Somalian Baked Beef Sambusa

 original recipe found here

Dough

2 cups flour,  plus extra
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup olive oil or butter melted
1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling

1. 1 pound / 500g minced beef
2. 1 medium onion, finely chopped
3. salt to taste
4. 1/2 green pepper, chopped
5. 2 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

Egg Wash

1. 1 egg + 2 tablespoon milk, mixed

Instructions

1. To make the pastry dough, in a bowl add the flour baking powder and salt egg and enough water to make a firm dough. Knead until smooth and soft not sticky.
2. Cover the dough in a bowl and let it rest for 20 minutes.
3. Knead and divide the dough in to 16 pieces.
4. 
   Flour Paste "Glue"
5. In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup water to make a smooth paste.
6. 
   Assembly
7. Roll one of the dough into 5 inch circle.
8. Pick one the Sambusa douhg round with your hands and fold it into a cone shape seal it with flour paste.
9. Place a spoonful of the filling in the middle brush the edges with a flour paste or water and shape it into a cone, then close the top with the paste if needed and shape like a triangle. Pinch the edges so that it is completely sealed.
10. Continue filling the rest of the Sambusas.
11. Brush with the egg-wash on the top.
12. Bake 350° for 25 minutes or until golden.

Somalian Muufo Flatbread

 original recipe found here

1. 1 cup cornmeal (precooked, "PAN")
2. 1 cup plain flour
3. 1 teaspoon baking powder
4. 2 teaspoons sugar
5. 1 teaspoon salt
6. 1 tablespoon of oil, and more for cooking the muufo

1. In a mixing bowl add cornmeal, plain flour, baking powder, sugar and salt, add just enough water to make a soft dough, add about 2 1/4 cups of warm water, more flour if sticky and more water if too dry. You can use the dough right away or let it rest for 20 minutes to overnight.
2. Heat a non-stick fry pan on a medium heat.
3. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces then leave them covered.
4. Using your hands flatten each piece in to a 4 inch diameter. Use a little bit of water to wet your hand, so the dough won't stick.
5. Fry each bread until golden brown 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Alternatively use a griddle and brush each Muufo with some oil and turnover when the bread comes of the griddle about 4-5 minutes.
6. Serve with your favorite stew.

Maraq Digaag – Somalian Chicken Soup

 original recipe found here

• 4 chicken legs-tights
• 1 tomato, cut in half
• 3 carrots, peeled
• 3 potatoes, peeled
• 1/2  head of cabbage, sliced
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 3 black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 5 cardamom pods, crushed
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1-2 tablespoons coriander/cilantro leaves
• salt to taste

Directions:

-Place the chicken in a in a large soup pan, cover with water, bring it to a boil.

-Skim the foam that rises to the top with a spoon.

-Boil for 15 minutes, then let simmer on a medium.

-Add tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, garlic and the spices continue to cook for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is tender and almost falling off from the bone.

-Garnish with more cilantro/coriander leaves.

-Serve with bead.

Cambuulo – Somalian Adzuki Beans

 original recipe found here

1⁄2cup adzuki beans
• 2cups water
• 1⁄4cup cream
• 1tablespoon salted butter
• 1⁄8teaspoon nutmeg
• 1teaspoon sugar
• 
  
• Soak beans overnight with enough water to cover an inch or 2 over the beans.

        Drain beans and add 2 cups of water and beans to a large saucepan.

        Bring to a boil then turn down to low heat. Simmer on low for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

        After the 25 minutes, the water should be absorbed. Add butter and cream.

        Stir well and keep on low. Cook 10 more minutes, stirring often.

        In the last 2 minutes, stir in nutmeg and sugar then serve.

Suugo & Baasto – Somalian Pasta and Sauce

 original recipe found here

• 1 medium Red onion diced
• 1/2 Green Bell Pepper diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 lb beef cut into small cubes
• 1 14 oz can Diced Tomatoes
• 1 TBSP Tomato Paste
• 1 TBSP Xawaash (see recipe below)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• 1 TBSP Cilantro, fresh chopped
• 1 lime juice of
• 1 Banana per person
• 1 lb. spaghetti cooked al dente

Xawaash Spice Blend: 

1/2 cup cumin seeds

1/2 cup coriander seeds

2 TBSP black peppercorns

1 TBSP cinnamon bark

1 TBSP cardamom pods

1 tsp cloves

2 Tbsp turmeric powder

----The whole spices (cumin, coriander, peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves) are toasted in a dry pan over medium heat for 4–5 minutes until fragrant, then cooled and ground into a powder. Add the turmeric powder after the other spices are cooled and ground.

-In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat.

-Add in the onions and bell pepper and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

-Add in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant just a minute or two.

-Add in cubed beef and cook until browned while stirring.

-Add in the Xawaash, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and pepper. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 30 minutes until meat is nice and tender.

-While the suugo is cooking you can make your pasta according to package directions.

-Add one tsp of sugar and stir the suugo. Adjust seasoning as necessary.

-Serve over pasta, plate with a banana and squeeze lime juice over the dish. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Bariis Iskukaris – Somalian Rice with Spices

 original recipe found here

• 2 cups basmati rice
  

  
  2 tomatoes, chopped
  1 onion, chopped
  1 cinnamon stick
  5 whole cloves
  4 whole cardamom pods
  1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  4 tablespoons unsalted butter, or ghee
  1 pound lamb, cut into small cubes
  2 1/2 cups water
  Salt, to taste

Wash the rice and soak it in water until ready for use (at least 10 minutes).

Fry the lamb for a few minutes until browned. Remove from the pot and set aside.

Fry the onions until lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, grind the dry spices add to the onions, along with the garlic. Cook for a minute, until fragrant.

Add the diced tomatoes and cook until they break down into a thick sauce.

Add the lamb back to the pot.

Drain the rice and add to the pot with the 2 1/2 cups water. Bring the rice to a simmer, then cover the pan with aluminum foil. Ensure the pan is well sealed.

Simmer for about 15 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.

Fluff with a fork, and serve.

Ful Medames – Somalian Fava Beans Stew

 original recipe found here

For the Ful Medames

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 28 oz fava beans (drained and rinsed)

• 1 onion (finely diced)

• 4 cloves garlic (crushed or minced)

• 5 oz. tomatoes (finely chopped)

• 2 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

• Juice of 1/2 lime

• Salt and Pepper (to taste)
  
  

Ful Medames Topping

• 5 oz tomatoes (finely diced)

• 1 medium red onion (finely diced)

• 1/4 cucumber (finely diced)

• 1 small bunch parsley and coriander (finely chopped)

• 1 - 2 tbsp olive oil (plus extra to drizzle over the final dish)

• Juice of 1 lemon

• Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

• Take a large frying pan and place over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Once it glistens, add onion. Fry until golden.
• Add garlic and stir until aromatics released. Add cumin, oregano, Pul Biber and stir into the onion mixture. Add chopped tomatoes to pan and cook until they have broken down and thickened. 
• Add fava beans to tomato mixture with 1 cup water. Season generously and add lime juice. Using a masher or the back of a fork, press down on the beans and mash until they roughly breakdown. Turn heat to medium-low and simmer until the mixture thickens (it should look like a coarse dip). Make the toppings while the Ful simmers.
• Finely dice cherry tomatoes, cucumber and onions. Add fresh finely chopped parsley and coriander. Dress with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and leave to one side until ready to use.
• Spoon the Ful into a serving dish and heap the toppings on top. Drizzle with more olive oil and serve with fluffy, warm flatbread.