Sudanese cuisine

Sudanese cuisineis greatly affected by the historical cross-cultural influences of Arab, Nubian, Egyptian, Turkish, and Levantine cuisine inSudan. Many Sudanese foods have been around for thousands of years. The most common meats eaten are lamb and beef, in accordance with the Muslimhalallaws. Most meals are communal and often shared with family, neighbors, and guests, as part of Sudanese hospitality.
Breads such asaisha(oraish baladi) andkisra(orkasra)—a thin pancake-like bread similar to acrêpe—are eaten with savory stews (mullah), cheese (jibna),fava beans, andfalafel(tamiya). There is alsogorrassa(orgurasa), a fermented bread similar to Ethiopianinjera, but thinner and smaller.
Egyptian cuisinehas greatly influenced Sudanese cuisine. Both share dishes such asfalafel(tamiya), which is made with chickpeas in Sudan instead of fava beans as in Egypt;ful medames, the national dish of both Sudan and Egypt;molokhia, a thick soup made from boiled leaves;kamounia, a meat liver stew eaten in Sudan, Egypt and Tunisia; and desserts such asumm aliandbasbousa.Jibna bayda, 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 includekebabs,kofta, andshawarma, as well as sweets such asbaklava. Levantine and Egyptian sweets also entered Sudanese cuisine and are known as oriental (or Levantine) sweets.
Meals includeelmaraaraandumfitit, which are dishes made from sheep'soffal(including the lungs, liver, and stomach), onions, peanut butter, and salt. They are eaten raw.A peanut salad calledsalatat dakwais also eaten.
A popular Sudanesemullah(savory stew) ismullah ahmar,a red mincemeat sauce that is eaten withasida, a dish consisting of boiledwheat flourmolded into a ball.Asidais eaten acrossNorth Africa. Othermullahswill sometimes usewaika, special sauce made from crushedokraandniaimiya,a spice mix that gives somemullahsa sticky yet flavorful texture. Driedwaikais sometimes used as a seasoning in themullah. Most Sudanesemullahswill have either meat or othervegetablesorlegumes. Sometimes seasoned meats are used such as inmullah sharmout—made of dried meats, onions and dried okra (crushedwaika)—is added to most types ofmullah. In rural Western Sudan, fermented foods likekawalserve as substitutes for meat inmullahs. Powdered kawal is also used as a condiment similar to black pepper in urban Sudan.
Several stews, includingwaika,bussaara, andsabaroag, useni'aimiya(a Sudanese spice mix) and driedokra.Mirisis a stew made from sheep's fat, onions, and dried okra.Abiyadis made from dried meat, whilekajaikis made from dried fish.InEquatoria(now inSouth Sudan), soups includekawari, made from cattle or sheephooveswith vegetables, andelmussalammiya, made fromliver, flour,dates, and spices.
The most popular drink is tap or bottled water, traditionally offered free of charge for anyone in large clay pots in the streets. Strong coffee, sometimes served in Sudanese coffee pots calledjabana, and black tea, often with milk, are also popular. These are sold in the streets by "tea ladies". Especially on hot days, traditional coldhibiscus tea, calledkarkadeh, is made in homes.
Historically, Sudan was one of the few predominantly Muslim countries that allowed traditional and Western alcoholic drinks. Men drankmillet wine,sharbot(an alcoholic drink from fermented dates), andaraqi. In the 20th century, some Sudanese were influenced by Europeans and began drinking whiskey and beer.
InSeptember 1983, former Sudanese PresidentGaafar Nimeiryenactedsharia, marking the occasion by dumping alcohol into theNile river.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,araqi, an alcoholic gin made fromdates, continued to be illegally brewed in defiance of sharia.In 2019, the Transitional Government passed a new law, allowing alcoholic beverages for non-Muslims.