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Spaghetti bolognese is staple in households around the country, offering hungry mouths a comforting dish to warm their souls. However, one food creator believed we should be looking to a completely different country for an elevated pasta experience.
Justin Arthur, a member of the Channel 4 Served team, is taking our taste buds to the African continent for an innovative take on pasta. He introduced social media to Suugo Suqaar, a traditional spicy pasta dish from Somalia with a fruity twist. Have you ever eaten spaghetti bolognese with banana?
In a TikTok video from June, Justin said: “I know what you’re thinking. Why is there a banana on this bolognese? Some of you might not know this, but Italian spaghetti has a Somali cousin, it’s called Suugo Suqaar, and like any cousin they kind of look similar, but they’re quite different.
“The only difference is that we put potatoes, coriander and peppers.”
Justin explained the key differences between the flavour profiles of the pasta recipes like with the addition of a xawaaash, a Somali spice mix full of cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. He continued: “It’s pretty common in Somalia to eat bananas with every dish.”
The video has been viewed over a massive 800,700 times, racking up 47,800 likes and 437 comments. Justin’s Suugo Suqaar garnered a lot of attention, with many people praising the dish as “better than Italian pasta bolognese”.
Mohamed wrote: “Somali suugo is way better than Italian pasta Bolognese.”
Another said: “Banana is for the rice dish and the others but never for the spaghetti.”
Minacciato commented, “I was already very skeptical about the banana, you lost me with the coriander,” while Bianca said, “Banana and mince meat is the best.”
So if you’re looking for a twist on a classic pasta, this is what you’ll need for Justin’s dish.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 200g spaghetti
- ½ red onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ can (200g) chopped tomatoes
- ½ green pepper, chopped
- ½ orange pepper, chopped
- 1 small carrot, chopped
- 1 small potato, chopped
- 250g minced beef
- 1 tbsp xawaash (see below)
- 1 /2 cup water
- 2 tsp chicken bouillon
- 1 tsp sugar
- Small handful coriander, chopped
- 1 banana
For the Xawaah Spice Mix
- ½ cup cumin seeds
- ½ cup coriander seeds
- 2 tbsp black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp cardamom pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp cloves
Method
To make the Xawaash spice mix, toast cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, and cloves in a dry pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
Let cool, then grind into a fine powder. Mix with turmeric powder and store in an airtight container.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped red onion and cook for two to three minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the minced beef and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon. Add 1½ tbsp of xawaash spice mix and stir through the meat.
Add the chopped green and orange peppers, carrot, and potato. Cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the tomato paste and chopped tomatoes. Add the water, chicken bouillon, sugar, salt, and black pepper.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened.
Stir in chopped coriander and cook for a final two minutes.
Place cooked spaghetti on plates and spoon the suugo generously over the top. Serve with a whole banana on the side.
