Tag Archive: Somali Food

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…

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…

Liver & Onions (Beer iyo Basal) Foie aux Oignons

Liver & Onions (Beer iyo Basal)

With all the health scares, liver has gotten a bad rap lately. There is a lot of misinformation floating around about the dangers of eating liver. Apart from being a superfood, liver prepared the right way is very delicious. When it comes to liver, it is good to follow these guidelines: a) buy fresh liver,…

Beef Cubes with Vegetables (Suqaar) Cubes de Boeuf aux Légumes

Beef Cubes with Vegetables (Suqaar)

The Somali name for this dish is Hilib Suqaar Ah or just Suqaar for short. The word suqaar comes from the Arabic word (صغار) which means “small ones.” The small ones referred to here are of course the very small cubes of beef. There is also chicken suqaar. If you order suqaar in a Somali…

Lamb Soup for the Soul (Fuud Ari) Bouillon d’Agneau pour l’âme

Somali Lamb Soup (Fuud Ari)

If you go to a Somali restaurant, you’ll probably be welcomed with a small bowl of hot broth. Sometimes it is chicken broth but more often than not it is lamb broth. It won’t be the cheese-laden, cream-filled variety; the traditional Somali soup is simple and very aromatic. Somalis usually don’t prepare this soup as…

Grilled Boneless Lamb Shoulder (Cad iyo Caano) Épaule d’Agneau Désossée Grillée

Grilled Boneless Lamb Shoulder (Cad iyo Caano)

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…

Crunchy Dough Balls (Daango Bur Laga Sameeyay) Billes Croustillantes (Zibuuri)

Crunchy Dough Balls (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…

Somali Anjero (Canjeero) Anjero Somali

Somali Anjero (Canjeero)

  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…

Papaya (Babbaay) Papaye

Papaya

  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…

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.