A Beneficial South Sudanese Kisra Recipe

Village Help for South Sudan — a non-profit hoping to create self-sufficient communities in South Sudan — has received a grant for a pilot project bringing electric cookers to villages in South Sudan. These electric cookers will go to communities that have pre-existing installed solar technology. The project will reduce the time women have to search for firewood, the expenses to pay for heating and electricity, and the environmental impact of cooking with wood or coal.

Kisra

The thin crepe-like bread is a staple of South Sudanese cuisine, eaten for lunch and dinner. The mixture is made with sorghum flour, wheat flour, and water, is left overnight, or made that day. Although similar to a sourdough starter, since most South Sudanese homes do not have refrigeration, the Kisra dough or ajin is mixed that day, although some families do leave it out overnight(18hrs) in the humidity and warmth of Southern Sudan to be made the following day.

Making Kisra

Once the dough is fermented, a flat steel plate is heated with wood or charcoal. The VHSS solar energy cooking pilot program will provide skillets that villagers can use with electricity. Keeping the stone at a consistent heat makes cooking Kisra difficult. Often, while the women are preparing Kisra, they are checking the heat and add firewood as needed. Although the process of making Kisra is relatively quick, the collection of firewood, water, and starting the fire turn the process into an ordeal that can last up to 7 hours. Kisra is not as common as Asida because of these cooking difficulties. The project will give these South Sudanese women, who often feed and provide for the family, time to focus on agriculture or earn income to pay for food. You can learn more about the project at Village Help for Sudan.

Skillets that will be used in the Village Help for South Sudan electric cooker project

The main ingredient in Kisra is sorghum, wheat flour, and water. The ingredients below were developed by VHSS staff on the ground in South Sudan for the project. The amounts vary by the size of the household; because of food insecurity and lack of refrigeration in South Sudan, a family will only make enough to be eaten that day. Although the recipe seems simple, making Kisra takes practice; difficulties may appear from making the ajin, fermentation process, heat consistency, and spreading the ajin thinly. We hope you enjoy the recipe and thank you for your support.

Ingredients

Small Household (3–4 people)

• 1 kg of sorghum flour (3.4 cups)
• ½ kg of wheat flour
• 4 liters of water (9 cups)

Instructions

1. Combine sorghum flour and water and leave them in a warm location overnight to create the ajin(batter). Traditionally, a small amount of the previously fermented dough is added to the mixture of flour and water, acting as a starter. Once the dough begins to bubble and sour, you can make Kisra.
2. Heat a hot steel pan to 350 F and grease the pan with a cloth.
3. Pour a small amount of mixture (roughly 1/3 cup), and with a 3” plastic or wooden spreader, spread the Ajin evenly in a left-right motion till it covers the plate.
4. Leave on the plate for 10–15 seconds or until the mixture bubbles slightly and shrinks. Using your hands, lift the Kisra and put it on a plate. Enjoy with a stew or rice and beans.