Name: Bariis Iskukaris
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Somalia, East Africa
Ingredients: 3 cups basmati rice, rinsed and soaked 30 minutes; 600 g goat, lamb, beef, or chicken, cubed; 3 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee; 2 whole onions, diced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp xawaash spice mix; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander; 4 whole cardamom pods; 4 whole cloves; 1 stick cinnamon; ¼ cup raisins; 1 pinch saffron or orange food color; 4 cups meat broth or water; salt and black pepper, to taste

Bariis Iskukaris

Somali bariis iskukaris, spiced basmati rice cooked with goat or lamb broth, xawaash, caramelized onion, raisins, and warm spices.

Country

Somalia

Region

East Africa

Time

100 min

Serves

Level

medium

What to know before you cook

The rice should taste like the meat broth and the spice pot together. Cook the meat first, then let the rice finish in that broth.

What the dish tastes like

Somali bariis iskukaris, spiced basmati rice cooked with goat or lamb broth, xawaash, caramelized onion, raisins, and warm spices.

When to cook it

Best for everyday meals, with a medium cooking level and about 100 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

Banana, salad, basbaas, roasted meat, or yogurt

Follow the collection

Bariis Iskukaris appears in 2 AfroKitchen collections. Start with Sunday Specials if you want more dishes in the same mood. Sunday Specials

Regional lane

Somalia national table. A verified Somalia dish in the AfroKitchen archive.

Chef watch-outs

Adding too much liquid after the rice goes in.
Stirring too often once the grains should be steaming.
Rushing the base before the raw edge has cooked out.

How you know it is ready

The grains should be tender but still distinct, with steam carrying the seasoning upward.
The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
Oil, sauce, broth, or steam should look settled and deliberate.

Cook Meat

Heat oil in a pot. Brown goat meat on all sides. Add one diced onion, garlic, and half the xawaash. Add water to cover and simmer until tender. Reserve broth.

Cook the meat until very tender — the broth becomes the flavorful liquid for the rice.

Simmer meat 40:00

Caramelize Onions

In a separate pot, heat oil and caramelize the remaining onion until golden brown.

Caramelize 10:00

Toast Spices

Add remaining xawaash, cumin, cardamom, and cinnamon to the onions. Stir for 1 minute until fragrant.

Toast 01:00

Cook Rice

Add drained rice and raisins. Pour in 4 cups of the reserved meat broth. Bring to boil, reduce to lowest heat, cover tightly, and cook until rice is fluffy.

Use the meat broth instead of water — this is what makes Somali rice so flavorful.

Cook rice 20:00

Combine

Fluff rice and gently fold in the cooked meat. Let rest covered for 5 minutes.

Rest 05:00

Serve

Mound on a large platter, garnish with cilantro. Serve with banana and salad on the side.

Somalis traditionally eat bariis with a banana — the sweetness complements the spices.

Bariis Iskukaris

What to know before you cook

See the dish before you cook

Build the table around Bariis Iskukaris

Step-by-step method

Bariis Iskukaris

What to know before you cook

See the dish before you cook

Build the table around Bariis Iskukaris

Step-by-step method

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