Addas: A Taste of Sudan
After only a few days in Riyadh, I wandered into a little dive restaurant not far from my hotel. Despite the language barrier, I managed to understand that the food is from Sudan.
As food is more important than ambiance to me, the term dive often has a positive connotation.
In a blog entry four months ago, I mentioned and showed a photo of a Sudanese lentil dish. This was after eating it only once and hardly knowing anything about it. Since then, I’ve consumed this gastronomical wonder at least 15 times, maybe 20.
Addas in Arabic translates to lentils. This Sudanese dish could be the best value I’ve come across in my lifetime. It’s nutritious, delicious and super cheap.
After telling a random Sudanese man about my discovery, he said:
“But that’s Sudanese poor man’s food.”
Even though he speaks some English, it was impossible to convey to him that I’m far from filthy rich, and even if I were, I’d still consume this dish because it’s tasty and healthy.
There’s no silverware involved. The Addas is scooped up with Tamees or Pakistani Bread. Next door is a small Pakistani bakery that bakes the bread solely to accompany the Addas. It’s always served fresh and warm from the oven. Added to the lentils is boiled egg, cumin, cheese, olive oil, raw onion, red peppers, and a green chili sauce that packs a perfectly spicy punch. The dish, including all the tamees you want, costs just 5 Rial or $1.33.
The dish is often accompanied by raw veggies on the side. The green peppers you see are super spicy. Chili connoisseurs take heed.
I often introduce coworkers to this dream-like dish. Every single one of them have been impressed so far.
A man and his boy innocently wonder why I’m taking a photo of my food as they enter the tiny restaurant.
A Saudi man orders his Addas.
Health Benefits of Lentils
● Decreases risk of cancer
● Excellent digestive
● Fiber rich
● Helps prevent cardiovascular disease
● High in antioxidants
● Loaded with iron
● Low calorie food that fills you up; thus helps control weight.
● Lowers cholesterol
● Moderates blood sugar
Sources of health benefits’ list:
Kristie Leong M.D. Elements4health.com
Left to Right: Me, the cook Mustafa Omar of Sudan and two patrons in the doorway. The restaurant is called Sudanese Fowal. It’s on Masane Street in Al-Hamra district, across the street from the Hyatt House Hotel. The photo was taken tonight outside of the entrance. Mustafa gave me a passport photo and asked that I put him into the American visa lottery when I go back to the states. In his mind, the American dream is alive and well.
As there’s a huge Sudanese population in Riyadh, the city seems to have endless Addas restaurants. I’ve tried a handful of them. This particular one is the best I’ve experienced so far.
My name is Mike, aka Earthdrifter. I managed to travel on and off between work, from the mid-90s till the mid-00s. At the start of 2011, after a five year exploration hiatus, I eliminated a home base and started traveling indefinitely. Now I combine my love for travel, writing, and improving my personal culture. As I enhance my existence, I hope to help you do the same. 
Lentils are also commonly used in Ethiopia in a stew-like dish called kik, or kik wot, one of the dishes people eat with Ethiopia’s national food, injera flat bread. Yellow lentils are used to make a nonspicy stew, which is one of the first solid foods Ethiopian women feed their babies.*”.*
Take care
DAPHNE: I was in Addis for a day and ate the Injera a couple of times. I didn’t realize that one of the the stews/dips was called kik and I didn’t make the connection to the Sudanese Addas but now it makes perfect sense. Thank you for the culinary enlightenment.
Cool read, my father in law makes a lentil dish for us regularly. I’ll have to find out what he puts in it. He also made a fish soup this past week that reminds alot of Bergen’s Fish soup. I am lucky to be spoiled living here w/señor Chino’s cooking. Hope all is well hermano.
SEAN: Thanks! Sounds like you’re eating healthy and tasty food. That’s the key!
I love the fact that “poor man’s food” is so delicious, healthy and tasty… makes a change from all the greasy cheap chicken shops we have here in London..!
Addas looks right up my street – have you tried to make it?
REBECCA: Yes, the most economical dish I know of happens to be one of my favorites. Usually, healthy costs more but not in this case. Here in Riyadh, there’s endless chicken too. In the states I love to cook but here it’s so affordable to eat out every single night and my cutlery supplies are limited so the only thing I prep at home is raw veggies to ensure they’re included in my diet. I also eat dates in my hotel/apt. mini kitchen every morning, yum.
I like lentils. I eat them with olive oil (of course, I put olive oil onto almost everything), but the recipe with spices you are reporting here seems to be even more delicious.
TUSCAN: Being Italian, you probably use more olive oil than the average non Italian. I find that spices enhance most dishes, especially things like lentils that don’t have a lot of flavor on their own. Good luck with your experimentation!
You know, I love lentils but get so bored with cooking them the same old way (usually in soup). This blog post has inspired me to find some interesting, ethnic recipes – hopefully I’ll be able to find the right spices to recreate something tasty. Thanks for the inspiration – looks delish as always.
PRU: Great! I recommend trying chili peppers. I’d also try garlic. I mean, when does garlic not work?
The raw onions go very well. I’m eating eggs and cheese sparingly these days but they’re nice in the addas. Good luck with the experimentation.
Found you through a comment on Migrationology and so glad I did – Addas sounds/looks wonderful. Got my stomach growling!
MARIA: Thanks a million! Addas also sits great in the stomach.
I loved to see the picture of you, Michael, looks like it’s cold over there, just as here in Central Florida in the evening lately. We have not had frost yet, but it usually happens a few times in winter.
HAPPY NEW YEAR !
LOVE, Mamma
MAMMA: Thanks! Just a tad chilly at night here, very pleasant sweatshirt weather. Don’t know if they get frost here, not yet anyway.
Casually, I was just listening to African music while reading about African food. Habib Koite This post reminds me of a super delicious -though far less healthy- lentil stew my mom use to make when I was a kid…
AL: I’ll have to check out some Habib Koite. Thanks for the recommendation. I’m sure your mom’s stew was healthy. It must have been if it had lentils in it.
Loved to see the photo of the cook and read the little story about getting him into the American visa lottery… interesting stuff… keep it coming!
DARREN: Thanks! He’s a real cool guy. I wish I had the ability to get him the visa.