This cool, refreshing salad says summer to us but it is great all year round. The refreshing feeling comes from the moisture-laden cucumbers and tomatoes, and the mild onion flavour from the green onions. The salad also has a wonderful texture with different levels of crunchiness ranging from the slight resistance offered by the… Continue reading Refreshing Salad (Insalaaddo) Salade Rafraîchissante سلطة منعشة
Tag: recipe
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
Plain Goat Stew (Hilib Ari oo Cad) Ragoût de chèvre simple
There are days when you want to avoid spicy dishes or tomato-based stews, and you want just a simple and flavourful dish. This dish is perfect for those days. In Brava, Somalia, this is what is normally served with grits for the midday meal. It is accompanied by yoghurt or buttermilk, maankale (a type… Continue reading Plain Goat Stew (Hilib Ari oo Cad) Ragoût de chèvre simple
One-Pot Pasta & Beef Ribs (Makarooni Isku-Karis) Poêlée de pâtes et côtes de boeuf
One of the things we miss about Somalia is the way the whole family used to eat the midday meal together. In Mogadishu, civil servants used to finish work at 2:00 pm, which was also the end of the school day. By 3:00 pm, the hustle and bustle of city life would wind down and… Continue reading One-Pot Pasta & Beef Ribs (Makarooni Isku-Karis) Poêlée de pâtes et côtes de boeuf
Potato & Cumin Rice (Bariis iyo Bataato) (Pilau) Pilaf de Riz aux Pommes de Terre et au Cumin
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… Continue reading Potato & Cumin Rice (Bariis iyo Bataato) (Pilau) Pilaf de Riz aux Pommes de Terre et au Cumin
Chicken Steak (Bisteeki Digaag) Steak de Poulet
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… Continue reading Chicken Steak (Bisteeki Digaag) Steak de Poulet
Mixed Vegetables (Qudaar) Légumes mélangés
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… Continue reading Mixed Vegetables (Qudaar) Légumes mélangés
Somali Champagne -Simulated Camel Milk (Caano Geel) Champagne Somali
The Horn of Africa boasts the largest number of camels in the world. Camels have been domesticated in Somalia for more than 2000 years. In an article in Aramco World, the Somali camel has been described as follows: “The Somali camels seem by far the most regal, and they are the most expensive. Looking… Continue reading Somali Champagne -Simulated Camel Milk (Caano Geel) Champagne Somali