential for an authentic anjero taste. If you prefer a more sour anjero, let the batter ferment some more, even overnight. You can also refrigerate the batter and keep it for two days.

Canjeerada qas: 
Isku-dar qamiirka aad diyaarisay, burka canjeerada iyo sokorta. Haddaad gacan ku-qasaysid, biyaha hadba in yar ku-dar. Cajiinka si-fiican u-garaac. Haddaad makiinad ku-qasaysid, biyaha hal mar ku-wada dar, si-fiicanna u-qas. Cajiinka ugu yaraan laba saacadood dhig, oo ha qamiiro. Haddaad jeceshahay canjeero dhanaan, sii qamiiri ilaa hal habeen. Kaddib, qaboojiyaha ayaa gelin kartaa oo dhoor maalmood ayaa isticmaali karaa.

Étape 2: Préparer la pâte à anjero

Assembler le levain avec la farine, le sucre et l’eau. Si vous mélangez à la main, ajouter l’eau petit à petit pour éviter les grumeaux. Vous pouvez le faire avec un blender, un robot, ou avec un pied mixer. Après avoir bien battu la pâte, laisser fermenter pendant au moins deux heures. La fermentation est essentielle pour obtenir le goût authentique de l’anjero. Si vous préférez un anjero plus aigre, laisser fermenter la pâte plus longtemps, même une nuit de plus. Vous pouvez aussi réfrigérer la pâte et la garder pendant deux jours.

Anjero batter

Anjero batter - Pâte à anjero

 

The anjero batter fermented for two hours

The anjero batter fermented for two hours - La pâte à anjero fermentée 2 heures

 

Cooking the anjero

You don’t need a special pan to cook anjero. Any non-stick pan would do. Just make sure that the diameter of the anjero is smaller than that of the pan to facilitate removing the cooked anjero. Every now and then, wipe the pan with a paper towel dipped in a little oil.

Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Using a ladle scoop the anjero batter into the pan. The quantity scooped will depend on the size of the pan and the size of the anjero you want to make. Using a swirling motion, spread the batter over the pan, as if drawing a spiral with the ladle.

Cook the anjero until all the batter dries up. Somalis usually cover the pan when cooking anjero and it reduces the cooking time. However, we didn’t notice any difference in the cooked anjero when we didn’t cover the pan. Moreover, not covering the pan makes it easier to see when the anjero is done.

Cuisson de l’anjero

Il n’est pas nécessaire d’utiliser une poêle spéciale pour cuire l’anjero. Une poêle anti-adhésive fait l’affaire. Il faut juste s’assurer que la poêle est plus grande que le diamètre de l’anjero pour qu’une fois cuit il soit facile à retirer. De temps en temps, huiler la poêle avec un morceau de papier trempé dans un peu d’huile.

Faire chauffer une poêle anti adhésive à feu moyen. Avec une louche, verser la pâte d’anjero dans la pôele. La quantité versée dépend de la taille de la poêle et de la taille de l’anjero que vous souhaitez avoir. En un mouvement circulaire, étaler la pâte sur la poêle, en dessinant une spirale avec la louche.

Laisser cuire l’anjero jusqu’à ce que la pâte sèche. Les Somalis couvrent la poêle lorsqu’ils cuisent l’anjero et cela réduit le temps de cuisson. Cependant, nous n’avons pas remarqué de différence de cuisson de l’anjero lorsque nous n’avons pas couvert la poêle. De plus, sans couvrir on voit plus facilement si l’anjero est cuit.

Cooking the Anjero - Cuisson de l’Anjero

 

Somali Anjero (Canjeero)

Somali Anjero (Canjeero) Anjero Somali

 

Somali Anjero (Canjeero)

Somali Anjero (Canjeero) Anjero Somali

 

Somali Anjero served with beef stew

Somali Anjero served with a beef stew - Anjero Somali servi avec un ragoût de boeuf

 

Somali Anjero served with Liver and Onions

Somali Anjero served with Liver and Onions (Canjeero iyo Beer) Anjero Somali servi avec du Foie aux Oignons

 

Somali Anjero (Canjeero)

Somali Anjero (Canjeero) Anjero Somali

 

Other anjero recipes using different ingredients 

Recipe B

Ingredients:

1 cup                                       White corn flour
4 cups                                      All-purpose flour
½ tsp                                       Baking powder
½ tsp                                       Salt
1 Tbsp                                      Instant dry yeast
¼ cup                                      Sugar
5 cups                                     Water (lukewarm)

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients and mix well, making sure that there are no lumps in the batter. Let the batter ferment for at least two hours. Cook as above.

 

Recipe C

Ingredients:

1 cup                                       White corn flour
1 cup                                       Whole wheat flour
3 cups                                      All-purpose flour
1 tsp                                        Baking powder
½ tsp                                       Salt
1 Tbsp                                      Instant dry yeast
¼ cup                                      Sugar
6 cups                                     Water (lukewarm)

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients and mix well, making sure that there are no lumps in the batter. Let the batter ferment for at least two hours. Cook as above.

 

Les autres recettes utilisant des ingrédients différents

Recette B

Ingrédients:

1 mesure de Farine de Maïs Blanc
4 Mesures de Farine de Blé Blanche
½ cc de levure chimique
½ cc de Sel
1 cs de Levure Instantanée
¼ de mesure de Sucre
5 mesures d’Eau (tiède)

Instructions:

Combiner tous les ingrédients et bien mélanger, s’assurer de ne pas laisser de grumeaux dans la pâte. Laisser la pâte fermenter pendant au moins deux heures. Cuire comme ci-dessus.

 

Recette C

Ingrédients:

1 mesure de Farine de Maïs Blanc
1 mesure de Farine Complète de Blé
3 mesures de Farine de blé tout usage
1 cc de Levure Chimique
½ cc de Sel
1 cs de Levure Instantanée
¼ de mesure de Sucre
6 mesures d’Eau (tiède)

Instructions:

Combiner tous les ingrédients et bien mélanger, s’assurer de ne pas laisser de grumeaux dans la pâte. Laisser la pâte fermenter pendant au moins deux heures. Cuire comme montré ci-dessus.

 

 

 

 

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108 Responses to Somali Anjero (Canjeero) Anjero Somali
  1. ward_washok
    November 13, 2011 | 3:26 pm

    aywa canjeero qasideed aan u kukulaa
    the canjeera looks so yummy thank
    you for great tips!
    SHUKRAN IT’S AMAZING WEBSITE
    *_*

    • A&L
      November 13, 2011 | 7:48 pm

      Thank you very much. Make some anjero and let us know how it turned out.

  2. um muhammed
    November 15, 2011 | 6:31 am

    assalaamu alaykum it looks great thank you very much and we will expect to show us more please can i ask where did i get like that pan in uk? wasalamu alaykum

    • A&L
      November 16, 2011 | 7:11 pm

      Wa-alaykum Assalaam Um Muhammed. Thank you for your comment. You don’t need a special pan for anjero. The pan we used was part of a set of pans that we bought. Before we bought that set, we were using just a regular non-stick frying pan that was 12 inches round. The 12 inch griddle we used in the video, was made by Ameriware Professional Cookware and is safe to use with metal utensils.

  3. Amal
    November 22, 2011 | 7:45 pm

    Salaam,

    I’ve been using a recipe very similar to Recipe C minus the corn flour and the baking powder for the past two years. My laxoox turns out ok for the most part, but it has this doughy top part that refuses to become crispier if that makes any sense, and I don’t live near too many Somalis who can help. Anyway, after consulting with my mother and also seeing this post, I decided to search for corn flour and only managed to get my hands on the yellow variety. I wasn’t able to find sorghum flour either, unfortunately. What combination would you suggest I try, in order to harden my canjeelo just a tadbit? I would really appreciate your advice.

    Yesterday, I tried a combination of 2 cups of white flour, 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour, 4 tablespoons of yellow corn flour, and about 3 cups of water, some instant yeast, salt and sugar. I didn’t notice that great of a difference with my canjeelo this morning, except that it had more indho, which I assume has to do with me fermenting it longer rather than the flours used, right? The few Somalis living nearby who I’ve invited over for food say my canjeelo is great, but I still feel it needs more work.

    Sorry for all the questions, I never took the opportunity to learn proper Somali cuisine while I lived at home, and now that I’m far from home, my only way to learn is consulting my mother over the phone, and also this website (YAY!) :)

    • A&L
      November 22, 2011 | 11:40 pm

      It is the corn flour or corn meal that prevents the anjero from becoming sticky at the top. Can you get the flour used for making tortillas (masa flour, masa harina)? Masa flour is made from corn (maize). Can you get millet flour? It can also be substituted for the corn flour. White and whole wheat flour make the anjero sticky, which is why you need to add corn flour or corn meal or sorghum flour or millet flour. If there are any ethnic stores in your area, you might get any one of those flours there.

      The baking powder helps create more bubbles hence more ‘eyes’ (indho). If you are not fermenting the batter for a long period of time and want to get more bubbles, add baking powder.

      We like when you said, “…(they) say my canjeelo is great, but I still feel it needs more work.” We believe that you will make a great cook!

      Keep the questions coming and we will try our best to answer them.

      • Amal
        November 24, 2011 | 1:42 pm

        I am definitely able to find millet flour, and I’ll look for the masa flour too, I might have seen that at the store and bypassed it. Should I be adding just a few tablespoons of these, or 1-2 cups (and lessening the other flours)?

        I will also try out the baking powder when I don’t have time to ferment, that’s an awesome tip. Thank you so much! and insha’Allaah I’ll become a great cook someday :)

        • A&L
          November 25, 2011 | 9:54 am

          We haven’t yet used millet but we are planning to do so in a couple of days. We are thinking 2 1/2 cups white flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup millet flour. We will let you know how it turns out.

  4. luul
    December 16, 2011 | 10:50 am

    asalaamu caleykum maashaa allaah allaahhadiin abarakeeyo walaal waxaan idiinka codsanayaa kac kac

    • A&L
      December 16, 2011 | 9:04 pm

      Wacalaykum assalaam. Waad ku mahadsantahay codsiga aad naga codsatay. Hadduu Ilaahay yiraahdo waan soo gelin doonnaa.

  5. sam
    December 21, 2011 | 10:20 pm

    thank you guys for the post, i didnt had canjero for 8yrs for the simple reason that i didnt know how to make one. u bet i will be eating canjero tomorrow thanks again keep it up

    • A&L
      December 22, 2011 | 1:15 am

      We love Anjero. If you follow the steps it’s quite easy. It’s no longer intimidating. Enjoy!

  6. Adriana
    December 22, 2011 | 4:43 pm

    Salaam!
    Thank you Leila and Abdullahi for this fascinating post. Anjeero looks so delicious and I am eager to try it. I managed to find white corn meal and sorghum flour today and just need to ask 2 things:
    * when you let the starter/batter rest, do you leave it covered or uncovered? (same question for the rice cake)
    * while the anjeero cooks, do you cover the pan? I noticed in the video the pan is left uncovered, but in the picture the lid is on.
    Thank you and have a great day:)

    • A&L
      December 22, 2011 | 5:17 pm

      Peace to you!
      1- You don’t need to cover the starter, but it is better to cover the batter both for the anjero and rice cake. Thank you very much for pointing this out and we will add that information to the post.
      2- Most Somalis strongly believe that the anjero should be covered while it is cooking. We tried it both ways and found no difference in the anjero itself. However, covering the anjero traps the steam and it reduces the cooking time for the anjero. This is helpful if you are making a lot of anjero.

      • Adriana
        December 22, 2011 | 9:45 pm

        Thank you so much, I’ll make it soon and let you know how it came out:)

        • Adriana
          December 23, 2011 | 12:43 pm

          Hello again. I have another question. The cup and tablespoon measurements that you use, could you tell me how many millilitres they hold? I use a 250 ml cup and a regular spoon, I just want to be sure I get the amounts right. Thank you.

          • A&L
            December 23, 2011 | 2:57 pm

            The cup we use is 237 ml and the tablespoon is 15 ml. Yes, we need a measurements and conversion page. Thanks for the question.

  7. Adriana
    December 29, 2011 | 3:39 pm

    WOOOOOW!!! I finally made the recipe today and having watched the video 3 times made it all so easy:) I had 24 gorgeous Anjeero that smelled divine and everyone loved them. They ate them with jam, I had them both with jam and chickpea curry. Delicious to the last bite! They are quite similar to the Moroccan Baghrir which I had made before. I really enjoyed the Anjeero music and making the swirls, which is quite easy after a couple of attempts:) Thank you soooo much for sharing such amazing recipes from your country. Now I’m after muufo:)
    Have a wonderful day!

    • A&L
      December 29, 2011 | 3:50 pm

      Thank you very for your generous comment! We’re very happy that you liked the Anjero. Unlike Ethiopian food, Somali food is not well known outside Somalia. We hope to change that and share Somali recipes with the rest of the world.

      We are working on a video for the Muufo and we will post it soon.

      • Adriana
        December 29, 2011 | 5:55 pm

        Fantastic! Then I will wait for it:) Thank you.

        • Adriana
          December 29, 2011 | 7:04 pm

          PS I also sent you an email.

  8. sara
    February 22, 2012 | 1:26 pm

    What is sorghum flour named on somali?

    • A&L
      February 22, 2012 | 1:32 pm

      Sorghum flour is called bur masagho in Somali.

  9. Fatima
    April 22, 2012 | 3:54 pm

    where can I buy burcanjeero flour to try this recipe? online store name also fine.

    thanks.

    • A&L
      April 23, 2012 | 2:56 pm

      You can get bur canjeero at Halal stores. You can also use self-raising flour or you can make your own bur canjeero as follows:

      4 cups all-purpose flour
      5 tsp baking powder
      1 tsp salt
      Sift them all together.

      Don’t hesitate to ask any questions you might have.

  10. yurub
    April 26, 2012 | 8:21 am

    walalo waxad kalo sogelisan sida losameyo, pasta lasagna..somalia waa pasta lisanyo

    • A&L
      April 26, 2012 | 8:11 pm

      Lasaanyo (lasagna) liiska ayey noogu jirtaa, waan soo gelin doonnaa insha’Allaah.

  11. xaliimasacdiya
    May 19, 2012 | 10:09 am

    aslaamu caleykum, walaalahey waan idin salaamayaa waana idiinka mahad celinayaa aniga waan ku fiicanahay laxooxda,laakiin gabadheyda oo ingiriis iga noqotay ayaan tusiyay gabadhaan soomaaliyeed oo aan dhaqankeedii ka tegin welibana dadkii soomaaliyeed uga faaiideynaysa aqoonteeda. waxaanu ku faraxsanahay in aad caruurtii soomaaliyeed dhiiri gelin u noqoteen.

    • A&L
      May 19, 2012 | 11:30 pm

      Wacalaykum Assalaam Waraxmatullaahi Wabarakaatuhu,
      Aad ayaa ugu mahadsan tahay faalladaada. Cunna kariska Soomaalida waa wax sahlan oo waqti kasta la-baran karo, waanna ku-faraxsannahay inaad ku-dhiira gelinaysid gabadhaada. Ilaahey hakuu xifdiyo.

  12. Ayan
    May 20, 2012 | 1:58 pm

    Assalamu eleykum,

    I was wondering if I can substitute corn meal for semolina? if so which combination would you advise me to use?

    • A&L
      May 20, 2012 | 2:08 pm

      Wa-Alaikum Assalam,
      Yes, you can use semolina instead of the corn flour. Use the same quantity.

  13. nuno
    May 21, 2012 | 1:59 am

    asc aad ayaan u mahad san tahay howshan wayn

    • A&L
      May 21, 2012 | 8:39 pm

      Wacalaykum Assalaam Waraxmatullaahi Wabarakaatuhu,
      Adigaa mahadda mudan walaal.

  14. Saadia
    July 21, 2012 | 6:56 pm

    Thank you, I have always wanted to know how my grandmother made this bread Alhumdullillah this year am making this for Suhur. I have made it 5 times and it keeps getting better my Brothers think am the greatest. Thank you.

    • A&L
      July 22, 2012 | 1:19 pm

      Thank you very much for sharing your experience with us. We are planning to post another recipe for anjero, God willing.

  15. Xasan Yare
    July 23, 2012 | 3:14 pm

    Walaal Su’aal ayaan Qabaa : Waxaan joogaa Finland . Waana waayey Masago. Eee wax lagu badali karo ma jiraa ???

    • A&L
      July 23, 2012 | 7:24 pm

      Canjeerada aan soo gelinnay waxay ka-kooban tahay dhoor soo’ (recipe). Waxaa ku-jira nooc aan masaggo laga samayn. Ramadaan Kariim.

  16. dingse
    July 24, 2012 | 6:05 pm

    a/s hayaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay canjeladu quruxbadanaa thanks for u hardworking

    • A&L
      July 24, 2012 | 6:45 pm

      Thank you for the comment.

  17. Bella
    August 13, 2012 | 9:19 pm

    I can’t wait to try these!! I had them in Yemen and my friend served them with olive oil and sugar as a breakfast, it was spectacular!

    I hope you don’t mind that I also linked your site to my facebook.

    Great work, I’ve been looking for a source for Somali recipes for a long long time, very happy to have found you guys.

    • A&L
      August 13, 2012 | 11:31 pm

      Thank you very much for your comment and for linking Xawaash to your facebook page. We hope that you will explore Somali cuisine. Enjoy and do share your experiences with us.

  18. J
    August 21, 2012 | 10:50 am

    Hi,

    Could you help me please? I have a question about WHITE CORN FLOUR.

    I’ve been translating it to “flour made from white corn” but I realize today it could be something different. I only know about the yellow corn flour it’s the most common we have in France.

    After some googling, I found out that “corn flour that is white” exists. It’s a flour without the yellow skin of the corn.

    Is the “white” about the type of corn or the color of the flour or both?

    • A&L
      August 21, 2012 | 10:58 pm

      The white corn flour is made from white corn, While the yellow is made from yellow corn. The white is about the type and colour of corn. In Somalia and many other parts of Africa, the white corn is more common and preferable than the yellow. Our friend used the yellow corn flour in the Eritrean Injera the result was the same. Thanks for the question.

      • J
        August 22, 2012 | 2:57 pm

        Thanks for helping me

        • A&L
          August 22, 2012 | 10:04 pm

          You are most welcome.

  19. Halima
    September 10, 2012 | 6:07 pm

    Thank you for posting this recipe! My husband has been after me to make canjeero for 6yrs now and now I can make it confidently.

    Lots of love,
    Halima.

    • A&L
      September 10, 2012 | 11:14 pm

      You are most welcome. Your husband is a gentleman. Now go make some anjero. :)

  20. Fatima
    September 17, 2012 | 9:09 am

    Asalamu Alaikum WR WB. I just wanted to say Jazak’Allah khayr for this website! Wallah I visit often and you just made cooking so much more exciting for me. You guys are awesome! :)
    Ps: I think my hubby is the most thankful to you though lol.

    Thanks again, and please DO keep em’ coming :)

    • A&L
      September 17, 2012 | 10:24 pm

      Wa’alaikum As-salam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,
      You and your husband are most welcome. We are very happy that you found Xawaash helpful. Thank you very much for your comment.

  21. GABADH
    September 24, 2012 | 10:22 pm

    Hallo Walaalo
    i live in Germany and im trying to make some canjeero.
    i followed every step of your recepy but it doesnt work for me.

    maybe after i mixed everything i should wait 8 hours and do the canjeero in the following morning?

    and what about the baking pouder, there are 2 kinds one for bakering and one for cake. which one should i use?

    • A&L
      September 24, 2012 | 11:42 pm

      If you followed the recipe closely, then you need to test the yeast, maybe it is not active any more. Mix 2 tsp yeast, 1 tsp sugar in a half cup warm water until disolved. After ten minutes, if it rises and the mixture is foamy, the yeast is active. We used baking powder in the recipe. The other one is baking soda. Do not use it for the anjero. Let us know if you still have problems.

  22. Ifraax
    September 30, 2012 | 4:18 am

    Asc wr wb. Waxaan sameeyey canjeeradiina(tan videoga kujirta) hadda kahor anigoon arag kuwa hoose (B& C recipe)Sidiina ookale iimanoqon. Meesha aan joogo waa Norway, oo lagamahelo self raising flour or anjeero flour, waxaan markaas isticmaalay all purpose flour. Hadda anigoo commentiga akhrinaaya ayaan arkay inaad ku qorteen sida loo sameysan karo anjeero fluor, marka hadda ayaan sameynayaa marlabaad inshaAllah. waana soo qori doonaa sida ay noqoto.

    • A&L
      September 30, 2012 | 7:31 pm

      Wacalaykum Assalaam Waraxmatullaahi Wabarakaatuh,
      Waxaan rajaynaynaa inay kuu hagaagto insha’Allaah. Waa ku-mahadsan tahay faallada.

      • Ifraax
        October 10, 2012 | 5:43 am

        Maanta ayaan sameeyey waxayna ii noqotay sidiina ookale, weligeey masameyn canjeero sidaas umacaan una qurxoon. Mahadsanidiin.

        • A&L
          October 10, 2012 | 9:05 pm

          Waan ku-faraxsan nahay inay kuu hagaagtay iyo inaad u-bogtay. Waa ku-mahadsan tahay inaad nala socodsiisay.

  23. Susu
    October 6, 2012 | 9:16 pm

    Salaam alaikum,

    We have tried this recipe for laxoox and it came out just like yours. However a few would have liked it to be more sour so we took on your advice to leave it in the fridge overnight. We did but not only. Was there no sour taste but also si fiican waan u dubikarieeynay..it just wouldn’t brown like the first time. Can you help?

    • A&L
      October 7, 2012 | 1:28 am

      Wa’alaikum As-salam Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh,
      We think you have refrigerated the batter before it fermented. You have to let the batter ferment overnight on the countertop. Refrigerating the batter is meant to keep the batter for a longer time. That is the reason you did not get the sour taste, and the laxoox will not turn out right. Thank you for the question and do let us know if that solves the problem for you.

  24. Nuuh awad
    December 16, 2012 | 2:00 am

    Mashala wapsitekan awal ma,aqoon. waxan akhrisanjiray kuwo inglisha lakin hada kadib waxan akhrisan wapsite kan. Idinkana waxan idinka codsanayaa,inaad nagayaraysan Englishka.

    • A&L
      December 17, 2012 | 8:42 pm

      Waan ku faraxsan nahay inaad jeclaatay goobta Xawaash. Waxaan ku soo darnay qaybo af Ingiriis, af Soomaali, iyo Faransiis, hadduu Ilaahay yiraahdo af Carabina waan ku soo dari doonnaa. Qof walba luqadda uu jecelyahay ayuu ku fiirsan karaa. Hadduu Eebbe idmo waxaan ku dadaalaynaa bog walba inaan af Soomaali u yeelno. Mahadsanid walaal.

  25. Nada
    January 11, 2013 | 4:14 pm

    Do you have to leave it for 2 hours? And also would you use a blender for cake to mix anjeo as an option too?

    • A&L
      January 11, 2013 | 10:56 pm

      You have to leave it to ferment and you can use a blender if you like.

  26. Ngina
    January 20, 2013 | 11:21 am

    I made these today. Delish! Had the batter ferment overnight and it wasn’t too sour.

    Thank you so much for this. Took me back to when i was growing up in Eastleigh and we would borrow the starter from our Somali neighbours.

    Your blog is my go-to recipe station. God bless you and keep up the good work.

    • A&L
      January 20, 2013 | 9:11 pm

      We are extremely delighted that the recipe brought back good memories. We are also happy it worked well for you. Do share some of the batter with your neighbours. :) Thank you very much for sharing your experience with us. We wish you all the best.

  27. faduma
    January 21, 2013 | 2:18 pm

    asc thanks alot walaalo waxaan rabay in aan ku weydiiyo white corn meal iyo white maize meal is kumid miyaa? or can i use white maize meal in aan kusameeyo soor?

    • A&L
      January 21, 2013 | 3:52 pm

      Wacalaykum Assalaam Waraxmatullaahi Wabarakaatuh.
      Waa isku mid. Soor waa ka dhigan kartaa. Mahadsanid.

  28. joyce ngeru
    January 29, 2013 | 10:48 am

    waooh…ive been seeking to know how to make injero after eating it in a resturant in eastleigh.am happy i can make some in the house.i was making trips to eastleigh to have it.keep up the good work!.

    • A&L
      January 30, 2013 | 12:30 am

      Thank you very much for your nice comment. We are happy that you found what you were looking for in our website. We hope you will try other recipes also. We are very glad to have you on board. Thank you.

  29. NN
    February 5, 2013 | 2:21 am

    I have most of the ingredients of recipe C but don’t currently have all-pupose flou would white corn flour and whole wheat flour do and what would be the new ratio for the ingredients. Also what about all-purpose
    flour with whol what what would be he new ratio of ingredients be?

    srry to be difficult but I really enjoy your cooking and am visiting in a foreign country (not so good with the language barrier).

    • A&L
      February 5, 2013 | 9:17 pm

      You cannot replace all-purpose flour with corn flour or whole wheat flour. Corn flour if used too much you will end up with tough Canjeero. Whole wheat flour on the other side makes Canjeero sticky if used more than the needed amount. Thank you for your comment.

  30. Walaalo
    March 6, 2013 | 8:09 am

    Hi A&L, am planing to invite couple of friends and introduce somali food to them,was wondereing if it’s possible to make mandazi,bhajia,kaimati,anjera,a day before and put them in the cooling for next day consumption?
    THE WEBSITE IS AMAZING!!!!! and easy to follow thank you very much

    • A&L
      March 6, 2013 | 11:22 pm

      They have to be fried or cooked on the day that you have the party. To make things easier for yourself, here is what you can do:
      1- You can prepare the mixture for Mandazi two days ahead and keep it in the fridge.
      2- For the bajiya you can soak and wash the black eye peas, put them in small freezer bags and freeze them for up to two months. We always have the peas in the freezer. You can blend the mixture for the Bajiya the day before and keep it in the fridge.
      3- For the Kaimati and Anjera, you can mix 2-3 days in advance. In fact, the more they ferment the better.
      4- Involve your friends in the frying and cooking.
      We hope things will go smoothly and without stress.

      • Walaalo
        March 7, 2013 | 8:02 am

        Thank you so much for your quick reply, i find the idea of involving them in the cooking fantastic……….am having them next week insha’Allah,mubarikiwe.

  31. Ayan
    March 13, 2013 | 7:56 pm

    Asalaamu aleykum!

    Thank you so much for this recipe! I finally got around to trying it out today and it’s fermenting as we speak! I tried the first recipe but I substituted millet flour for sorghum. Do you know if there’s a difference in taste when using one over the other? I couldn’t find the sorghum flour, however I did see one called “durum ka atta”. Do you know anything about that one? Thank you very much!

    • A&L
      March 15, 2013 | 12:57 am

      Wa’alaykum Assalam Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.
      It is a matter of personal taste. Some people complain of a bitter aftertaste in sorghum. We prefere sorghum flour, but that is probably due to the fact that we are used to it. Durum Atta is flour milled from durum wheat. It is very good for chapati, but not so great for any breads that you want to rise well.

      We hope the Anjero turned out nice. Thank you very much for your comment.

  32. Nasra
    April 28, 2013 | 1:49 pm

    I want to know the recipe of the meat in the secoend picture please

    • A&L
      April 29, 2013 | 1:34 am

      God willing, we will post it.

  33. fatuma
    June 20, 2013 | 6:45 am

    Thank you for this great recipe, I would love to print this recipe and but it in my file( my children loved it so much),but there is no print icon,Are you thinking of putting one ? Are you thinking of making a book? I will be first to buy it….Thanks again for this lovely blog.

    • A&L
      June 21, 2013 | 1:44 am

      You are most welcome. God willing, we will make an icon for printing, and we hope to publish a book because of the many requests we received. Thank you very much for your comment.

  34. alice
    June 28, 2013 | 3:43 pm

    hello, i was wondering if you can provide any substitutes for the wheat/white flour so the Anjero is gluten free. thank you.

    • A&L
      June 29, 2013 | 1:28 am

      You can substitute with yellow corn flour.

  35. muni mohamud
    July 21, 2013 | 12:35 pm

    as wr wb walal waa mahadsan tihiin websetkaana waa ku xiranahay Allaham kahyr idin siiyo A&L waxan ahay arday joga istanbul marka xagee ka helaya bir canjeelada.

  36. saynab
    September 11, 2013 | 8:46 am

    aad bd u mahadsanthiin

    • A&L
      September 13, 2013 | 12:28 am

      Adigaa mahadda mudan walaal.

  37. Warsameh
    November 22, 2013 | 1:43 am

    Best Somali cookery I have seen. slick, glossy and informative.Excellent work! Keep up the good work!

    • A&L
      November 22, 2013 | 9:15 pm

      Thank you so much for your kind comment and encouraging words.

  38. [...] A spongy flatbread made with raising yeast flour. It’s similar to the Ethiopian injera.Get the recipe. [...]

  39. 24 Pancakes From Around The World - zdouf!
    February 16, 2014 | 3:10 am

    [...] Somalia: Anjero xawaash.com [...]

  40. [...] xawaash.com [...]

  41. Deb
    April 11, 2014 | 10:12 pm

    Thank you for your wonderful Somali food blog. Everything looks amazing and your instructive videos are easy to follow. Very helpful for someone like me who has no prior knowledge of Somali cuisine.

    I’m very interested in the street vendor’s cry with which you’ve started this post. I’m wondering if there’s a line missing from the Somali section as the number of lines don’t match the English. Or am I misunderstanding, maybe two lines of English are in the one line of Somali.

    Thank you again.
    Deb

  42. rasha.
    May 10, 2014 | 1:25 am

    ASC it really looked fantasic bt what if i cant get thedry yeast in my area?And can u cover the anjera when cooking or?

    • A&L
      May 13, 2014 | 12:39 am

      You can use fresh yeast. Yes, you can cover it.

  43. Cyn
    December 14, 2014 | 11:41 am

    Hello Leila & Abdullahi!

    I’m a regular, white westerner who married a Somali many years ago. My husband has been talking about Anjeero ever since he left Africa as a child. Loving him to pieces, i’ve spent the last seven years (yes 7!) trying to figure out how to make it like back home – asking questions, researching, experimenting over and over again – but he would always say the same thing: it’s just not the same. I came across your blog last summer, and tried this recipe. He said : it’s closer, but still not the same. So, armed with what I learned here – corn flour, sorghum flour, yeast, sesame oil – I kept working on it. And this summer, I finally got it right! Now we eat Anjeero every Sunday morning and we look forward to it all week. The difference? I grew my own sourdough starter. I couldn’t have gotten there without this blog, and it truly has brought much joy into our lives – for that we can’t thank you enough. If you’re interested, I can let you know what i’ve done. It’s a long process, of course, but i think it’s pretty foolproof. And the flavour is just sublime.

    • A&L
      December 17, 2014 | 10:48 am

      Thank you very much for taking the time to comment. It is amazing what you can accomplish if you stay determined. We would love if you share your sourdough recipe with us and our viewers. We wish you all the best.

      • Cyn
        January 4, 2015 | 2:17 pm

        This is a long recipe, which can take a week of preparation before getting to actually making the Anjeero. It’s therefore probably most suited for the most die-hard Anjeero fans, or for those who already have a healthy sourdough starter and can skip right to the end. The sourdough starter recipe is from “the pineapple juice solution”, found on a blog by Debra Wink.

        Building/creating the starter
        Day 1: mix:
        2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
        2 tablespoons pineapple juice
        Day 2: add:
        2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
        2 tablespoons pineapple juice
        Day 3: add:
        2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
        2 tablespoons pineapple juice
        Day 4: (and once daily until it starts to expand and smell yeasty), mix:
        2 oz. of the starter (1/4 cup after stirring down-discard the rest)
        1 oz. White flour (scant 1/4 cup)
        1 oz. water (2 tablespoons)

        On average, yeast begin to grow on day 3 or 4 in the warmer months, but results vary by circumstance. Feed once a day, taking care not to leave mold-promoting residue clinging to the sides or lid of your bowl or container. Once you have yeast growing (but not before), you should gradually step up the feeding to two times a day, and give it bigger refreshments (see maintaining a starter, below).

        Maintaining a Starter
        Once yeast is growing, the starter must be fed at least twice a day if it is left at room temperature. To feed, combine the following: 1/4 cup of starter (the rest can be used to make Anjeero or discarded), add 4.5 Tbsps of water and about 1/2 cup of flour. Store starter in a container that is not airtight.

        Maintaining your starter in the refrigerator
        Once you have a healthy starter, it can be refrigerated and fed once a week. To do so, following these instructions:
        Take the starter out of the fridge. Measure out 1/4 cup of the starter, add 4.5 tablespoons of lukewarm water and 1/2 cup of white flour. Allow the starter to rest at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, then refrigerate.

        Making the Anjeero batter (feeds approx. 3 people)
        -Combine the unused starter from the last feeding (approximately 1/2 cup) with:
        -3/4 cup of whole wheat flour
        -3/4 cup of Sorghum (or corn) flour
        -Approximately 1 1/4 cups of water (adding water incrementally – you can add more water if batter is too thick)
        1. Mix ingredients by hand or using an immersion blender, until few lumps remain.
        2. Let stand overnight at room temperature and lightly covered (somewhere between 8-16 hours)

        Cooking the Anjeero
        1. Lightly brush the bottom of a non-stick pan with sesame oil (I rub it with a paper towel lightly soaked in oil)
        2. Warm the pan on medium-heat
        3. Given the Anjeero batter a few good stirs.
        4. Using a ladle, add some Anjeero batter to the bottom of the pan, and swirl around the pan, using the bottom of the ladle, in the classic Anjeero style.
        5. Cook until the top has cooked through, and the side begin to unstick from the pan. Remove from pan and on to a plate.
        6. Rub a teaspoonful of sesame oil on the top of each Anjeero, then sprinkle with a teaspoonful of sugar.

        Additional tips:
        -I live in Toronto and have been unsuccessful in trying to initially grow the starter in the winter. You will have success if you begin growing it in warmer months. Once you have the starter growing, the outside weather is irrelevant to maintaining it.
        -Make sure to use a pan that is not used to cook with strong flavours, as these flavours will transfer to the Anjeero. I use a pan that is only used to cook the Anjeero.
        -The is no need to use “bur canjeero” (or self-rising flour), as the sourdough yeast naturally creates many, many holes or “eyes”.
        -I keep my starter in the fridge, feed it once a week, and use the discard to make my Anjeero.
        -In trying to explain Anjeero to me, my husband always said “the first one is never good!”. Sure enough, when following this receipe, the batter tends to stick to the pan with the first one. Cook it anyway, but don’t get discouraged, the second one should work well.
        -We think the best flour combination is 50% whole wheat flour and 50% Sorghum flour. Not only does it taste delicious, but it is very sustaining – we are still full many, many hours later.
        -Since Sorghum flour is now popular in gluten free baking, it is easier to find than it used to be. I have been able to find it is most health-food stores and in some grocery stores.
        -If you are unable to find Sorghum flour (or have run out) it can be replaced with corn flour, which also gives a good result.
        -Use untoasted sesame oil, if you can find it. It has a strange texture if you taste it as is, but works well with the Anjeero and is apparently healthy. If you are unable to find any, a light oil (such as canola, sunflower or safflower) will work as well.

  44. Cathy
    January 1, 2015 | 3:42 pm

    Bonjour,
    C’est fantastique ce que vous faites, ça me rappelle le petit déjeuner de mon enfance à Djibouti. Nous l’appellons “lahoh” cette merveilleuse galette.

  45. Cathy
    January 1, 2015 | 3:49 pm

    Bonne et heureuse nouvelle année. Meilleurs Vœux !

  46. shamso
    February 2, 2015 | 6:58 pm

    Asc layla & Abdullahi

    1) I wanted to find out how you add the left over batter with the new mix of batter? Do I reduce something from the mix or add on top of the new mix?

    2) How do you make cajiin and how do u add it to the batter? Does that change the recipe?

    I would very much appreciate your answer. I just want to learn different ways of making canjeera.

    By the way, I love all your recipes, they never fail me!

    Thank you

  47. Pretty Perfect Pancake
    February 17, 2015 | 2:39 pm

    [...] the okonomiyaki of Japan to the anjero of Somalia to the cachapas of Venezuela and Columbia; many cultures near and far have some version [...]

  48. Fayrus Duale
    May 12, 2015 | 10:18 pm

    I wanted to know if you have recipe for canjeelo for people who need to avoid gluten. Thank you

  49. [...] A spongy flatbread made with raising yeast flour. It’s similar to the Ethiopian injera. Get the recipe. [...]

  50. Injera - Immaculate Bites
    October 15, 2015 | 8:29 am

    [...] adapted this Injera  from this lovely couple here, they share Amazing Somalia recipes- do check them out if you want to learn how to make  more [...]

  51. Baked Ajeero & Dallac Bilash
    October 22, 2015 | 9:25 am

    [...] For an authentic Anjeero recipe visit http://www.xawaash.com [...]

  52. Samira
    May 26, 2016 | 8:34 pm

    Asalaamu Alaykum,

    Thank you for this recipe and so many others. I am married to a Somali and it’s helped me make so many of his favourite dishes. Do you know if there is a gluten free replacement for the self-rising flour. Canjeero used to be my husbands favourite but he can no longer have gluten. What would the quantities/ratios of the flours be if there is a replacement?

    Jazakallah Khair!

  53. [...] View this image › xawaash.com [...]

  54. Kourtney
    April 19, 2017 | 10:01 am

    Hello and thank you for this wonderful recipe, thank you for making this my kids will be happy today when they come home from school and smell this wonderful bread. Can you please tell me the name of the dish above the stew picture. It’s sliced meat with green specks on top. It’s looks very good I would like to make it but I didn’t know the name of the dish.

  55. Saga
    September 13, 2017 | 2:25 pm

    Salam wa alaikum,

    I tried receipe B and it’s very sticky on the top like mushy. How can I stop that and can I add more corn flour to the same batter?

    Really appreciate your response.

  56. [...] staple of Somali breakfast is Lahoh, a variant of the Ethiopian Injera (our version is thinner and not as [...]

  57. Amber
    July 4, 2018 | 9:27 am

    I love your foodblog and your YouTube channel, it’s amazing! In 2013 I was touched by the Somali culture, cuisine and kind people. I am glad I found this website so I can learn more about your cuisine and make more amazing recipes.

    Love from the Netherlands :) )

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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.