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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.

ONE DISH, DIFFERENT PLACES

How the dish changes by place.

Compare regional styles of dishes linked to this cuisine: the city or region, the local name and what changes in the bowl or on the plate. These are food traditions; individual cooks have their own versions.

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Catalogue preview Cuisine connections may be unreviewed. Regional comparisons include their food references and do not establish the ingredients of a particular meal.