English Af-Soomaali Français عربي Uncle Mursal Mohamed Abdulle just came back from Russia when he called me, my brother and a young uncle to the kitchen. I had just turned 12 and my brother was 13. He announced, “Today I will teach you how to cook been dallac.” Been dallac is a very basic tomato… Continue reading 2 Tomato Sauces (2 Dallac Bilaash) 2 Sauces Tomate نوعين من صلصة الطماطم
Tag: maraq
Zurbian (Surbiyaan) زربيان
English Af-Soomaali Français عربي Zurbian or zurbiyan is a type of Biryani that is popular in Yemen, other parts of the Arabian Peninsula as well as parts of Somalia. We believe the Arabic name زربيان (zurbiyan) was derived from رز برياني (ruz biryani) where the first two letters were reversed. Zurbian which is a variant… Continue reading Zurbian (Surbiyaan) زربيان
Okra & Green Bean Stew (Maraq Baamiye & Digir) Ragoût d’Okras et de Haricots Verts مرق بامية وفاصوليا خضراء
English Af-Soomaali Français عربي Okra & Green Bean Stew www.xawaash.com This one of the recipes we turn to when we want to keep our meat consumption in check. That is very difficult to do when you are friends with a butcher who supplies you with the freshest meat. Even when not shopping for meat, the… Continue reading Okra & Green Bean Stew (Maraq Baamiye & Digir) Ragoût d’Okras et de Haricots Verts مرق بامية وفاصوليا خضراء
Chicken Recipe: Soup (Barooddo Digaag) Soupe de Poulet شوربة الدجاج
English Af-Soomaali Français عربي Chicken Soup www.xawaash.com Of the many soups that we prepare, this is by far the most popular among our guests. When we prepared the soup for this post, we had family come over to visit that day. We served them the soup but our nephew declined, saying that he did not… Continue reading Chicken Recipe: Soup (Barooddo Digaag) Soupe de Poulet شوربة الدجاج
Vegetable Stew (Maraq Qudaar) Légumes Mijotés مرق الخضار
English Af-Somaali Français We mentioned in previous posts how Somalis, in general, liked to eat red meat. From sea to shining sea (the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean), Somalis prefer to have meat included in their main meal of the day. That, however, was not always realized. In many places, the main meal was… Continue reading Vegetable Stew (Maraq Qudaar) Légumes Mijotés مرق الخضار
Somali Plantain Stew (Maraq Moos Bukiini) Ragoût de Plantains à la Somali مرقة بموز الجنة
If you have never had a plantain, it tastes pretty much like a potato when a raw or semi-ripe plantain is cooked. We prepared this stew for some guests and they all thought they were eating potatoes. Plantains are a staple food in southern Somalia and are added to both savoury and sweet dishes.… Continue reading Somali Plantain Stew (Maraq Moos Bukiini) Ragoût de Plantains à la Somali مرقة بموز الجنة
Yogurt Coconut Chicken (Digaag Qumbe) Poulet Coco au Yaourt دجاج بالزبادي والنارجيل
East African curries are influenced by Indian as well as Middle Eastern cuisines, so any similarities are not coincidental. This curry contains coconut milk which features prominently in Swahili cooking and it is one of the ingredients that makes the food really delicious. This recipe is a family favourite and is one of the… Continue reading Yogurt Coconut Chicken (Digaag Qumbe) Poulet Coco au Yaourt دجاج بالزبادي والنارجيل
Eritrean Injera & Zigni (Canjeero iyo Signi) Injera d’Erytrée et Zigni زقني وإنجيرا أرترية
English Af-Soomaali Français عربي Eritrean Injera & Zigni www.xawaash.com Many stories can be told through food. Food transcends borders and it can connect us and become a means of creating goodwill between people. From the beginning, our objective was to reach out to our neighbours and to understand them through their culture. This meal was… Continue reading Eritrean Injera & Zigni (Canjeero iyo Signi) Injera d’Erytrée et Zigni زقني وإنجيرا أرترية
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
Chicken Stew (Maraq Digaag) Poulet Mijoté
This is a simple chicken stew that goes well with the Somali Chapati (Sabaayad), the Potato & Cumin Rice (Pilau), or Maanda (Muufo). It’s a typical Somali stew flavoured with Xawaash (Somali spice mix). Growing up in Somalia, the chicken we had there were all free range. The meat was tougher and required a much… Continue reading Chicken Stew (Maraq Digaag) Poulet Mijoté