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.

Mushaari – Somalian Porridge

 original recipe found here

½ cup sorghum flour
½ cup water

2 cups milk 
1 cup water 
¼ tsp salt 
¼ cup granulated sugar or honey
1 cup buttermilk 
1 TBSP melted butter
¼ tsp ground black pepper (optional)

1. Place the sorghum flour in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup of water. Mix well, making sure there are no lumps. 

2. In a pot set on medium heat, pour in 2 cups of milk. Add 1 cup of water. Add the sorghum mixture and stir well. Add the salt and sugar, then stir continuously. Lower the heat and cook for a total of 10 minutes.

3. Put the porridge in a serving bowl and add the buttermilk. Add the melted butter, then the ground black pepper (optional).

Sabaayad (Somali Flatbread)

 original recipe found here

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP honey
1 ½ cups lukewarm water
2 TBSP canola oil, divided, or more as needed

1. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Stir in olive oil and honey. Mix in water gradually until dough comes together and is the consistency of pizza dough. Knead by hand until soft and very smooth, about 10 minutes.

2. Brush top of dough with a little bit of canola oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rest, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

3. Divide dough into 10 equal pieces. Roll out 1 piece into a circle on a lightly floured work surface. Brush the top of the dough evenly with canola oil. Fold sides in to meet in the center. Fold top and bottom edges to meet in the center to make a square shape. Repeat with remaining pieces.

4. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.

5. Roll 1 square of dough into a circle again on a lightly floured work surface. Place in the skillet and cook until slightly puffed, 1 to 2 minutes. Drizzle a little bit of oil on top and flip; continue cooking until golden brown and crispy, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep sabaayad warm and soft. Repeat with remaining pieces.

Malawah (Somali Sweet Pancake)

 original recipe found here 

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups milk
2 large eggs
1 TBSP granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Pinch kosher salt
2 TBSP canola oil or butter, for frying
Honey, butter, or sugar, for garnish

-Beat or whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Alternatively, mix together with a hand-held blender.

-Heat up a frying pan with enough butter or oil to lightly coat surface.

-Ladle some batter into pan and swirl such that batter distributes to make a thin layer which spreads towards curving sides of pan

-Fry for about a minute or until lightly golden, then flip over and fry another minute or so on the other side.

-Serve malawah by spreading melted butter and honey on top or sprinkling some sugar on top.

Serve with peanut butter, nutella, fruit, etc.

Somali Conjeero (Sourdough Pancakes)

original recipe here

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup sorghum flour

1/2 TBSP fast acting yeast

2 TBSP sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups warm water

-Mix dry ingredients. Add in water 1 cup at a time, mixing with a whisk. After the last cup of water is mixed in, use an immersion blender to smooth out the batter.

-Cover the batter and let it rise for 30 minutes. Stir batter to release the bubbles. 

-Heat up a non-stick pan that has a lid. Ladle batter onto heated pan, then use the rounded side of ladle to spread the batter out in a circular motion. The pancakes should be thin.

-Place lid on top until the pancake is crisp and browned on the bottom.

-Put on a plate and enjoy!

Yaki Udon

 original recipe here

• 2 tbsp cooking oil divided
• 500g udon noodles, frozen
• 1/2 lb thinly sliced chicken
• 1 cup cabbage shredded
• 1/4 cup carrot julienned
• 3 mushrooms sliced
• 2 green onions chopped

Sauce

• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp white grape juice 
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
• To prepare your udon noodles, soak them in hot water for about a minute, and carefully loosen the noodles. Rinse with cold water, drain, and set aside.
• Heat oil in a wok or a large pan over medium heat and and the shrimp or your choice of protein. Cook for about 2 minutes or until opaque. Remove and set aside.
• Add oil to the same wok and add cabbage, carrot, and mushrooms. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the cooked chicken, udon noodles, and sauce, and toss them together until the noodles are evenly coated.