Sudanese cuisine is greatly affected by the historical cross-cultural influences of Arab, Nubian, Egyptian, Turkish, and Levantine cuisine in

Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...

. Many Sudanese foods have been around for thousands of years. The most common meats eaten are lamb and chicken, in accordance with the Muslim

halal ''Halal'' (; ar, حلال, ) is an Arabic word that translates to "permissible" in English. In the Quran, the word ''halal'' is contrasted with '' haram'' (forbidden). This binary opposition was elaborated into a more complex classification k ...

laws. Most meals are communal and often shared with family, neighbors, and guests, as part of Sudanese hospitality. Breads such as (or ) and (or )—a thin pancake-like bread similar to a

crêpe A crêpe or crepe ( or , , Quebec French: ) is a very thin type of pancake. Crêpes are usually one of two varieties: ''sweet crêpes'' () or ''savoury galettes'' (). They are often served with a wide variety of fillings such as cheese, ...

—are eaten with savory stews (), cheese (),

fava beans ''Vicia faba'', commonly known as the broad bean, fava bean, or faba bean, is a species of vetch, a flowering plant in the pea and bean family Fabaceae. It is widely cultivated as a crop for human consumption, and also as a cover crop. Varieti ...

, and

falafel Falafel (; ar, فلافل, ) is a deep-fried ball or patty-shaped fritter in Middle Eastern cuisine (especially in Levantine and Egyptian cuisines) made from ground chickpeas, broad beans, or both. Nowadays, falafel is often served ...

(). There is also (or ), a fermented bread similar to Ethiopian

injera Injera (, ; om, Biddeena; ) is a sour fermented pancake-like flatbread with a slightly spongy texture, traditionally made of teff flour. In Ethiopia, Eritrea, and some parts of Sudan, injera is the staple. Injera is central to the dining p ...

, but thinner and smaller.

Influences

Egyptian cuisine Egyptian cuisine makes heavy use of poultry, legumes, vegetables and fruit from Egypt's rich Nile Valley and Delta. Examples of Egyptian dishes include rice-stuffed vegetables and grape leaves, hummus, falafel, shawarma, kebab and kofta ...

has greatly influenced Sudanese cuisine. Both share dishes such as

(), which is made with chickpeas in Sudan instead of fava beans as in Egypt; , the national dish of both Sudan and Egypt; , a thick soup made from boiled leaves; , a meat liver stew eaten in Sudan, Egypt and Tunisia; and desserts such as and . , a soft white cheese, is also eaten. Turkish cuisine has also influenced Sudanese cuisine, giving it a distinct flavor. Turkish foods found in Sudanese cuisine include

kebabs Kebab (, ; ar, كباب, link=no, Latn, ar, kabāb, ; tr, kebap, link=no, ) or kabob (North American) is a type of cooked meat dish that originates from cuisines of the Middle East. Many variants of the category are popular around the wor ...

kofta Kofta is a family of meatball or meatloaf dishes found in Balkan, Middle Eastern, South Caucasian, South Asian and Central Asian cuisines. In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of minced meatusually beef, chicken, pork, lamb or mutto ...

, and

shawarma Shawarma (; ar, شاورما) is a popular Middle Eastern dish that originated in the Ottoman Empire, consisting of meat cut into thin slices, stacked in a cone-like shape, and roasted on a slowly-turning vertical rotisserie or spit. Tradition ...

, as well as sweets such as

baklava Baklava (, or ; ota, باقلوا ) is a layered pastry dessert made of filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrup or honey. It was one of the most popular sweet pastries of Ottoman cuisine. The pre- Ottoman origin of t ...

. Levantine and Egyptian sweets also entered Sudanese cuisine and are known as ''oriental'' (or ''Levantine'') ''sweets''.

Appetizers

Meals include and , which are dishes made from sheep's

offal Offal (), also called variety meats, pluck or organ meats, is the organs of a butchered animal. The word does not refer to a particular list of edible organs, which varies by culture and region, but usually excludes muscle. Offal may also refe ...

(including the lungs, liver, and stomach), onions, peanut butter, and salt. They are eaten raw. A peanut salad called is also eaten.

Soups and stews

A popular Sudanese (savory stew) is , a red mincemeat sauce that is eaten with , a dish consisting of boiled

wheat flour Wheat flour is a powder made from the grinding of wheat used for human consumption. Wheat varieties are called "soft" or "weak" if gluten content is low, and are called "hard" or "strong" if they have high gluten content. Hard flour, or ''bre ...

molded into a ball. is eaten across

North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...

. Other will sometimes use , special sauce made from crushed

okra Okra or Okro (, ), ''Abelmoschus esculentus'', known in many English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers or ochro, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It has edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with su ...

and , a spice mix that gives some a sticky yet flavorful texture. Dried is sometimes used as a seasoning in the . Most Sudanese will have either meat or other

vegetables Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the flowers, fruits, stems ...

legumes A legume () is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock for ...

. Sometimes seasoned meats such as —made of dried meats, onions and dried okra (crushed )—is added to most types of . Several stews, including ', , and , use (a Sudanese spice mix) and dried

. is a stew made from sheep's fat, onions, and dried okra. is made from dried meat, while is made from dried fish. In

Equatoria Equatoria is a region of southern South Sudan, along the upper reaches of the White Nile. Originally a province of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, it also contained most of northern parts of present-day Uganda, including Lake Albert and West Nile. It ...

(now in

South Sudan South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of th ...

), soups include , made from cattle or sheep

hooves The hoof (plural: hooves) is the tip of a toe of an ungulate mammal, which is covered and strengthened with a thick and horny keratin covering. Artiodactyls are even-toed ungulates, species whose feet have an even number of digits, yet the rumi ...

with vegetables, and , made from

liver The liver is a major organ only found in vertebrates which performs many essential biological functions such as detoxification of the organism, and the synthesis of proteins and biochemicals necessary for digestion and growth. In humans, it i ...

, flour, dates, and spices.

Beverages

The most popular drink is tap or bottled water, traditionally offered free of charge for anyone in large claypots in the streets. Strong coffee, sometimes served in Sudanese coffee pots called , and black tea, often with milk, are also popular. These are sold in the streets by "tea ladies". Especially on hot days, traditional cold

hibiscus tea Hibiscus tea is a herbal tea made as an infusion from crimson or deep magenta-colored calyces (sepals) of the roselle (''Hibiscus sabdariffa'') flower. It is consumed both hot and cold. It has a tart, cranberry-like flavor. Consumption Africa ...

, called , is made in homes.

Alcoholic beverages

Historically, Sudan was one of the few predominantly Muslim countries that allowed traditional and Western alcoholic drinks. Men drank

millet wine Millet wine () is a common wine in East and Southeast Asia. It is also the oldest wine in Taiwan and a traditional beverage of Taiwanese aborigines. It is often used in harvest festivals, as a symbol of harvest. Cultural background For aborigi ...

, (an alcoholic drink from fermented dates), and . In the 20th century, some Sudanese were influenced by Europeans and began drinking whiskey and beer. In September 1983, former Sudanese President

Gaafar Nimeiry Jaafar Muhammad an-Nimeiry (otherwise spelled in English as Jaafar Nimeiry, Gaafar Nimeiry or Ja'far Muhammad Numayri; ar, جعفر محمد النميري; 26 April 192830 May 2009) was a Sudanese politician who served as the president of Sud ...

enacted

Sharia Sharia (; ar, شريعة, sharīʿa ) is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition. It is derived from the religious precepts of Islam and is based on the sacred scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran and the H ...

, marking the occasion by dumping alcohol into the

Nile river The Nile, , Bohairic , lg, Kiira , Nobiin: Áman Dawū is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa and has historically been considered the longest riv ...

. Since then, the purveying, consumption, and purchasing of alcohol has been banned in Sudan. Being lashed 40 times is the penalty for breaking the prohibition on alcohol. Nevertheless, , an alcoholic gin made from dates, continued to be illegally brewed in defiance of Sharia. In 2019, the Transitional Government passed a new law, allowing alcoholic beverages for non-Muslims.

Gallery

File:Kisra maker.jpeg, A woman preparing File:Algazaltain tea tins.jpg, Algazaltain black tea File:Roselle drink.JPG, Cold (

) drink File:A young south Sudanese girl cooking at home.jpg, A young women cooking in South Sudan

References

External links

Sudan Cookbook

Food of Sudan from the Sudan Embassy in Washington DC
{{Authority control North African cuisine