ExploFood · Africa
What to eat in Djibouti
Five dishes to try in Djibouti, the most typical first. Two are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Djibouti
Skoudehkaris
Spiced rice cooked with lamb or goat, tomato and cardamom.
How to have it: The national dish; served at lunch with a banana on the side and hot sauce.
Fah-fah
Spicy goat or beef soup with vegetables and green chilli.
How to have it: Eaten with flatbread to soak up the broth; common at family meals and small eateries.
Lahoh Laxoox
Thin, spongy fermented flatbread.
How to have it: Breakfast with honey, ghee and sugar, or with liver; drink spiced tea alongside.
Sambusa
Fried triangular pastry filled with spiced minced meat.
How to have it: The classic snack to break the fast during Ramadan evenings.
Xalwo
Sticky, spiced sweet of sugar, butter, cardamom and nutmeg.
How to have it: Served at weddings and Eid with black coffee or tea.
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Questions
What food is Djibouti famous for?
Skoudehkaris (spiced rice cooked with lamb or goat, tomato and cardamom) comes first on our list, followed by Fah-fah, Lahoh, Sambusa and Xalwo.
What is the national dish of Djibouti?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Djibouti is Skoudehkaris: spiced rice cooked with lamb or goat, tomato and cardamom. The national dish; served at lunch with a banana on the side and hot sauce.
Which dishes in Djibouti are vegetarian?
Two of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Lahoh and Xalwo. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Djibouti?
Sambusa (fried triangular pastry filled with spiced minced meat).
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.