Burjiko facts for kids
A Burjiko (say Bur-jee-koh) is a special type of Somali cooking stove. It's like a portable cooker that uses charcoal to heat up. People use it to make all sorts of yummy foods.
Contents
How Burjikos are Made and Used Around the World
Where Do Burjikos Come From?
Burjikos are made from a special kind of clay called sepiolite. This clay is dug up, or 'mined,' in a place called El Buur in central Somalia.
Who Uses Burjikos and Why?
This cooking stove is very handy because it's easy to carry around. It works much like other cookers you might see in different parts of the world. Because it's so portable, many people use it across the Horn of Africa and in Southwestern Asia. It's especially popular with nomads, who are people who travel a lot and don't stay in one place.
What Does a Burjiko Look Like and How Is It Used?
Design of the Burjiko
A burjiko is shaped like a circle. It has a deep hole in the middle where you put the charcoal. This charcoal burns and creates the heat for cooking.
Cooking with a Burjiko
You can place different kinds of dishes over the charcoal hole, depending on what you want to cook. For example, if you're making canjeero (a type of Somali flatbread), you would use a flat dish. But if you're cooking a sauce, you'd choose a deeper dish.
Besides canjeero and sauces, burjikos are also often used to prepare pasta and different kinds of meat dishes. A popular choice is cooking a leg of lamb.
