SOOMAALIYA: An Evening with Ifrah F. Ahmed and Maryam Jillani

Join us for an evening of conversation about Ifrah F. Ahmed's highly anticipated debut cookbook, SOOMAALIYA

ABOUT THE COOKBOOK

75 recipes spanning cherished classics and modern interpretations, bringing the soul of Somali cooking to the world stage. In Soomaaliya, Ifrah F. Ahmed tells the story of her country through its history, its food, and its people. Somalia’s role in the spice trade yields xawaash, the most distinctive of Somali flavors, a heady blend of cumin, coriander, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and turmeric that’s used in everything from marinades to stews.

Cardamom also finds its ways into thin, fragrant crepes, sweet fried beignets called bur, and bariis, rice spiced with cardamom and cumin. This rice is paired hilib ari, tender goat meat stew that is a product of Somalia’s deep roots in herding and agrarianism. Baasto, or pasta, a relic of the long Italian colonial rule, is served with a range of simple tomato sauces to ragus. The bountiful waters supply fish freshly caught and fried. And for afternoon tea, a pot of spiced shaah, served with thick slices doolsho, an aromatic cardamom cake. These are a just a few of the over 70 recipes included that introduce the foundational flavors and tastes of the Somali palate.

Expansive and generous, and fueled by a deep love, Soomaaliya is a celebration of the richness of Somali food, and the remarkable resilience of its people.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ifrah F. Ahmed is a Somali-born, New York-based writer, chef, recipe developer, and artist whose work centers around food, history, culture, memory, and migration. Her writing and recipes are published in The New York Times, where she is a regular contributor, and she has bylines in Vogue, Eater, TASTE, and the Los Angeles Times, amongst many others. Her popular Somali culinary pop-up MILK & MYRRH has routinely sold out in Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York and she has been featured in NPR, The New York Times Style Magazine, and The Washington Post. Named one of Cherry Bombe's "Future of Food 50", she is dedicated to the preservation of Somali culinary traditions.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Maryam Jillani is a food writer currently based in Washington, DC. Born and raised in Islamabad, Pakistan, Maryam has also lived and worked in Cambodia, Mexico, and the United States, making her a global citizen and skilled cross-cultural reporter. From reporting on Juarez, Mexico’s changing culinary landscape, to documenting the impact of Afghan refugees on Islamabad’s dining scene, Maryam has become adept at highlighting culinary stories of underreported communities. Maryam’s writing has been published by Al Jazeera, Condé Nast Traveler, Food52 and NPR, among others. As the founder of the award-winning website, Pakistan Eats, which documents Pakistani cuisine from across the country, she is also an experienced developer of South Asian recipes.