Sudan is a large African
country with many geographic extremes. There are almost 600 tribes located
there and they all speak Arabic. Sudanese cuisine combines the backgrounds of
the people who have had colonies in Sudan.
Hospitality is very
important in Sudan as it is in other Arab countries. The Sudanese are known for
their coffee - they fry the beans and grind them with cloves and spices.
Sheep are slaughtered in
the honor of important guests and then many dishes are prepared.
The most important meats
are lamb and chicken. Rice is the most popular starch and the Sudanese also make
Kisra which is an omelette- like pancake that is a part of the Sudanese dinner. There are an infinite amount of vegetables both fresh and cooked. Okra lamb stew is also
an important Sudanese dish. Fruits are peeled and
cut in small slices for dessert, a custom that is done in all Arab countries.
However, the Sudanese also love sweets and one of the most popular desserts is
Creme Caramela.
In Africa, it is very important to show concern
and respect for one's guest. As a guest enters a Sudanese home, he/she is
immediately offered Abre or Tabrihana, which is a nonalcoholic fruit drink only
slightly sweetened so that it does not ruin his/her appetite. This is a symbolic
gesture that welcomes the guest home from his/her long journey.
Dinner is served on a
low table that has nothing on it. Guests are given pillows that are decorated with
ostrich feathers. An important ritual in Sudan is the pouring of water over the
hands of the guests from an ewer and having the water fall into a copper basin.
Large cloths to cover that knees are used as napkins.
Dinner starts with soup,
brought out in individual bowls on a huge, round, decorated copper tray. The
large tray is placed on the table. Spoons are offered to the guests.
After the soup has been
eaten, the tray is removed and another tray is brought in with all the dishes
of the main course resting on beaded doilies. There are about five or six dishes.
Spoons may be used but the Sudanese usually use Kisra or Khubz to eat their
dishes with. Four dishes are individually served which are the soup, the salad,
the Shata and the dessert.
http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Cookbook/Sudan.html
Great relevant topic. Sudan has often been in the news for better or for worse but it is great to dig a little deeper into their culture to get a better understanding of who they are and why things could be happening in their country. The hospitality customs of Sudan is really a specific topic and I thought it was really intersing and informative and I compared it to my own as well as American customs while reading this. Thanks.
ReplyDelete