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Nafaqo (Somali potato-wrapped eggs)
Nafaqo: boiled eggs hugged in spiced mashed potato, dipped in batter and fried golden
Sold warm from street stalls and cafés around Mogadishu, especially in the late afternoon and at iftar in Ramadan, nafaqo is a fried snack with a surprise inside: a whole boiled egg wrapped in mashed potato seasoned with onion, coriander and xawaash. A light chickpea-flour batter gives it a crisp golden shell, and it is cut in half to show the yolk and eaten with a squeeze of lime and hot green chilli sauce. Kids love it, and it travels well in a lunchbox. A common mistake is using wet, freshly boiled mash, which slides off the egg and splits in the oil; steam-dry the potatoes and let the mash cool before shaping. Chef's tip: roll the peeled eggs in a little chickpea flour before wrapping them, so the potato grips the slippery white.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the eggs and potato
- 6 eggs
- 1 ¾ lb potatoesfloury, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onionvery finely chopped
- 2 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 tsp xawaash spice mixSomali blend of cumin, coriander, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and turmeric; ready-made or homemade
- ½ oz fresh corianderfinely chopped
- 1 green chilli (optional)finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
For the batter and frying
- 4 oz chickpea flourplus 2 tbsp for dusting the eggs
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¾ cup cold water
- 4 ¼ cups vegetable oilfor deep-frying
To serve
- 1 lime (optional)cut into wedges
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Lower the 6 eggs into boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, then cool in cold water and peel.
10 minStep 2: At the same time, boil the 1 ¾ lb potatoes in salted water for 15 minutes until a knife slides in. Drain and leave them in the hot pan for 2 minutes to steam dry, then mash until smooth.
17 minStep 3: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a small pan over a medium heat and fry the 1 onion for 4 minutes until soft. Add the 2 cloves garlic and 1 tsp xawaash spice mix for 30 seconds, then stir it all into the mash with the ½ oz fresh coriander, 1 green chilli and 1 tsp salt. Spread out on a plate to cool for 10 minutes.
15 minStep 4: Dust the eggs lightly in a little of the ⅝ oz chickpea flour. Divide the cooled mash into six, flatten one portion in your palm, set an egg in the middle and press the potato up and around it into a smooth, even oval about 1 cm thick with no cracks.
Step 5: Whisk the rest of the 4 oz chickpea flour with the ½ tsp ground turmeric, a pinch of salt and the ¾ cup cold water into a smooth batter that coats a spoon, like thick cream.
Step 6: Heat the 4 ¼ cups vegetable oil in a deep pan to 350°F (a drop of batter should sizzle and rise straight away). Dip each nafaqo in the batter, let the excess drip off and fry two or three at a time for 3–4 minutes, turning, until deep golden and crisp.
12 minStep 7: Drain on kitchen paper, cut in half and serve warm with 1 lime.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nafaqo (Somali potato-wrapped eggs) take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
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