Part ofa series on
Culture of Somalia
Culture Architecture Art Cinema Cuisine History Literature Maritime Media Music Folklore Religion Sport Tourism Traditions Abban Clans
People Somalis Benadiri Bravanese Bajunis
Religion Islam Christianity Traditional faiths
Language Arabic Somali (Maay Maay) Mehri Italian English
Politics Parliament Military Economy Laws Symbols Transportation Communications Education
Somalia portal
v t e

Somalicuisine is characterized by aromatic spices and robust flavors, reflecting a distinctive blend of rich regional traditions and the influences of expansive trade networks established by Somali merchants, whose long monopoly on spices such as cinnamon has indelibly shaped its flavor profile. In recent years, Somali culinary traditions have gained increasing international recognition, with Somali-American chefs such as Ifrah Ahmed^[1] and Hawa Hassan^[2] drawing significant attention, a Somali restaurantaur earning a Best Small Business Person in the United States,^[3] and London establishments like Al Kahf and Sabiib emerging as popular destinations among food enthusiasts.^[4][5]

Some notable Somali specialties includekimis /sabaayad,canjeero /laxoox,xalwo (halwa),sambuusa (samosa),bariis iskukaris, andmuqmad /oodkac.

Pork consumption is forbidden in Somalia in accordance withsharia, as the vast majority of the population are Muslims.

Breakfast (quraac) is an important meal for Somalis, who often start the day with Somali-styletea (shaah^[6]/shaax) orcoffee (qahwa). The tea, brewed fromblack tea leaves, can be served regularly as-is (shaah rinji orshaah bigays). It can be also flavoured with spices such asginger,cardamom andcinnamon (though black pepper is not used, unlike otherspiced teas), while milk is added after the brewing instead of during it; this is known asshaah cadeeys.^[7]

The main dish is typically apancake-like bread called acanjeero orlaxoox originating inSomalia^[8][9] and is eaten in different ways. It is often eaten along withhoney andghee,olive oil, orsesame oil, and washed down with a cup oftea. It may also be broken into small pieces with Somalighee (subag) and sugar. For children, it is mixed with tea andsesame oil orolive oil (macsaro) until mushy. Typically, there is a side dish of liver (usuallybeef),goat meat (hilib ari), diced beef and sometimes kidneys (kiliyo) cooked in a bed of soup (suqaar), oroodkac /muqmad, which consists of small dried pieces of beef, goat or camel meat, boiled in ghee. Different from Ethiopianinjera, Somalicanjeero is smaller, thinner and sweeter. It might also be eaten with a stew (maraq) or soup.^[10]

• Sabaayad orkimis /ceesh, is another type offlatbread. During lunch, kimis /sabaayad is sometimes consumed with a Somalicurry, soup, or stew.
• Muufo^[11] is another type of Somali flatbread — characterised by its puffy and uniquely thick texture — popular within south Somalia and is usually eaten with stews and soup but is also sometimes eaten at breakfast with honey or sugar,subag, and black tea.
• Mushaari orboorash (porridge), with butter, nuts and sugar, is eaten across Somalia.
• Nationally, a sweet, slightly greasycrepe-like flatbread known asmalawax ormalawah, is a staple of most home-cooked meals and is usually eaten for breakfast with tea, similarly to howcanjeero is eaten.

Lunch (qado) is often an elaborate main dish oflaxoox,pasta (baasto) orrice (Bariis iskukaris) spiced withcumin (kamuun),cardamom (heyl),cloves (dhagayare), andsage (Salvia somalensis). The use of pasta (baasto), such asspaghetti,^[12] comes from theItalians, though it is frequently accompanied by a heavier stew than pasta sauce. As with the rice, it is often served with a banana.

Spaghetti can also be served with rice, forming a novelty dish referred to as "federation". The dish is usually served with equal (whole) portions of rice and spaghetti, split on either side of a large oval plate. It is then layered with assorted stewed meats and vegetables, served with salad and an optional banana. It has been suggested that the name of the dish is derived from the union of two dishes in Somalia and also from the size and quantity of the food. It is more common to order the dish from traditional Somali restaurants, where both rice and spaghetti are always readily available; it is rare in Somali households to prepare both rice and pasta for the same meal.

Another popular dish isiskukaris, ahot pot (maraq) of rice, vegetables and meat, a national staple. Beyond the many styles of hot pot, rice is usually served with a banana on the side. In Mogadishu, steak (busteeki) and fish (kalluun/mallaay) are widely eaten.

Southern Somalis commonly consume a stiffcornmeal referred to as"soor", which is usually eaten alongside stews or soup.

Another commonly eatencornmeal is eaten calledasida. It is mashed with fresh milk, butter and sugar, or presented with a hole in the middle filled withmaraq, or olive oil.

A variation of flat bread issabaayad/kimis/cesh. Like the rice, is served withmaraq and meat on the side. Thesabaayad of Somalia is often somewhat sweet, and is cooked in a little oil.

Popular drinks at lunch arebalbeelmo (grapefruit),raqey (tamarind) andisbarmuunto (lemonade). In Mogadishu,fiimto (Vimto) andlaas (lassi) are also common. In the northwest, the preferred drinks arecambe (mango), guava, andtufaax (apple).

Dinner (casho) in Somalia is served as late as 9 pm. DuringRamadan, dinnertime often followsTarawih prayers, sometimes as late as 11 pm.Cambuulo, a common dinner dish, is made from well-cookedadzuki beans mixed with butter and sugar. The beans, which on their own are referred to asdigir, can take up to five hours to finish cooking when left on the stove at a low temperature.Qamadi (wheat) is also used; cracked or uncracked, it is cooked and served just like the azuki beans.

Rooti iyo xalwo, slices of bread served with agelatinous confection, is another dinner dish.Muufo, a variation ofcornbread, is a dish made of maize and is baked in atinaar (clay oven). It is eaten by cutting it into small pieces, topped withsesame oil (macsaro) and sugar, then mashed together withblack tea.

Before sleeping, a glass of milk spiced withcardamom is often consumed.

Sambuus, a distinct Somali variation of the Desi samosa, is a triangular snack that is commonly eaten throughout Somalia during theafur (iftar). Kebab is a snack eaten in western Somalia. There are several varieties of this dish. For instance, it may be served on sticks or skewers with vegetables. Another common variety, consisting of minced meat mixed with egg and flour and then fried, is popular in south Somalia. It resembleskofta kebab. Other snacks include chicken and vegetable filled rolls andbajiyo, which is made fromblack-eyed peas or adzuki beans and usually served with spicy sauce. These, along with sambusas, are very popular not only during Ramadan, but also for special occasions such as weddings and family gatherings. Homemade chips are made with fresh potato and black pepper. Fruits such as mango (cambo), guava (seytuun), banana (moos), and orange (liinbanbeelmo) are eaten throughout the day.

• Xalwo orhalwo (not comparable to the well-knownhalva) is a popularBenadiri snack confection served during special occasions,^[13] such asEid celebrations or wedding receptions.Xalwo is made fromsugar,cornstarch,cardamom powder,nutmeg powder, andghee. Peanuts are also sometimes added to enhance texture and flavor.^[14] In the south there is a rice pudding calledruz bil laban.
• Gashaato,kashaato orqumbe, made fromcoconut, sugar andoil, which is spiced with cardamom, is a much-loved sweet fromBenadir. The sugar is brought to a boil with a bit of water, then the cardamom is added followed by shredded coconut.
• Lows iyo sisin is a favorite sweet in the south. It consists of a mixture ofpeanuts (lows) andsesame seeds (sisin) in a bed ofcaramel. The confection sticks together to form a bar.
• Jallaato, similar to the Americanice pop, is made by freezing naturally sweet fruits with a stick in the middle. More recently in Mogadishu (Xamar), it has grown to includecaano jallaato, which is made with milk and requires sugaring up. The wordjallaato comes fromgelato, which is Italian for "frozen".
• Buskut orbuskud is also from the south comprises many types ofcookies, including very soft ones calleddaardaar (literally "touch-touch" due to its smooth, delicate texture).
• Doolshe encompasses many styles ofcakes.
• Icun is a sweet mostly eaten by southern Somalis. It is made from sugar and flour mixed with oil and is most frequently served at weddings and for Eid.
• Shushumow is a fried Somali pastry with a crystallised shell which is usually made as a party snack.
• Basbousa is a traditional Somali sweet cake of Arab influence.^[15] It is made from cookedsemolina orfarina soaked insimple syrup.
• Also in the north there islokma, a sweet fried-dough pastry.
• Baklava is also eaten by some Somalis.

There are many sweets eaten during festive occasions, such as weddings, parties or Eid. Among these arebaalbaaloow,shuushuumoow,bur hindi,bur tuug, andqumbe (coconut), the last of which is made from coconuts mixed with sugar to form a bar.

Somalis traditionally perfume their homes after meals.Frankincense (luubaan) or a prepared incense (uunsi) is placed on top of hotcharcoal inside an incense burner orcenser (adabqaad) oridin.^[16] It then burns for about ten minutes. This keeps the house fragrant for hours. The burner is made fromsoapstone found in specific areas of Somalia.

• Safari, the only Somali restaurant in New York City
• Cuisine of the Horn of Africa
• Arab cuisine
• List of African cuisines
• Africa portal
• Food portal
• Somalia portal

• Ali, Barlin (2007).Somali Cuisine. AuthorHouse.ISBN 978-1-4259-7706-1.
• Abdullahi, Mohamed Diriye (2001).Culture and customs of Somalia. Greenwood.ISBN 978-0-313-31333-2.

Wikimedia Commons has media related toCuisine of Somalia.

• Somali cuisine
• Culture of Somalia
• East African cuisine
• Cuisine by ethnicity
• Arab cuisine

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Commons category link is on Wikidata