Basbaas, New York, NY (2026)

05/10/2023

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08/07/2022

Suugo Suqaar (Pasta Sauce with Beef)

Somalia was colonized by the Italians for so long that pasta is just as popular as Canjeero.

Suugo is the most popular Somali pasta sauce and resembles an easy weeknight meat sauce, but has the added flavor of Xawaash , making it distinctly Somali (and distinctly tasty). You can substitute ground turkey or ground chicken in place of the beef if you’d like. Serve with cooked pasta (any shape you like works, whether a strand like spaghetti or a shorter cut like penne). If you’re gluten-free, try serving it over Ma Maria’s Xima or roasted sweet potatoes. Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week and in the freezer for up to 2 months (defrost the day before in the refrigerator).

Serves 4

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped 1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 pound ground beef
3 tablespoons Xawaash Spice Mix
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
Large handful fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, for serving
For serving: cooked spaghetti (or whatever shape pasta you like)
Place the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic, green pepper, and onion. Cook, stirring now and then, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Add the beef, Xawaash Spice Mix, and salt and cook, stirring now and then to break up the beef, until the meat is browned, about 15 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and diced tomatoes (and their juice). Fill the tomato can halfway with water and add it to the pot and stir well to combine, being sure to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Increase the heat to high and bring the sauce to a boil, then decrease the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring now and then as the sauce cooks. Season the sauce to taste with salt. Serve hot over cooked spaghetti with the cilantro sprinkled on top.

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07/31/2022

Kunde

Kunde is the Swahili word for black-eyed peas or cowpeas. Serve these stewed peas, fragrant with tomatoes and peanuts, with cooked rice for a quick, affordable, very filling, and totally vegan meal. Feel free to add some diced sweet potatoes or peeled and chopped winter squash to the pot, along with some chopped dark leafy greens (like kale or collards) if you want to stretch the beans into a heartier and even healthier dish. Just simmer until the vegetables
are tender. (If you’re adding a lot of extra vegetables, up the water by 1/2 cup or so to account for the added volume.)
Serves 4

1⁄4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts or 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 large tomato, finely chopped Kosher salt
2 (15.5-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed 1⁄2 cup water

If using whole peanuts, place them in a mini food processor and pulse until finely ground, almost like sand. Set the peanuts aside.

Warm the oil in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the coriander and turmeric and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato and a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid from the tomato has evaporated and the
mixture is quite dry, about 5 minutes.
Add the peas, peanuts (or peanut butter, if using), and water, increase the heat to
high, and bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer just until the peas have absorbed some of the wonderful flavor, about 5 minutes. Season the peas to taste with salt and serve immediately, while hot. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a few days and rewarmed in a heavy pot set over low heat (stir while you heat).

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07/24/2022

Sukuma Wiki

These well-seasoned greens are similar to collards, which, with their fragrant potlikker, are popular in the American South and are a reminder of the undeniably deep threads that tie together African and African American cooking. Sukuma wiki means “to stretch the week”—in other words, using these greens, which are affordable and readily available,can help stretch any meal a bit further. Greens are a staple in Kenyan cooking and in most East African cooking in general. Serve this dish with rice for a traditional, healthy, and completely vegan meal.
Serves 4

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1⁄2 teaspoon ground coriander
1⁄2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 pound kale and/or collards (or any dark leafy greens),tough stems discarded, leaves coarsely chopped
Kosher salt
1⁄2 cup water
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Warm the oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot set over medium heat. Add the onion, cumin, coriander, and turmeric and cook, stirring, until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, greens, a large pinch of salt, and the water. Stir everything well to combine, cover, and simmer until the greens are very tender and soft, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, season the greens to taste with salt, and serve immediately.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a few days and rewarmed in a heavy pot set over low heat (stir while you heat).

07/17/2022

Vegan Basbaas Buddha Bowl

Here is a vegan friendly dish to make when you’re craving a quick delicious and healthy meal.

Serves 2

2 sweet potatoes, cubed and roasted
1 head cauliflower, chopped and roasted
2 cups beans of your choice,(canned or freshly cooked)
1 cup brown rice, cooked
1 generous helpings of Basbaas Tamarind Date sauce to taste

Toss sweet potatoes and cauliflower with 2 tbsp coconut oil & roast for 30 min at 400°.

After, put all of your ingredients into a big bowl, and top with Basbaas Tamarind date sauce.

07/10/2022

Scallops with Mango, Avocado Relish with Coconut Cilantro Chutney

Serves 4

12 large scallops
Sea salt
Canola oil
1 mango, cubed
1/2 avocado, cubed
2 tablespoons of cubed red pepper
1 tablespoon finely cubed red onion
1 tablespoon Coconut Cilantro Chutney

Remove the muscle on the side of each scallop and discard. Then lay your scallops on a plate lined with a paper towel.

In a large bowl, mix the mango, avocado, red pepper, red onion and chutney.

Heat a large skillet (big enough not to crowd the scallops) and season the scallops on both sides with sea salt.

Add enough Canola oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Just before it starts to smoke, add the scallops and cook until you get a beautiful brown sear – about 2 minutes per side (no more than that as they can overcook very quickly). Remove to clean paper towels.

Divide the relish among 4 plates, spooning into the center of each plate to create height. To finish, top each plate with 3 scallops. Serve while the scallops are still warm.

07/03/2022

Coconut Cilantro Hummus

This fun take on hummus is so bright and fresh - it’s a great dip for veggies or flatbreads, but you can also use as a sandwich spread or in a grain bowl. You can make this a day or two ahead and it just gets better as the flavors combine.

Serves 6 to 8
1 (15.5 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 2 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves
1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
1/4 cup Basbaas Coconut Cilantro Chutney
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt, to taste
Hot sauce, to taste

Combine the chickpeas, spinach and cilantro in a food processor and pulse until chunky. Add the Coconut CIlantro Chutney, coconut milk and olive oil and process until smooth and light, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

06/26/2022

Canjeero
Canjeero, sometimes also called lahoh, are thin pancakes made from a fermented batter that are similar to Ethiopian injera, but lighter in flavor, smaller in size, and faster and easier to make. Instead of ground teff and water and nothing else, the sourdough starter for canjeero is made with a little bit of yeast which helps speed up the fermentation along with ground corn.

Makes 1 dozen
1 cup finely ground white cornmeal
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
5 cups lukewarm water, divided
3 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon unsalted butter (or neutral oil)

Place the cornmeal, yeast, and 2 cups of the lukewarm water in a large bowl and stir together vigorously with a spoon. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it sit at room temperature until small bubbles appear on top and the mixture is slightly risen, about 1 hour.
Add the remaining 3 cups lukewarm water, sugar, baking powder, and salt to the bowl and stir well to combine. Whisk in the all-purpose flour until the mixture is smooth. Cover the bowl once more with the clean kitchen towel and let it sit at room temperature for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours to help develop the fermented flavor.
When you’re ready to cook the pancakes, place the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Once it’s melted and the skillet is hot, stir the batter well and ladle enough of it into the skillet to form a thin, even layer across the bottom, tilting the pan to coat the surface (the exact amount will depend on the size of your skillet but figure about 1/2 cup).

Use your ladle to swirl the top of the batter so make some circular grooves on the surface. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook until no liquid remains on the surface and the underside is barely golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the pancake to a plate and repeat the process with the remaining batter until you’ve used it all up (no need to add more butter after the first pancake).

Stack the pancakes as your make them and serve them as they are or roll them up. Either way, serve warm.

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06/19/2022

Awaze Avocado Toast with Soft Boiled Eggs

Awaze Sauce is a staple sauce of Ethiopia.. It’s base is berbere spice blend, moistened with t’ej - Ethiopian honey wine - to make a thin paste you can spread or drizzle on just about anything. Since honey wine is hard to find here, we use a combination of a dry red table wine and honey. You can use this versatile sauce a finishing or dipping sauce for just about everything - meat, fish, roasted vegetables and especially eggs. Both the awaze and pickled red onions can be made and stored in the refrigerator for a week or two, so you can make this spicy, tangy breakfast (or lunch!) any day of the week.

Serves 2
2 large eggs
2 slices dark rye bread
Ghee or unsalted butter, for brushing Awaze sauce
1 ripe avocado, pitted
Kosher salt
Pickled red onions and jalapenos, for garnish
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Put the eggs in a small saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to the lowest setting.

Cook for 6 to 7 minutes (6 will produce set whites with a runny yolk, at 7 minutes the yolk will be almost set but still a bit jammy in the center), then transfer to an ice bath to cool. Peel and halve the eggs.

Toast the rye bread and brush one side with ghee or butter. Put a peeled avocado on each slice of toast. Mash coarsely with a fork and season with salt. Top with the egg halves. Drizzle with awaze sauce and top with pickled red onions and jalapenos and cilantro leaves.

Awaze Sauce:
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup berbere spice blend
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt

In a small bowl, stir together the red wine and honey. Stir in the berbere spice blend and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt. The sauce will be a little runny, but will thicken as it sits. (This makes more awaze than you’ll need for the recipe, but it keeps for at least a week in the fridge and is wonderful on roast meats or vegetables or stirred into cooked grains. If it is too thick once refrigerated, stir in a few teaspoons of hot water.)

06/12/2022

Zanzibar Pilau

Zanzibar, an archipelago off the coast of mainland Tanzania, is home to about a million people…The name pilau, just like the term pilaf, derives from the Persian term polow, which is rice mixed with things like spices, nuts, and meat. This dish is also very similar to Bariis (Basmati Rice Pilaf with Raisins) but is made with coconut milk and without tomato or raisins. If you are vegan, feel free to substitute coconut oil or olive oil for the butter

1 cup long-grained white rice (preferably basmati)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or ghee
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
5 green cardamom pods
1 (2-inch) piece cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Place the rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse with cold tap water, stirring the rice gently with your hands, until the water runs clear through it, about 1 minute.Place the rinsed rice into a bowl, cover with cold water, and let it soak for at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the butter in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, and ground cloves, and cook, stirring, until the mixture smells very fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the coconut milk, boiling water, and salt.

Drain the rice and add it to the pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is tender, about 15 minutes.

Turn off the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for at least 10 minutes before fluffing with a spoon or a fork. Remove and discard the cinnamon and cardamom (if you can find them, they tend to hide—if you can’t find them, just warn your guests). Serve the rice immediately while it’s hot.

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06/05/2022

Cumin and Lime Roasted Salmon and Asparagus
Searing salmon in coconut oil adds a sweet, slightly nutty flavor and echoes the flavors in Basbaas’ Coconut Cilantro Chutney. A warm dusting of cumin and a tart squeeze of lime complete this easy but flavor-packed combination.

Serves 4
1 bunch medium thickness asparagus
2 tablespoons refined coconut oil, melted
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 lime
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 (6 ounce) pieces skinless salmon fillet, preferably center cut Baby spinach leaves, for serving
Basbaas Coconut Cilantro Chutney, for serving

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Set a heavy duty rimmed baking sheet on the bottom rack while the oven preheats.

Wash and then snap off the tough ends of the asparagus at their natural breaking point (usually about a quarter to third of the way up from the bottom of the stalk). Peel the lower part of the stalks with a vegetable peeler. Toss the asparagus in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil, 1 teaspoon cumin and the lime zest. Season with salt and pepper. Spread on the preheated baking sheet and roast, tossing once halfway through, until golden and just tender, 12 to 14 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the salmon all over with the remaining teaspoon of cumin. Season with salt and pepper. When the skillet is hot, add the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil and swirl to melt. Add the salmon fillets, flesh side down and sear until nicely browned, about 2 minutes. Flip and brown the second side, 1 to 2
minutes.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the salmon is cooked to your liking, anywhere from 3 to 6 minutes depending on your doneness preferences.
When the salmon comes out of the oven, immediately squeeze the juice of the lime over it. Spread some baby spinach on serving plates and top with the salmon and asparagus.

05/29/2022

Rum with Homemade Berry Soda

Rum is the most popular spirit in Mozambique, and it’s normally paired with a berry soda. We opted to make our own soda, so it’s not too sweet. While we make the soda with dark rum, per Mozambique tradition-you can make the soda with tequila, gin, or vodka. You could also substitute sparkling wine for the seltzer or skip the rum altogether and just enjoy the soda on its own with a splash of like or lemon juice.

Serves 4

1 10oz bag of packaged frozen mixed berries
1/4 cup of honey
1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup of dark rum
2 cups seltzer
Ice, for serving

Place the berries (and whatever delicious juice is in package with them), honey, and lemon juice in the blender and purée until smooth. Filter the mixture in a fine sieve into a pitcher and press down to get all the flavors from the berries. Stir in the rum and seltzer. Fill with ice and divide the drink amongst the guests evenly.

Basbaas

05/10/2023

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07/10/2022

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05/29/2022

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