Recipe: Coconut Curried Corn | Galey iyo Qumbo

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When I was a little girl, I'd sit on the back porch and shuck long ears of corn, the silk wrapping around my fingers, clinging to my dress, and falling onto my shoes. Similar scenes can be found throughout southern Somalia, where men, women, and children pull together to harvest their corn. To shuck the corn. And, eventually, to grind it in wide, stone bowls, to make porridge. If the kernels don't get ground, the whole cobs might be dressed up in curried coconut milk in a dish called … [Read more...]

Recipe: Beef Suqaar

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Sometimes we need a meal that can fill every corner of our heart, one that can bump out those rough and tumble emotions that bog us down... the ones that keep us from being happy. Carefree. Enter Suqaar, from Somalia. Suqaar (pronounced sooh-car) is one of Somalia's most beloved dishes and can be made with any meat, from lamb, to chicken, to beef. Generally the meat is cut into very small pieces, about 1/2" cube or smaller. The meal is then rounded out with an assortment of veggies … [Read more...]

Menu: Somalia

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Somalia quite the melting pot, and this week's menu shows it. The food is peppered with a little bit of Italy (hello, tomato sauce & garlic!), a lot of east Africa (howdy, stewed meat with veggies!) and a smidgen of India (hey there, yellow, yellow turmeric!). I made this menu while Ava was home from school, so I purposefully chose recipes that were easy to make. That way I'd have more time to wiggle and spin my way through a toddler dance party. Priorities. Even with such … [Read more...]

About the food of Somalia

Boats on the beach in Merca, Somalia. -tahir turk

On the easternmost edge of Africa, next to the Indian Ocean, lies Somalia. This long, lean country is shaped rather fortuitously like the lucky number 7. Or a boomerang. The arid land is a haven for wanderers -  rugged nomads who trace trails through the shifting sands and savannas until they can find a suitable spot to set up home for yet another night. Date-dotted mountains line the northern reaches of Somalia, while the south is known for farming treats like corn, sugar cane, … [Read more...]

Monday Meal Review: Sierra Leone

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Hi Friends! This week we're trying something new with our weekly video, combining Ava's Corner with a brief review from me. I'm a little camera shy, so I thought I'd do something a little silly, like sit in a green chair, in my kitchen. Just because. Special thanks to my dear husband, Keith (a.k.a. Mr. Picky), for editing our video, as always. I'd love to hear what you think of this new format in the comments. Enjoy: httpv://youtu.be/kgGJTeaS7Eg xo Sasha & family THE … [Read more...]

Recipe: West African Peanut Bites | Kanya

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If there's one thing I've learned from this Adventure, it's that my family's unfaltering love of peanuts inexorably links us to the fine people of West Africa, where this little legume is  enjoyed in both savory and sweet concoctions. Peanut soups and cookies are both fair game, but today we explore Kanya, an altogether new delight. Kanya are naturally gluten free and beyond simple, made with just three ingredients: peanuts, sugar, and toasted rice flour. That's it! Kanya remind me of … [Read more...]

Recipe: Okra Stew with Beef & Eggplant

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"WE YU YεRI PIKIN SE "MAMA DE KUK כKRכ", PAPA BIN DכN TכK AM. If you hear a child say "Mama is cooking okra," it's because Papa said it."*  When I read this old proverb from Sierra Leone, I get goosebumps. The truth is, children pick up everything from their parents, from what's for dinner to more serious considerations, like world views, either loaded with prejudice or full of grace. While sipping soup or nibbling rolls, they overhear snippets of conversation; verbal jabs … [Read more...]

Menu: Sierra Leone (& Giveaway)

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Next time you see someone doing or experiencing something especially grand (or perhaps even showing off a bit), say with wide eyes: "The salt has climbed the hill." It's the way people in Sierra Leone express amazement over something they weren't quite expecting. Like how we had two days in the 70's in January. Totally unexpected. Or when I found out I'd secured a book deal with National Geographic. The salt and the pepper both climbed the hill on that one. As for this menu? She's … [Read more...]