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. In Brava, Somalia, they are known as zinanaande or zinanoonde. … Continue reading Kalkals (Shushumoow – Zinanaande) Kalkal كلكل
Tag: East Africa
Oat & Meat Soup (Shurbad) Soupe à l’Avoine et à la Viande شوربة الشوفان باللحم
There are foods we associate with certain occasions, and this soup is one such dish. Shurbad is synonymous with Ramadan (the month of fasting for Muslims). For breaking the fast, you need a highly nutritious dish that will catapult you from the world of the barely living to the heights of energetic vigour (assuming you… Continue reading Oat & Meat Soup (Shurbad) Soupe à l’Avoine et à la Viande شوربة الشوفان باللحم
Beef Samosas (Sambuus) سمبوسه
In the early seventies, an informal survey was conducted in some of Mogadishu’s teashops. The question was: “According to you, what is the most enjoyable thing in the world?” The top answer was: “To sit outside a teashop where the sand has been sprayed with water (i.e. no blowing sand), with a cup of tea… Continue reading Beef Samosas (Sambuus) سمبوسه
Samosa Pastry (Burka Sambuuska) Pâte à Samosa عجينة السمبوسه
Unless you are hard pressed for time, making samosa pastry from scratch is well worth the effort and time. Homemade samosa pastry tastes much better than any store bought variety. Apart from the taste, you have full control over the texture of the pastry, the oil and salt content, and the type of flour. In… Continue reading Samosa Pastry (Burka Sambuuska) Pâte à Samosa عجينة السمبوسه
Coconut Burfi (Qumbe – Zinoolo za Naazi) Burfi à la Noix de Coco حلاوة النارجيل
These coconut sweets are a cross between milk fudge (Peera or Caana Baraawe in Somali) and the White Coconut Sweets (Qumbe Cad). They were one of our favourite sweets in Brava, Somalia. Making these sweets used to be time-consuming since it required that milk be reduced significantly. We remember the very long time spent standing and stirring… Continue reading Coconut Burfi (Qumbe – Zinoolo za Naazi) Burfi à la Noix de Coco حلاوة النارجيل
Sorghum Porridge (Mishaari Masaggo) Porridge au Sorgho شوربة السورغم
Sorghum porridge is one of those traditional dishes that are very popular in many parts of Somalia. With the addition of buttermilk, sugar, and ghee, it is considered a very nutritious meal. That is why it is one of the essential Ramadan dishes for iftar (breaking the fast). Porridge (mishaari), whether made from wheat… Continue reading Sorghum Porridge (Mishaari Masaggo) Porridge au Sorgho شوربة السورغم
Somali Biscuits (Buskud) Biscuits Somalis بسكويت
Somali Biscuits with Halwa (Buskud iyo Xalwo) بسكويت مع الحلوة الصومالية These biscuits (cookies) take us back to Somalia, and in particular to childhood in Brava. Mornings start very early and almost everyone would wake up to a cup of coffee (kahawa in Bravanese; qaxwo in Somali). Somali coffee is not at all… Continue reading Somali Biscuits (Buskud) Biscuits Somalis بسكويت
Veggie Topping (Qudaar) Garniture de Légumes Sautés خضار للأرز
This is a great way of introducing vegetables into meals for those who would not eat them otherwise. It is the way that most Somalis eat their veggies. Somali restaurants almost always serve some kind of veggie topping with the rice and meat dishes. Potatoes, carrots, and sweet peppers are a favourite choice. We… Continue reading Veggie Topping (Qudaar) Garniture de Légumes Sautés خضار للأرز
Aromatic Rice (Bariis Udgoon) Riz Parfumé الأرز البسمتي بالبهارات
This rice dish is for those days when we grill, when we want a rice dish that is both easy and quick. It is recommended to soak basmati rice for at least an hour, so the grains will become elongated during cooking. However, for this dish we usually skip this step or let the… Continue reading Aromatic Rice (Bariis Udgoon) Riz Parfumé الأرز البسمتي بالبهارات
Beef Kebabs (Hilib La Solay) Brochettes de Boeuf فيليه البقر المشوي
This has been the seventh weekend in a row that we had guests over for lunch. No, we are not complaining, but just stating it as a fact. Actually, we got to see many friends and family members that we have not seen for years and we enjoyed their company. Whenever we have guests… Continue reading Beef Kebabs (Hilib La Solay) Brochettes de Boeuf فيليه البقر المشوي