A FOOD TRADITION
Harari Cuisine
Harari cuisine is rooted in the historic walled city of Harar and its surrounding eastern Ethiopian communities, reflecting Muslim, regional highland, and long-distance trading connections. It features flatbreads, grains, legumes, meat, clarified butter, spices, and aromatic sauces, with stewing, griddle cooking, stuffing, and communal platter service among its characteristic practices. Examples include shuwa, a slow-cooked meat preparation; maraq, a seasoned soup or stew; and distinctive breads and filled pastries served in Harari households. The cuisine is closely connected to neighboring Oromo, Somali, and Afar foodways, so particular dishes and techniques should not be treated as exclusive to Harari people.
Dishes linked to this cuisine
1–5 of 5
Maqli
A Harari meat dish seasoned with onion and spices and prepared as a special food for Eid celebrations.
Maraq
A Somali/Djiboutian-style meat-and-vegetable broth or stew simmered with onion, garlic, vegetables, and spices; preparation and consistency vary by regional and household tradition.
Saf-Maraq
A Harari meat sauce prepared with onion and spices and served as part of the community's bread-and-sauce meal tradition.
Tuftuf
A Harari wheat-flour preparation traditionally eaten at breakfast.
Ukat
A fermented Harari griddle bread, most often made from sorghum and eaten with a meat sauce called maraq.
Catalogue preview Cuisine connections may be unreviewed. Regional comparisons include their food references and do not establish the ingredients of a particular meal.