Fried Snack · Street Staple

Sambusa

📷 Closely related photo — Photo via Pexels/Unsplash — free for commercial use

During Ramadan, sambusa is a standard dish for breaking the fast in Ethiopia's Muslim communities, and it's just as common at Christian holidays and coffee gatherings.

A crisp, triangular pastry fried until golden, typically filled with spiced lentils or seasoned minced meat and onion. Vendors sell them from trays or small stalls, especially in the afternoon and evening.

Why it's made this way: Related to the samosa family found across South Asia and the Middle East, sambusa spread along Indian Ocean trade routes and was adapted with local Ethiopian fillings.