Why Samosas Are Banned In This African Country

Samosas are a popular snack all over the Indian subcontinent. A packet of Samosas along with tea is something people in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal consider a delicacy. As we are aware that many Indian delicacies have found their way abroad, it is not uncommon to occasionally find samosa outlets in western countries as well.

These crispy delicacies, stuffed with potatoes and vegetables inside, are cherished by many. However, do you know that there is a country in this world where samosas are banned? The country’s laws prohibit anyone from eating or making samosas and breaking this law can lead to severe punishment.

The country in question is the African country Somalia. Somalia’s extremist Islam fighters have banned samosas after ruling that the popular snacks are too ‘Western’. Al-Shabaab is an Islamist fundamentalist group which is actively involved in the ongoing Somalian civil war. This group, with links to al Qaeda in Somalia, controls much of the country and came up with the ban on samosas in 2011.

Although the extremist group did not officially give out any explanation for the ban, it was later reported by the media that the triangular shape of samosas had upset them due to its resemblance to the Christian trinity. Known locally as Sambusas, anyone caught making or eating them would be immediately punished.

Arab traders who came from Central Asia around the 10th century brought the samosa recipe with them. It is mentioned in the books written in the tenth century. Iranian historian Abolfaji Behaki mentioned this in “Tarikh e Behaki”. Samosa is believed to have originated in Egypt. From there it reached Libya and then most of the Middle East. It was very popular in Iran till the 16th century, but then it went on to shrink. According to Amir Khusro, it was the favourite dish of the Mughal court in the 13th century.

Source: The Buzz News