Djibouti Recipes

Spiced Lentil Sambusas

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

2/3 cup beluga or puy lentils
3 cups water or stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup carrot, finely diced (about 1 large carrot)
1 cup onion, finely diced (about 1 small onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (optional)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ cup cilantro leaves, shredded
40-50 wonton wrappers
Olive oil for brushing

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add lentils. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile in a large pan over medium high, heat the oil. Add the onion, carrot, garlic and jalapeno pepper. Saute until soft and slightly brown, about 5 minutes or so. Add the spices and adjust according to taste.

3. When the lentils are done, drain any excess liquid and stir them into the veggie mixture. Combine well and allow to cool slightly.

4. Heat oven to 400 degrees and have ready a non-stick baking sheet.

5. Set up a work area with the filling, wrappers and baking sheet all close by. Also fill a small dish of water and have that nearby. Working one at a time, take a wrapper and generously dampen the edge of the wrapper by dipping your fingers in the dish of water and spreading the water around the perimeter of the circle. Mound one heaping teaspoon of filling on the wrapper. Close the wrapper so that it's now a semi-circle. Pinch the edge tightly and set on the baking sheet. Repeat until you run out of filling or wrappers.

6. Brush the sambusas liberally on all sides with olive oil. Bake until golden brown, about 6-10 minutes, then flip and brown on the other side for just about 2 or 3 minutes. These are great served warm or at room temperature.

7. The sambusas are great on their own, but I recommend serving these with a dipping sauce. Lots of sauces go well with these little treats – chutney, sweet chili sauce, mint sauce. Here's a quick and easy sauce to put together: Whisk together 1 cup yogurt with the juice of one lemon, a minced garlic clove, salt, pepper and about a tablespoon of olive oil.

Source: FOOD52, by vrunka, https://food52.com/recipes/8552-spiced-lentil-sambusas


Skoudehkaris (meat & rice strew)
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 lb lamb , cubed
1 onion , chopped
1 Tbsp ghee (or vegetable oil)
1 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp cayenne (or to taste for spicier)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
15 oz canned tomatoes (diced)
1 cup water plus extra as needed
1/2 cup white rice , preferably long-grain
salt
pepper

Directions
1. Heat cumin, cloves, cardamom, cayenne, and cinnamon in a large pot or skillet with lid with ghee (or oil) and onions. Cook until soft and fragrant.
2. Add in the lamb and brown it a little (push the onions out of the way so that the meat can get contact with the pan). Next, add the tomatoes and water.
3. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the lamb is tender. You can simmer it uncovered if you want a drier stew.

4. Add rice to pan and add 1/2 cup water.  Stir, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Source: Global Table Adventure, by Sasha Martin, http://globaltableadventure.com/recipe/recipe-skoudehkaris/

Laxoox (flatbread)

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup millet flour
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 1/2 cups water

Instructions
1. Add everything to a large bowl.
2. Give everything a good whisk. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or let sit on the counter for a few hours.  It is ready when it looks like bubbly.
3. Heat up a good pan over medium for 5 minutes. I suggest using either stainless steel or cast iron.
4. Next, evenly coat the pan with a little oil. Add a ladle-full of batter and, using the back of the ladle, spread it around until it is about 1/4″ thick. Cook gently until bubbles form and the surface dries out. Do not flip.
5. Keep playing with the heat – by the time I was done cooking I had turned the flames down several notches. The key is to get the underside golden, not burnt and have the laxoox cooked all the way through.

Source: Global Table Adventure, by Sasha Martin, http://globaltableadventure.com/recipe/recipe-laxoox/