Bariis Iskukaris — Somali Spiced Rice
Somali spiced rice cooked with goat or beef, xawaash and sweet caramelised onion — the centrepiece of weddings and Friday lunches.
Method
- Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs clear, then leave it to soak in fresh cold water for 20 minutes while you start the meat. Drain well before using.
- Season the meat with salt. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the meat in batches, 3 to 4 minutes a side, until deeply coloured. Crowding the pot steams the meat instead, so work in batches. Lift the meat out and set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium and cook the sliced onions in the same oil for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until soft, golden and sweet. This slow browning gives the dish its colour and backbone.
- Add the garlic, ginger, xawaash, turmeric, cinnamon stick and cardamom pods. Stir for 1 minute until fragrant, then add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until the mixture darkens and the oil separates at the edges.
- Return the meat and any juices to the pot, add water to just cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer. Cover and cook for 60 to 75 minutes for goat, or 50 to 60 minutes for beef, until the meat is tender enough to pull from the bone.
- Lift the meat out and measure the cooking liquid. You need 4½ cups in total for 3 cups of rice; top up with water if short, or boil it down briefly if there is too much. Taste and adjust the salt now, as the rice will absorb it all.
- Stir the drained rice and the potato, if using, into the pot. Bring to a boil, then cook uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes until the liquid has dropped to the level of the rice and craters appear on the surface.
- Return the meat to the top of the rice, cover with a tight lid, and steam over the lowest possible heat for 20 to 25 minutes. Do not lift the lid or stir during this time.
- Rest off the heat, still covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork, scatter over the fried raisins and serve with banana, a fresh tomato and onion salad, and basbaas chilli sauce.
How to make Bariis Iskukaris — Somali Spiced Rice
Bariis iskukaris is the dish that marks an occasion. It appears at weddings, Eid, and Friday lunches, usually carried out on a single wide platter for everyone to share. The name describes the method: rice cooked together with the meat and its spiced liquid, so each grain carries the flavour of the pot.
Xawaash does the work
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Xawaash is the Somali spice blend behind most savoury cooking, typically cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, clove and black pepper, ground together. Making it fresh in quantity and keeping it sealed in a jar is normal practice, and it is far more aromatic than pre-ground supermarket mixes. Turmeric is added separately for colour.
Two details decide the result
The first is the onions. Fifteen patient minutes until they are genuinely golden builds the sweetness the dish is known for; pale onions give a thin, flat result. The second is the liquid ratio. Measure the stock after cooking the meat rather than guessing, because the right ratio is what gives separate, dry grains instead of a wet mass.
Serving
A ripe banana served alongside is not a garnish but part of the meal, its sweetness cutting the spice. Add a sharp kachumbari-style salad and basbaas, the fiery green chilli and coriander sauce, for contrast.
Making it ahead
The meat stage can be cooked a day ahead and refrigerated in its stock, which improves the flavour. Bring it back to a simmer before adding the rice. Reheat leftovers covered, with a splash of water, so the grains steam rather than dry out.
Traditional Somali festive cookery, built on the xawaash spice blend common to Somali kitchens. Editorially researched from widely documented preparations, and not kitchen-tested by Axadle.
Naturally free from gluten, dairy and nuts if cooked in oil. Using ghee adds dairy. Check your stock cube for wheat and celery.
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