What Is Bajiyo? The Somali Cowpea Fritters Explained
Bajiyo are Somali deep-fried fritters made from ground cowpeas, a crisp, spiced snack. Here is what they are and how they are made.
African Stores Editorial Team
The short answer
Bajiyo are Somali deep-fried fritters made from ground cowpeas, also called black-eyed peas, mixed with onion, green pepper, coriander and spices, then shaped into small balls or patties and fried until crisp outside and soft inside. They are a much loved snack and street food, especially common during Ramadan, and are usually served with basbaas, the fiery Somali chilli sauce. The flavour is savoury and herby, with a satisfying golden crunch giving way to a light, tender middle. In the UK the cowpeas and spices to make them are sold by African food shops, which you can find near you on African Stores.
What to remember
- Bajiyo are Somali deep-fried fritters made from ground cowpeas, or black-eyed peas.
- The peas are mixed with onion, green pepper, coriander and spices before frying.
- They are formed into small balls or patties and fried until crisp outside and soft inside.
- They are a popular snack and street food, very common during Ramadan.
- They are usually served with basbaas, the Somali chilli sauce.
The smell of bajiyo frying, savoury and herby, is one that many Somalis link straight to Ramadan and to breaking the fast at sundown. A plate of hot, golden fritters passed around the table, with a bowl of red basbaas alongside, is the taste of family, of evenings that feel full and shared. Making them far from home is a way of keeping that rhythm going, of bringing a familiar comfort into a British kitchen.
There is real warmth in bajiyo, in the way a humble bag of peas becomes something crisp and special, in the passing round of a shared plate. It is snack food and street food, the kind sold from stalls and made in busy home kitchens, and it carries the easy generosity of both. To fry a batch of bajiyo in Britain is to keep that everyday tradition alive, and to hand a friend their first fritter dipped in basbaas is to share it.
What Bajiyo Actually Is
Bajiyo are Somali fritters made from cowpeas, the beans also known as black-eyed peas. The peas are ground to a coarse paste and mixed with finely chopped onion, green pepper, fresh coriander and spices, then the mixture is shaped into small balls or patties and deep-fried until deeply golden. The result is crisp and craggy on the outside and soft, almost fluffy, within, carrying the savoury depth of the peas and the fresh lift of the herbs and onion.
They belong to a wide family of fried bean fritters found across Africa and beyond, but the Somali version has its own character, shaped by the onion, green pepper and coriander in the batter and by the basbaas served with it. Bajiyo sit comfortably among the fried snacks and savoury bites of Somali food, the kind of thing made in quantity and eaten with the hands. Honest, filling and full of flavour, they turn an inexpensive bag of peas into a treat that people genuinely look forward to.
How Bajiyo Are Made and Served
Making bajiyo begins with the cowpeas, which are soaked and then ground into a thick, coarse paste. Onion, green pepper and fresh coriander are chopped finely and folded through, along with salt and spices, until the mixture holds together well enough to shape. Cooks then form it into small rounds or patties and lower them into hot oil, frying until the outsides are crisp and browned and the insides cooked through and tender. Draining them well keeps that clean, golden crunch.
Bajiyo are best eaten hot and fresh, straight from the pan, and they are almost always served with basbaas, the Somali chilli sauce, whose heat and tang cut through the richness of the fried peas. They make a popular snack and street food at any time, but they come into their own during Ramadan, when platters of them appear at iftar to break the fast. Whether as a snack, a starter or part of a spread, bajiyo are made to be shared.
Why Bajiyo Matter in Somali Cooking
Bajiyo hold a special place as a snack and street food, and above all as a Ramadan favourite. Through the fasting month they are made in home kitchens and sold from stalls, ready for the evening meal, and their savoury crunch is part of what makes iftar feel like iftar for many Somali families. They show how a simple, affordable ingredient, a bag of cowpeas, can be turned into something everyone gathers round.
Because they are inexpensive to make and easy to eat by hand, bajiyo are a natural food for sharing, whether among family or offered to guests. They carry the sociable, generous spirit of Somali snacking, the plate that keeps being passed and refilled. That everyday joy, the hot fritter and the fiery sauce, is what keeps bajiyo so well loved.
Where to Buy Bajiyo Ingredients in the UK
Bajiyo are a homemade treat, and the ingredients are easy to gather in Britain from African food shops. You will want cowpeas, sometimes labelled black-eyed peas, along with onion, green pepper, fresh coriander and everyday spices, plus oil for frying and the ingredients for basbaas to serve alongside. Shops serving Somali and wider East African customers carry the peas and seasonings that give the fritters their authentic flavour, and none of it is hard to find. You can find African food stores near you or look up Caribbean food stores near you to see what is nearby. Do note that fritters fried at a shop or stall may share fryer oil with other foods.
Frequently asked questions
What is bajiyo?
Bajiyo are Somali deep-fried fritters made from ground cowpeas, also called black-eyed peas, mixed with onion, green pepper, coriander and spices. The mixture is shaped into small balls or patties and fried until crisp outside and soft inside. They are a popular snack and street food, very common during Ramadan, and are usually served with basbaas, the Somali chilli sauce.
What do bajiyo taste like?
Bajiyo are savoury and herby, with a crisp, golden outside and a light, tender middle. The cowpeas give a nutty, satisfying depth, while the onion, green pepper and coriander add freshness. Served with basbaas, they gain a lift of heat and tang that balances the richness of the fried peas.
How are bajiyo made?
Cowpeas are soaked and ground into a coarse paste, then mixed with finely chopped onion, green pepper, fresh coriander, salt and spices. The mixture is shaped into small balls or patties and deep-fried in hot oil until crisp and browned outside and cooked through inside. They are drained and served hot, usually with basbaas.
When are bajiyo eaten?
Bajiyo are a popular snack and street food eaten at any time, but they are especially associated with Ramadan. Through the fasting month they are made at home and sold from stalls, and platters of them often appear at iftar to break the fast. They are made to be shared among family and offered to guests.
Where can I buy bajiyo ingredients in the UK?
Bajiyo are made at home, so African food shops are the place to buy the ingredients: cowpeas or black-eyed peas, onion, green pepper, fresh coriander and spices, plus what you need for basbaas. Shops serving Somali and East African customers stock the peas and seasonings that give the authentic flavour. African Stores lists African and Caribbean food shops across the UK, so you can find one near you that stocks them.