If there is a food that represents Somalia, it is Cad iyo Caano. It is the closest thing to a national dish. Cad iyo Caano is Somali for “A Chunk of Meat and Camel Milk,” or simply “Meat and Milk.” You can argue that some regions of Somalia have their own representative dishes, but the… Continue reading Grilled Boneless Lamb Shoulder (Cad iyo Caano) Épaule d’Agneau Désossée Grillée
Tag: Somali
Crunchy Dough Balls (Daango Bur Laga Sameeyay) Billes Croustillantes (Zibuuri)
You wake up one morning feeling alone, blue, and bored. What do you do? First, go to the kitchen and make a large lump of dough. Next, find yourself a quiet, cozy corner and start making tiny little balls with your fingers, all the while repeating, “Loves me, loves me not. Loves me, loves… Continue reading Crunchy Dough Balls (Daango Bur Laga Sameeyay) Billes Croustillantes (Zibuuri)
Mahamri (Qamdi) Pain Frit Sucré الباخمري
This triangular Sweet Fried Bread, known as Qamdi in Somalia, is similar to a doughnut but is less sweet. In cities across Somalia, qamdi as well as bur (Fry Dough) are common fare served in food stalls in marketplaces, in eateries spread along main thoroughfares, and is sold by street vendors. Qamdi originated in… Continue reading Mahamri (Qamdi) Pain Frit Sucré الباخمري
Grits with Beef Stew (Soor iyo Maraq) Gruau au Pot-au-Feu de Boeuf
This is the ultimate comfort food. Forget about those fancy mancy foods that make you looking for something to eat not long after your meal. This is both filling and fulfilling. Nothing triggers memories like this dish. Make sure you’re happy when you first eat this, because those memories will stay with you for a… Continue reading Grits with Beef Stew (Soor iyo Maraq) Gruau au Pot-au-Feu de Boeuf
Sweet Potatoes (Bataato Macaan) Patates Douces
If you are going to have a dessert that has butter and sugar, you might as well have this dessert. At least the other half of the dessert (the sweet potato) is nutritious. Sweet potatoes pack more nutrition than most other vegetables. They are high in fibre, protein, and complex carbohydrates. They are also delicious… Continue reading Sweet Potatoes (Bataato Macaan) Patates Douces
Samosas (Sambuus)
It’s crispy, beefy, spicy, and moreish. That is the description of the Somali samosa. We have yet to come across someone who didn’t fall in love with it at first bite. Somalis love their samosas and it is the cornerstone of the asariye (Somali afternoon tea). It is usually served with qamdi or bur, bajiyo, and… Continue reading Samosas (Sambuus)
Papaya (Babbaay) Papaye
Some people eat a papaya because of its health benefits: for aiding digestion, for balancing stomach acid, for helping prevent colon cancer, and for being a good laxative. We love eating papayas because they are delicious. If anything can embody the tropics, it is a papaya! Feast your eyes with this beautiful fruit and don’t… Continue reading Papaya (Babbaay) Papaye
Bajiya (Bajiyo)
Ahh! Bajiya! We just love them. How can you not? Eat them fresh and you will become addicted. Bajiyas, are a regular fixture on iftar tables (breaking the fast in Ramadan), they are part of the Asariyo Quartet (one of the four essential elements of the Somali Afternoon Tea), and they are the ultimate… Continue reading Bajiya (Bajiyo)
Somali Style Lamb Liver, Heart, & Kidneys (Beer iyo Kilyo La Solay)
It’s not uncommon for a Somali to start a letter as follows: Waxaan kuusoo diraayaa salaan kasoo go’day beerka iyo wadnaha. Literal translation: I am sending you greetings that have emanated from my liver and heart! Actual translation: Greetings from the depths of my heart. For Somalis, it’s not just the heart that flutters… Continue reading Somali Style Lamb Liver, Heart, & Kidneys (Beer iyo Kilyo La Solay)
Fried Shark with Caramelized Onions (Malaay La Shiilay) Mpaampa
Nowadays, sharks are under tremendous threat from commercial over-fishing and the cruel practice of harvesting their prized fins (shark finning). With shark finning, the shark is discarded after its dorsal fin is cut off and it is left to die. These practices have to be stopped, but it has to be done in a sensible… Continue reading Fried Shark with Caramelized Onions (Malaay La Shiilay) Mpaampa