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Matbakh | Food of the Arab WorldAuthor: afikra
Matbakh is a podcast series about eating, making, appreciating and learning about the food and drink of the Arab world. We invite chefs, restaurateurs and food historians, critics and writers to share their takes on the best of what the Arab kitchen has to offer both past and present. We delve into well-loved and under-appreciated dishes, ingredients and flavors, as well as the history of the regions food and what its future might be, always highlighting little anecdotes and food stories that our guests know and cherish. Language: en Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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The Sudanese Kitchen | Omer Al Tijani
Episode 42
Monday, 27 October, 2025
Discover an extensive amount of Sudanese dishes and ingredients (that you probably have never heard) shared by the author of The Sudanese Kitchen cookbook, who delves into them in nuanced detail. Sudan's culinary practices and history are extremely rich and diverse, changing from region to region in the country. This episode explores Sudanese food as a unique fusion cuisine, shaped by diverse cultural influences from the Levant, the Mediterranean, and East and West Africa. Al Tijani discusses his journey to document these recipes, highlighting the activism inherent in preserving Sudan's culinary heritage amidst political turmoil and aiming to place Sudanese food in public consciousness beyond just Sudan. He also shares insights into regional variations, the historical timeline of ingredients and influences, and the challenges and triumphs of archiving Sudan's vibrant food culture. The book is available to ship internationally and the website sudanese.kitchen is a massive resource to use freely with a recipe archive and important information that's accessible to all. 0:00 Documenting Sudanese Food and Its Regional Distinctions1:07 The Genesis of "The Sudanese Kitchen" Project2:11 Travel in Difficult Times and Changing Perspectives2:46 The Challenges of Archiving3:37 Five Iconic Sudanese Dishes3:54 Why Sudanese Restaurants Are Not as Common as Ethiopian4:28 Culinary Identity: Unity vs Fragmentation 4:56 Sudan's Agricultural Potential5:10 A Historical Culinary Timeline5:31 Hopes for Sudan's Future7:04 Similarities with Levantine Food: Ta’mia and Fuul9:44 Sudanese Cheese: Influences from Syria and Greece10:36 West African and Indigenous Sudanese Influences12:32 Navigating Regional Terminology in Sudanese Cuisine14:19 Identifying Sudanese Spices and Preparation15:47 The Importance of Peanuts in Sudanese Food18:34 Discovering Regional Dishes Beyond Khartoum19:48 Geographic Influences on Sudanese Cuisine22:04 The Journey of a Food Archivist: Travel and Oral Histories24:43 The Start of the Project and Revolutionary Challenges28:18 Public Reception to Documenting Sudanese Food29:47 Mom's Feedback and Recipe Selection31:06 The Five Strongest Dishes from Sudanese Cuisine31:41 Dish 1: Mullah Na'emia32:59 Dish 2: Salatat Aswad (Salatat Banzenjan)34:02 Dish 3: Agashe (Spicy Peanut Meat Dish)35:00 Dish 4: Hilu-Mur (Fermented Sorghum Drink)36:14 Dish 5: Kunafa Malfouf (Rolled Kunafa with Peanuts and Dates)37:43 Why Sudanese Restaurants Are Less Prevalent Globally40:53 Food as a Form of Activism and Resistance43:00 Shedding Light on the Famine in Sudan44:48 Sudan's Potential as Africa's Breadbasket45:47 Exploring Sudan's Culinary and Historical Timeline50:47 Pre-Columbian Sudanese Cuisine51:50 Nomadic Lifestyles and Portable Foods52:38 Hopes for the Book: Highlighting Sudan's Richness and Diversity53:30 Awareness of Sudan in the Arab World54:47 The Importance of Self-Criticism and Addressing Blind Spots56:19 The Sudanese Kitchen Website: A Comprehensive Resource Omar Al Tijani is a food archivist from Sudan, based in London. He's the author of an unique book and website project called The Sudanese Kitchen which he's travelled across Sudan to document, mainly through oral histories. Connect with Omer Al Tijani 👉 https://instagram.com/sudanesekitchen Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns FOLLOW & RATE THE MATBAKH:» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afikra-matbakh/id1646402301» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4GuszMVmvx0XM2zYLmVQK2» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1035528225 THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORKExplore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl48-5Y0F7sx2xoexSoeBUWJ FOLLOW & RATE THE MATBAKH PODCAST:» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/matbakh/id1646402301» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4GuszMVmvx0XM2zYLmVQK2» Anghami: https://www.anghami.com/podcast/1035528225THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORKExplore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl48-5Y0F7sx2xoexSoeBUWJ&feature=sharedABOUT AFIKRAafikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
