Everyday Staple · Griddle Bread

Gurasa (Sudanese Flatbread)

Photo: Bukky658 / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Sudanese diners use this spongy bread as their only utensil — tearing off pieces to scoop up stew instead of using a fork.

Gurasa is a soft, round, fermented wheat-flour bread cooked on a flat griddle until golden and slightly crisp outside, tender within. Typically torn and used to scoop up mullah, a rich stewed-meat and vegetable sauce.

Why it's made this way: Griddle-cooked breads like gurasa developed as a practical, fuel-efficient way to make bread without an oven, and doubling as an edible utensil suited communal, hands-on eating traditions.