Soo Fariista - Come Sit Down

Somali Americans celebrate a shared heritage at mealtime. No matter how they found their way to America, members of this community come together over kackac, bur, and halwad (that is, tea, beignets, and sweets).

Realizing how quickly traditions can change in a culture on the move, Somali American students set out to preserve their culinary legacy by interviewing family members, researching available and alternative ingredients, and testing kitchen techniques. In Soo Fariista / Come Sit Down, seventy recipes for everything from saabuuse (stuffed pastry) to suqaar (sauteed meat) to canjeelo (flatbread) to shushumow (fried sweet dough) honor memories and flavors from East Africa with adjustments for American realities. An introduction explores Somali foodways and their transitions in the United States, and each contributor is highlighted with his or her story. Notes on the recipes share the students’ journey from "a little of this and a little of that" to methods that will bring success in Somali American cooking to novices and practiced hands alike.

Author information
The members of Wariyaa: Somali Youth in Museums are high school students from across the Twin Cities metro area who explore cultural preservation and history through food.

Osman Mohamed Ali is founder and executive director of the Somali Museum of Minnesota.