Tammy's Somali Home

This is a Step-by-Step guide on how to FOLD sabayah. The following instructions show how to make square sabayah. Sabayah recipe can be found HERE . After the dough has rested, knead lightly and form a bowl. Divide into 8 pieces and roll out to form a square. Drizzle with oil. Spread oil evenly over the entire surface. Fold the top towards the middle. Fold again. Flip Roll out until very thin. fold.... fold........ ........and fold. Roll out to form a 10 inch square. Place in a preheated pan. Pan should be on a low - medium heat. Oil slightly and flip. Gently rub with a spatula. I find that doing this separates the layers and helps it puff up. Cooking on low heat and flipping it many times will guarantee a very moist and flaky sabayah. Drain on a paper towel.

I have always known that bananas were an important part to most Somali diets. I just never realized exactly how important until I had a guest over for dinner. I had just put a large helping of pasta onto a plate when I noticed that we ran out of bananas. My guest exclaimed "Oh my God! God forbid there aren't any bananas!" This person was dead serious. I on the hand hand couldn't stop laughing. What is it about bananas that the majority of Somalis love to eat it with many of their dishes? I can still remember the day I saw someone eat a banana with pasta. I remember thinking that it was utterly disgusting....until I tried it. Let me tell you, you have never experienced real Somali pasta or rice if it wasn't eaten with a banana.

Dear readers, I have yet to post an additional 10 more sabayah recipes. These recipes are more of a dessert than one that you would eat with a sauce. Since folding sabayah is somewhat difficult, I plan on making a step-by-step guide on how to make it in the form of a square and a round. Some people have commented that some of the recipes are somewhat unusual, like chocolate or honey and nut sabayah. These are creations that my kids came up with. My husband wouldn't touch it but the kids really loved it. As for the sabayah made with vegetables, it is a great way to get your kids to eat their veggies.

This delicious version of the Somali sabayah is good enough to eat on its own. 2 cups white flour 1 cup shredded zucchini 1 sm. onion; finely chopped 1 ts. salt 1 Tbsp. garlic 1/4 c. cilantro; chopped 3/4 c. warm water oil for brushing 1. Combine the water, flour, salt, garlic, zucchini, and the cilantro in a bowl; mix to form a dough. 2. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 15 minutes. 3. Cover and set aside in a warm place for 2 hours. (The longer it sits, the easier it is to roll.) 4. Knead for 2 minutes on a heavily floured surface and then divide into 4 pieces. 5. Lightly coat each piece in flour and flatten slightly. 6. Flatten with a rolling pin until each piece is very thin and shaped like a square; brush with oil. 7. Fold and set aside. See instructions on how to fold here. 8. Flatten with a rolling pin until each piece is about 1/4 inch thick. 9. Preheat a skillet over low - medium heat and brush with oil. 10. Place one sabaya in the pan and cook for 30 seconds. 11. Br...

2 cups white flour 1 sweet potato; shredded with a cheese grater 1 ts. salt 1 Tbsp. garlic 1 Tbsp. sugar 3/4 c. warm water 2 Tbsp. oil 1. Combine the water, flours, salt, garlic, sweet potatoe and the oil in a bowl; mix to form a dough. 2. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 15 minutes. 3. Cover and set aside in a warm place for 2 hours. (The longer it sits, the easier it is to roll.) 4. Knead for 2 minutes on a heavily floured surface and then divide into 4 pieces. 5. Lightly coat each piece in flour and flatten slightly. 6. Flatten with a rolling pin until each piece is very thin and shaped like a square; brush with oil. 7. Fold and set aside. See instructions on how to fold here. 8. Flatten with a rolling pin until each piece is about 1/4 inch thick. 9. Preheat a skillet over low - medium heat and brush with oil. 10. Place one sabaya in the pan and cook for 30 seconds. 11. Brush with oil and then flip. 12. Gently press down the sabaya so that it cooks evenly on the bottom. 13...

2 cups white flour 1 cup cooked chicken; cut into very small pieces or shredded (I like to shred it.) 1/2 sm. onion; finely chopped 1 ts. salt 1 Tbsp. garlic 2 Tbsp. chives 1 chili; finely chopped 3/4 c. warm water 2 Tbsp. oil 1. Combine the water, flour, salt, garlic, chives, chicken and the oil in a bowl; mix to form a dough. 2. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 15 minutes. 3. Cover and set aside in a warm place for 2 hours. (The longer it sits, the easier it is to roll.) 4. Knead for 2 minutes on a heavily floured surface and then divide into 4 pieces. 5. Lightly coat each piece in flour and flatten slightly. 6. Flatten with a rolling pin until each piece is very thin and shaped like a square; brush with oil. 7. Fold and set aside. See instructions on how to fold here. 8. Flatten with a rolling pin until each piece is about 1/4 inch thick. 9. Preheat a skillet over low - medium heat and brush with oil. 10. Place one sabaya in the pan and cook for 30 seconds. 11. Brush with ...

2 cups white flour 2 cups boiled cauliflower 1 sm. onion; finely chopped 1 ts. salt 1 ts. pepper 1 Tbsp. garlic 1 Tbsp. sugar 3/4 c. warm water 2 Tbsp. oil oil for brushing 1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl; mix to form a dough. 2. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 15 minutes. 3. Cover and set aside in a warm place for 2 hours. (The longer it sits, the easier it is to roll.) 4. Knead for 2 minutes on a heavily floured surface and then divide into 4 pieces. 5. Lightly coat each piece in flour and flatten slightly. 6. Flatten with a rolling pin until each piece is very thin and shaped like a square; brush with oil. 7. Fold and set aside. See instructions on how to fold here. 8. Flatten with a rolling pin until each piece is about 1/4 inch thick. 9. Preheat a skillet over low - medium heat and brush with oil. 10. Place one sabaya in the pan and cook for 30 seconds. 11. Brush with oil and then flip. 12. Gently press down the sabaya so that it cooks evenly on the bottom. 13. Fli...

3 c. shredded cabbage 1 sm. onion; finely chopped 2 Tbsp. oil 2 cups white flour 1 ts. salt 1 ts. pepper 1 Tbsp. garlic 1 Tbsp. sugar 3/4 c. warm water 1. Heat the oil in a pan; add the cabbage and the onion. 2. Cook until the cabbage is soft; set aside and cool. 3. Combine the water, flour, salt, pepper, garlic, and the cabbage mixture in a bowl; mix to form a dough. 4. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 15 minutes. 5. Cover and set aside in a warm place for 2 hours. (The longer it sits, the easier it is to roll.) 6. Knead for 2 minutes on a heavily floured surface and then divide into 4 pieces. 7. Lightly coat each piece in flour and flatten slightly. 8. Flatten with a rolling pin until each piece is very thin and shaped like a square; brush with oil. 9. Fold and set aside. See instructions on how to fold here. 10. Flatten with a rolling pin until each piece is about 1/4 inch thick. 11. Preheat a skillet over low - medium heat and brush with oil. 12. Place one sabaya in the ...

Dear readers I have been experimenting with the plain sabayah. I have created 13 very delicious (and some interesting) recipes.