Quoting Nancy Backus to Jim Weller <=-

I have tons of Ethiopian recipes and not a single
Somalian one to offer. I must remedy that.

I wonder just how different they'd be from each other...?

Here's a summary of what I found ... The population is mainly ethnic
Somali and Sunni Muslim; both of these things influence their
cuisine.

Somalia has had an unpleasant recent history but a much grander
past. In antiquity it was an early centre of civilization, a major
unified kingdom and an early commercial trader with a large fleet of
ships. As long as 5000 years ago there was trade and commerce with
at first Egypt, Greece, Phoenicia, Arabia, Babylonia and India and
eventually places as far away as Rome and China.

They were the first people to domesticate the camel.

Things started going downhill during the European colonial era when
the country was split into three by the Italians, French and British
with continual rebellions in the interior. The first modern, united,
democratic republic wasn't created until 1960 and since 1969 there
has been uprisings, revolutions and civil wars almost continuously
until 2012, with continuing isolated extremist terrorist attacks to
date.

Somali cuisine is a fusion of Somali culinary traditions, along with
East African, Arab, Turkish, Indian and Italian influences. It is
the product of Somalia's long tradition of seafaring and commerce,
including 5000 years of spice trading.

I found soups and stews made with beef, goat and lamb, but not pork.
Often with curry-like spice mixes. Also kebabs and beef samosas. And
meaty rice dishes comparable to pilaf or biryani. Pasta dishes
including spaghetti are popular as well.

From grains, there are flatbreads similar Ethiopian injera, others
more like Indian paratha and roti, and cornbread. Also polenta,
porridge, gruels, and dough balls similar to fufu or dhido.

There is hummus and other bean dishes.

For beverages, no beer or wine just fruit juices, lassi, tea and
coffee.

And for sweets, halva and sesame or caramel brittle among other
things.

Once I got a general feel for things I didn't bother to download
any individual recipes. I think I can work my way around the menu
now and probably fake a lot of the dishes in my kitchen.


Cheers

Jim


... If it doesn't have meat, it's a snack.

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Quoting Jim Weller to Nancy Backus on 04-19-19 22:49 <=-

I have tons of Ethiopian recipes and not a single
Somalian one to offer. I must remedy that.

I wonder just how different they'd be from each other...?

Somali cuisine is a fusion of Somali culinary traditions, along with
East African, Arab, Turkish, Indian and Italian influences. It is
the product of Somalia's long tradition of seafaring and commerce, including 5000 years of spice trading.

So it would tend to be rather similar in many ways to Ethiopian... and I
see some similarity, at least in terms of the variety of influence, to Malaysian cuisine which borrows from their trading partners in the
Southeast Asian area.... :)

I found soups and stews made with beef, goat and lamb, but not pork.
Often with curry-like spice mixes. Also kebabs and beef samosas. And
meaty rice dishes comparable to pilaf or biryani. Pasta dishes
including spaghetti are popular as well.
From grains, there are flatbreads similar to Ethiopian injera, others
more like Indian paratha and roti, and cornbread. Also polenta,
porridge, gruels, and dough balls similar to fufu or dhido.
There is hummus and other bean dishes.
For beverages, no beer or wine just fruit juices, lassi, tea and
coffee.
And for sweets, halva and sesame or caramel brittle among other
things.

Yes, I see the different influences there... :)

Once I got a general feel for things I didn't bother to download
any individual recipes. I think I can work my way around the menu
now and probably fake a lot of the dishes in my kitchen.

Just have to get yourself over to the new restaurant, and start sampling
the goodies... ;)

ttyl neb

... LIFE: Well, one thing led to another, and then we died.

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