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| Marinated Nile perch, sorghum dumplings and fuul: putting Sudanese cuisine on the map | Marinated Nile perch, sorghum dumplings and fuul: putting Sudanese cuisine on the map |
| (7 months later) | |
| Preparing vegetables at his aunt’s house in a quiet Khartoum neighbourhood, Omer Eltigani has bigger ambitions than learning family recipes. | Preparing vegetables at his aunt’s house in a quiet Khartoum neighbourhood, Omer Eltigani has bigger ambitions than learning family recipes. |
| The young British-Sudanese pharmacist, 31, wants to bring Sudanese cuisine to the rest of the world with the first non-Arabic cookbook aimed at foreign diners. | The young British-Sudanese pharmacist, 31, wants to bring Sudanese cuisine to the rest of the world with the first non-Arabic cookbook aimed at foreign diners. |
| While Sudan’s cooking has not tickled foodies’ palates as much as its Ethiopian neighbours, Eltigani said he hopes to change this – highlighting Sudan’s culinary influences from Africa and the Arab world. | While Sudan’s cooking has not tickled foodies’ palates as much as its Ethiopian neighbours, Eltigani said he hopes to change this – highlighting Sudan’s culinary influences from Africa and the Arab world. |
| The project, dubbed Sudanese Kitchen, was originally born from homesickness. | The project, dubbed Sudanese Kitchen, was originally born from homesickness. |
| Irish-born Eltigani was raised in Khartoum until he was seven when he moved to Britain. Wherever the family went, he had his mother’s home cooking until he moved to Manchester to study. | Irish-born Eltigani was raised in Khartoum until he was seven when he moved to Britain. Wherever the family went, he had his mother’s home cooking until he moved to Manchester to study. |
| “I was living at uni and I really missed my Mum’s food, so I would go home and ask her for recipes,” he said. | “I was living at uni and I really missed my Mum’s food, so I would go home and ask her for recipes,” he said. |
| He learned to cook from scratch, starting with the dish he missed the most: lamb meatballs, popular across the region, served in a thick Sudanese tomato and garlic sauce. | He learned to cook from scratch, starting with the dish he missed the most: lamb meatballs, popular across the region, served in a thick Sudanese tomato and garlic sauce. |
| He started sharing his recipes with cousins, eventually setting up a website, and found that people from all over the world were interested in this relatively unknown cuisine. | He started sharing his recipes with cousins, eventually setting up a website, and found that people from all over the world were interested in this relatively unknown cuisine. |
| In October 2015 he decided to dedicate himself to writing the book. So he quit his job and travelled to Khartoumfor a 10-day research visit, in January. | In October 2015 he decided to dedicate himself to writing the book. So he quit his job and travelled to Khartoumfor a 10-day research visit, in January. |
| He collected family recipes, cooked with his two aunts, and visited restaurants, markets and museums. | He collected family recipes, cooked with his two aunts, and visited restaurants, markets and museums. |
| “It’s about placing the food in its context,” Eltigani explained. The book will include around 40 recipes and is aimed at foreigners but also Sudanese chefs looking to learn more about their country’s cooking. | “It’s about placing the food in its context,” Eltigani explained. The book will include around 40 recipes and is aimed at foreigners but also Sudanese chefs looking to learn more about their country’s cooking. |
| Politics at the table | Politics at the table |
| But his insistence on tying the cuisine to Sudan’s turbulent history has made difficulties in finding publishers in Britain, who would prefer just a book of plain recipes, he said, but “you can’t really not talk about politics and talk about Sudan”. | But his insistence on tying the cuisine to Sudan’s turbulent history has made difficulties in finding publishers in Britain, who would prefer just a book of plain recipes, he said, but “you can’t really not talk about politics and talk about Sudan”. |
| Under Arab and African influences, Sudan was colonised in the 19th century by the Ottomans, and then by Britain and Egypt until 1956. | Under Arab and African influences, Sudan was colonised in the 19th century by the Ottomans, and then by Britain and Egypt until 1956. |
| Its post-independence history has been blighted by civil war, military dictatorship, unrest and poverty and each period has affected the way Sudanese people eat, Eltigani said. A fact he wants to be central to the book. | Its post-independence history has been blighted by civil war, military dictatorship, unrest and poverty and each period has affected the way Sudanese people eat, Eltigani said. A fact he wants to be central to the book. |
| He also hopes the richness of Sudan’s cuisine will win fans around the world. | He also hopes the richness of Sudan’s cuisine will win fans around the world. |
| “What grows in the area, that definitely shapes what is made here,” he adds. | “What grows in the area, that definitely shapes what is made here,” he adds. |
| In the troubled Darfur region, the locally grown sorghum grain is milled to form assida, a porridge-like dumpling served with stews, while groups living along the Nile eat tilapia and Nile perch, marinated and often served with a rocket salad. | In the troubled Darfur region, the locally grown sorghum grain is milled to form assida, a porridge-like dumpling served with stews, while groups living along the Nile eat tilapia and Nile perch, marinated and often served with a rocket salad. |
| Made for sharing | Made for sharing |
| Sudan’s best food cannot be found in restaurants or at food stalls lining the capital’s streets, Eltigani said. | Sudan’s best food cannot be found in restaurants or at food stalls lining the capital’s streets, Eltigani said. |
| “For me Sudanese cooking is from the home,” he said, emphasising the importance of cooking with family. | “For me Sudanese cooking is from the home,” he said, emphasising the importance of cooking with family. |
| Foreigners in Khartoum can enjoy delicious Nile fish or fuul – cooked fava beans flavoured with cumin and olive oil – in restaurants but they will never try the best unless they eat with a family, he says. | Foreigners in Khartoum can enjoy delicious Nile fish or fuul – cooked fava beans flavoured with cumin and olive oil – in restaurants but they will never try the best unless they eat with a family, he says. |
| “The dishes made are made for sharing,” he said, “when you’re eating together you feel like you’re part of a community.” | “The dishes made are made for sharing,” he said, “when you’re eating together you feel like you’re part of a community.” |