Canjeero: A Somali Staple Food

Canjeero is a delicious food that comes from Somalia. Canjeero is a staple breakfast food in Somalia, and it is the most common breakfast food. It is best described as fermented, crepe-like pan bread that resembles a thin pancake. Ethiopia also has it its own version called Injera.

The Somali canjeero has its own character though, and it’s different from its Ethiopian counterpart. It is much smaller in size and is not as sour. Ethiopian injero is usually fermented for several days, whereas the Somali canjeero is only fermented overnight.

Canjeeros are usually eaten three at a time and are accompanied with a cup of tea. Tea is very important with canjeero, they essentially go hand in hand and Somalis never have one without the other. It is usually sprinkled with sugar and drizzled in sesame oil or cow ghee. Occasionally some Somalis will eat their canjeero with tomato sauce rather than sugar, oil, and tea. More recently, Somalis have been using self-rising flour or a combination of all-purpose flour and baking powder to make canjeero. Yeast is usually used because in can cut the fermentation time needed in about half. Canjeeros are versatile and appetizing dishes and I believe this is because how unique they are.

For some of the facts mentioned above visit http://xawaash.com/#sthash.1dZExbe6.dpbs, a great Somali food blog.

Since I am so familiar with this specific food, I felt a review would be unnecessary. Canjeero is 

delicious and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to try an authentic African dish.

Contributed By: Rahma Abdi