North Africa · Side
Kisra (Fermented Sorghum Wafer-Thin Flatbread)
Paper-thin, delicate, and delightfully sour fermented sorghum crêpes central to every traditional Sudanese communal spread.
The story
Originating among riverine and central Sudanese communities, kisra is the undisputed foundation of the Sudanese table, consumed daily alongside diverse mulah stews. Preparing proper kisra requires creating an active sourdough starter called khamir, which is partially gelatinized with boiling water to create the silky medeed foundation before final overnight fermentation. Traditionally cooked over a saj (a flat, smooth steel griddle seasoned with animal fat), the technique relies on drawing a thin sheet across the plate using a dried palm frond scraper called a gargayba.
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