World Flavors Cookbook

Sudan Recipes

Sudanese cuisine sits at the crossroads of North African Arabic tradition and sub-Saharan African cooking. Kisra (sorghum flatbread), ful medames (fava beans), mullah (okra stew), and the sweet, spiced Sudanese tea culture reflect a land shaped by the Nile, the desert, and ancient Nubian civilization.

Recipes from Sudan

• Ful Medames

  Slow-cooked fava beans, mashed and seasoned with cumin, garlic, and oil. Sudan's most popular breakfast, typically enjoyed with local bread.

• Kisra

  A paper-thin, fermented flatbread made from sorghum flour, the most essential accompaniment to Sudanese stews.

• Mullah Bamia (Okra Stew)

  A savory Sudanese stew made with lamb and okra, slow-cooked until the okra breaks down into a thick sauce.

• Gurasa

  A thick, pancake-like wheat bread, slightly fermented, famous in Northern Sudan.

• Agashe

  Sudanese-style Suya: grilled meat seasoned with a complex blend of ground peanuts and spices.

• Asida

  A stiff grain porridge served with a savory sauce, a cornerstone of Sudanese communal dining.

• Molah Sharmoot

  A savory stew made with dried, ground meat (Sharmoot), onions, and tomato paste.

• Tamiya (Sudanese Falafel)

  Crispy deep-fried patties made from ground chickpeas or fava beans, highly seasoned with garlic and herbs.

• Sudanese Peanut Salad (Salatit Dakwa)

  A refreshing salad of tomatoes and cucumbers dressed with a rich, tangy peanut butter sauce.

• Molah Waika

  A unique Sudanese stew made from dried, powdered okra, resulting in a smooth, viscous consistency.

• Kamounia

  A rich and aromatic liver and meat stew, heavily spiced with cumin (Kamoun).

• Kawari (Trotter Soup)

  A gelatinous and nourishing soup made from cow or sheep trotters, slow-boiled with aromatics.

• Um Ragaig

  A light and clear Sudanese stew made with fresh okra and meat broth, often enjoyed with Kisra.

• Fried Nile Perch

  Fresh fish from the Nile, seasoned with local spices and fried until crispy.

• Shaya (Pan-Fried Meat)

  Tender pieces of lamb or beef, pan-fried with onions and spices until browned and flavorful.

• Sudanese Basbousa

  A sweet and dense semolina cake, soaked in rose-scented syrup, a favorite Sudanese treat.

• Zalabia (Sudanese Donuts)

  Small pieces of sweet fried dough, similar to donuts, often enjoyed with sugar or honey.

• Sudanese Spiced Tea

  Strong black tea brewed with fresh cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, a staple of Sudanese life.

• Karkade (Hibiscus Drink)

  A deep red, tart, and refreshing drink made from dried hibiscus flowers, served hot or cold.

• Aradeib (Tamarind Drink)

  A tangy and refreshing traditional drink made from the pods of the tamarind tree.

• Gongoleiz (Baobab Drink)

  A creamy and nutritious drink made from the pulp of the Baobab fruit, flavored with cinnamon.

• Sudanese Coffee (Jabana)

  Strong, aromatic coffee brewed in a traditional clay pot (Jabana) with ginger and cardamom.

• Molah Khadra (Green Stew)

  A vibrant green stew made from finely chopped Jew's mallow leaves, flavored with garlic and meat broth.

• Kisra Wraps with Tamiya

  A modern street-food take on the traditional fermented bread, wrapped around crispy tamiya and salad.

• Gurasa with Honey and Samn

  A sweet breakfast version of the thick wheat bread, drenched in honey and clarified butter.

• Sudanese Adas (Lentils)

  Creamy yellow lentils flavored with turmeric and cumin, a daily staple.

• Aswad (Eggplant Salad)

  A rich and savory roasted eggplant dip with peanut butter and lime.

• Sudanese Roz (Spiced Rice)

  Long grain rice cooked with cardamom and cloves, often topped with raisins.

• Kibda (Fried Liver)

  Fresh lamb liver quickly fried with onions and green chilies, a breakfast delicacy.

• Sudanese Sizzling Sausage

  Spicy local sausages fried with peppers and onions.

• Sudanese Sambousa

  Fried pastry triangles filled with spiced minced meat.

• Madrouba

  A savory dish of wheat and chicken slow-cooked and beaten into a thick mash.

• Balila (Boiled Chickpeas)

  Simply boiled chickpeas and beans seasoned with salt and sometimes dates.

• Quraasa with Molah

  A thick Nubian flatbread topped with a rich savory stew.

• Sudanese Okra Salad

  Fresh sliced okra lightly boiled and mixed with garlic and lime.

• Kisra with Molah

  Paper-thin sorghum kisra flatbreads served alongside a fragrant meat or vegetable molah stew — the classic Sudanese everyday meal.

• Ta'ameya (Sudanese Falafel)

  Crispy fava bean fritters blended with fresh herbs — the beloved Sudanese street breakfast.

• Asida (Wheat Porridge)

  A thick, smooth wheat porridge served with ghee and molasses — a nourishing daily staple.

• Shorba Laham (Lamb Soup)

  A warming lamb soup with vegetables and aromatic spices, a staple of Sudanese family kitchens.

• Shorba Adas (Lentil Soup)

  A rich red lentil soup spiced with cumin and coriander, often the first thing served at iftar.

• Ful Medames with Tahini

  Slow-cooked fava beans enriched with creamy tahini and lemon — a heartier variation of the classic breakfast.

• Molah with Okra (Fresh)

  A stew of fresh okra and meat, lighter and brighter than the dried powder version.

• Aseeda Hilwa (Sweet Porridge)

  A sweet version of asida made with dates, honey, and cardamom — served as a treat at celebrations.

• Kisra Wraps with Ful

  Thin kisra flatbreads rolled around spiced ful and fresh vegetables — a portable street meal.

• Dakwa (Peanut Sauce)

  A rich and savory peanut sauce used as a dip, dressing, or base for stews across Sudan.

• Marissa (Sorghum Beer)

  A traditional fermented sorghum beer, slightly sour and mildly alcoholic, brewed by women in rural Sudan.

• Aradaib (Tamarind Drink)

  A refreshing cold drink made from tamarind pods, sugar, and water — the most popular Sudanese cold drink.

• Hulu Mur (Sudanese Hibiscus Drink)

  A spiced hibiscus drink with cinnamon, ginger, and black pepper — drank hot or cold.

• Asida Dukhn (Millet Porridge)

  A thick millet-based asida popular in western Sudan, served with a savory meat sauce.

• Nuwwara (Tossed Salad)

  A simple and crisp salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and lemon — a Sudanese table staple.

• Roz bil Laham (Rice with Lamb)

  Fluffy long-grain rice cooked with tender lamb and aromatic spices — a Sudanese celebration dish.

• Ful Agameya (Sweet Ful Paste)

  Fava beans cooked down with sesame oil and sugar into a sweet, smooth paste — eaten for breakfast.

• Tibich (Stewed Pumpkin with Nut Sauce)

  A vegetarian stew of pumpkin or squash cooked in a peanut and sesame sauce.

• Jahwa (Sudanese Flatbread Stew)

  Stale or fresh bread soaked in hot lamb broth and stew — a hearty, economical Sudanese dish.

• Kisra Sukar (Sweet Kisra)

  A sweetened version of kisra drizzled with date syrup and sesame, eaten as a snack or dessert.

• Shorba Khodra (Vegetable Soup)

  A light and nourishing vegetable soup with cumin, garlic, and tomatoes.

• Bamia with Rice

  Okra stewed in tomato sauce served over plain rice — a Friday staple in many Sudanese homes.

• Um Fitit (Spiced Bean Salad)

  A hearty salad of fava beans mixed with crushed dried okra, onions, and spiced oil.

• Kuindiong (Peanut and Sesame Stew)

  A thick and savory stew made with a combination of ground peanuts and sesame seeds, popular in the Nuba Mountains.

• Samoon (Sudanese Bread)

  Oval-shaped, soft leavened wheat bread baked in clay ovens, a staple of Khartoum bakeries.

• Maragat Lahm (Beef Broth)

  A simple, clear, deeply flavored beef broth used as a base for stews and drunk on its own.

• Bayd bil Tomato (Eggs in Tomato Sauce)

  Eggs poached directly in a spiced tomato sauce — a quick and beloved Sudanese breakfast.

• Mashawi (Grilled Meat Platter)

  An assortment of grilled lamb chops, kebabs, and offal served with salad and bread.

• Lobia Stew (Black-Eyed Peas)

  Black-eyed peas slow-cooked with tomatoes and spices into a thick, hearty stew.

• Halwa (Sesame Candy)

  Dense, crumbly sesame candy made with tahini and sugar — a beloved Sudanese sweet.

• Karkade (Hibiscus Juice)

  Bright red hibiscus flower infusion served chilled — one of the most iconic drinks of Sudan.

• Ageeda (Sesame and Dates Porridge)

  A sweet and nourishing porridge made from ground sesame and dates, traditional for nursing mothers.

• Ugali

  East Africa's fundamental starch — a firm, moldable cornmeal porridge that serves as the base for every meal, eaten by hand with stews and greens.