Tag: Somalia

Somali Halwa (Xalwo) Halwa Somali

Somali Halwa (Xalwo) Halwa Somali

  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 [Click for Full Recipe]

One-pot Rice & Goat Meat (Bariis Isku-karis) Potée de Riz à la Viande de Chèvre

One-pot Rice & Goat Meat (Bariis Isku-karis) Potée de Riz à la Viande de Chèvre

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 [Click for Full Recipe]

Mixed Vegetables (Qudaar) Légumes mélangés

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 [Click for Full Recipe]

Thin-sliced Beef Steak (Bisteeki Hilib) Steak de Boeuf tranché très fin

Thin-sliced Beef Steak (Bisteeki Hilib) Steak de Boeuf tranché très fin

The Japanese sukiyaki beef has a lot of history, but this sukiyaki-cut beef steak has a simple story. When you can’t afford expensive cuts of beef and you can’t be without steak, what is the solution? Well, you take a cheap cut of ungraded beef [Click for Full Recipe]

Somali Pasta Sauce (Suugo Suqaar) Sauce Somali pour les pâtes

Somali Pasta Sauce (Suugo Suqaar) Sauce Somali pour les pâtes

The traditional Somali Pasta Sauce is prepared with beef cut into very small cubes instead of ground beef. There were two main reasons for this. First and foremost, it was because of home economics. When the family members are served pasta with a meat sauce [Click for Full Recipe]

Liver & Onions (Beer iyo Basal) Foie aux Oignons

Liver & Onions (Beer iyo Basal) Foie aux Oignons

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 [Click for Full Recipe]

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

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

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 [Click for Full Recipe]

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

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

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 [Click for Full Recipe]

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

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

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 [Click for Full Recipe]

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

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 [Click for Full Recipe]