Caano Baraawe (lit. Bravanese milk) is what this delicacy is known as in other parts of Somalia. The Bravanese (from Brava, Somalia) know it as peera. This name with its East Asian origins, is testament to the town’s position as an important trading centre along the coast of the Western Indian Ocean. Peera, pera, peda, pedha, is a sweet from the Indian subcontinent. It is amazing that in Gujarat, they call it penda. In Bravanese, the word penda is a verb and it means “to love”, and we (hu)penda, penda this sweet.
Living in Brava, nature was not only at your doorstep, it was also by your window sill. The chicken first then the cows made sure you had a very early morning. How can you resent them when they provided the eggs for zabalyoone (zabaglione) and the milk for peera?
After milking them in the morning, one of the youngsters would herd the cows outside the town, up the hills overlooking it and they would be left there to graze all day, returning on their own by evening. Everyone, including the cows, knew what was required of them.
Preparing peera, the traditional way, was time consuming. Low heat was used to reduce the milk and it took several hours. It was stirred occasionally and no one worried about the browning that occurred. In Brava, peera had a nice caramelly colour but we have seen peera prepared elsewhere that had a very dark brown colour.
Peera was also prepared from camel milk and it had a distinctive tangy flavour. Camel milk peera was quite chewy as we remember it, and many considered it to be the best.
The most important step in preparing peera is the khpataanisha stage. Khpataanisha is the Bravanese word for vigorously stirring the peera after taking it off the heat. It is quite tiring but it makes the peera come together (thickens and sets) and makes it less chewy.
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Ingredients
1 cup = 237 mL · 1 Tbsp = 15 mL · 1 tsp = 5 mL. All are level measurements.
Peera
Recipe #2
Recipe #3
Method
Tap a step to mark it done.
Recipe #1: Ingredients Recipe #1: Steps for preparing Peera In a 12 litre pot, bring the milk to a boil using medium-high heat.
Add the sugar.
Stir often and make sure the milk does not spill.
After half an hour, it becomes sweetened condensed milk. Add 1 Tbsp oil when it starts sticking to the pot and keep stirring.
When it starts to thicken, about another 25 minutes, add the flour. Stir well.
Add the rest of the oil. Continue stirring and cook for 5 more minutes.
Add the cardamom, stir well and take off the heat. The total cooking time is 1 hour.
Stir vigorously for 2 minutes. In Brava this is called “Khpataanisha”.
Transfer immediately into an oiled surface. After 5 minutes, start from the outer edges and shape into 1 inch balls.
Peera Recipe #2: Ingredients Recipe #2: Steps for preparing Peera Put the powdered milk, sugar and milk in an 8 litre pot. Mix well before turning on the heat.
Cook on medium-high heat.
Add the oil gradually when it starts to stick to the bottom of the pot.
Add the cardamom and stir well.
Add the flour and stir well. Total cooking time is 20 minutes.
Take off the heat and stir vigorously.
Transfer into an oiled surface.
Spread with a rolling pin.
Cut into the desired shape before it hardens.
Peera Peera Recipe #3: Steps for preparing Peera Recipe #3: steps for preparing Peera In a 6 litre pot, put the condensed milk, sugar and milk.
Cook on medium heat. Add the oil in the last 10 minutes. Stir well.
Add the flour in the last 5 minutes and stir well.
Add the cardamom and stir.
Take off the heat stir vigorously. Cooking time is 45 minutes.
Shape immediately or spread with a rolling pin. Use food safe gloves.
Comments
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thanks for this recipe.am from mombasa and i really love your recipes. for how long does Peera keep before expiring? i would like to make it but am not sure if it keeps for long.**i don’t have a fridge.thanks
asc dhamaantiin waad ku mahad santihiin bandhiga fiican aad xawaash.com noogu soo bandhigteen taas oo ah barashada cuntada thanks
Adigaa mahadda mudan walaal. Waan ku faraxnay faalladaada.
Can I use 2% milk instead?
Thanks for the site!
Yes, you can, but the full cream milk is better. Thanks.
Asc walaalayaal aad ayaad umahadsantihiin ilaahey qayr haydin siiyo aad ayaan uga faa’iidaysanay webkan,waxaan umaleynaa inaad noo noqoteen hooyo camal oo gabdhaheeda wax bareysa ilaahey haydinka abaal mariyo.
Wacalaykum Assalaam Waraxmatullaahi Wabarakaatuh.
Ducadaada iyo faalladaada aad ayaan ugu bognay, waanna ku faraxnay. Ilaahay ha kaa abaalmariyo. Mahadsanid walaal.
asc wr wb marka dhaman bahda iyo shaqalaha webka xawaash.com waan u mahadcelinaya sida wanagasan ee furfuran ay inooga cawiyenan barashada macmacanka wadankena aad ayana uga hela inan an barto wayabaha aan qasatan anaga dhaqanka u lehnahay markale iyo markale tusen takk
Wacalaykum Assalaam Waraxmatullaahi Wabarakaatuh.
Adigaa mahadda mudan walaal. Waan ku faraxnay inaad jeclaatay goobta Xawaash iyo inaad ka faa’iidaysanaysid. Aad iyo aad ayaa u mahadsan tahay.