Name: Skoudehkaris
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Djibouti, East Africa
Ingredients: 3 cups basmati rice, soaked 30 min; 500 g lamb shoulder, cubed; 2 whole onions, sliced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 whole tomato, chopped; 6 whole cardamom pods; 1 tsp cumin, ground; 1 stick cinnamon; Â½ tsp turmeric; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 4 cups water; 1Â½ tsp salt

Skoudehkaris

Djibouti's national dish â€” spiced rice with lamb, caramelized onions, cardamom, and cumin, a one-pot feast.

Country

Djibouti

Region

East Africa

Time

80 min

Serves

Level

medium

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Skoudehkaris is the national dish of Djibouti, a fragrant lamb and rice preparation that reflects the country's position at the crossroads of Somali, Afar, Yemeni, and French culinary influences. Served at every important occasion, it is the dish that unites Djibouti's diverse communities around one table.

What the dish tastes like

Djibouti's national dish â€” spiced rice with lamb, caramelized onions, cardamom, and cumin, a one-pot feast.

When to cook it

Best for everyday meals, with a medium cooking level and about 80 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

Use the interactive recipe fallback or country hub to explore pairings.

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One-Pot Wonders is the main AfroKitchen collection route tied to this dish right now. One-Pot Wonders

Ingredients

Brown Lamb

Heat oil in a heavy pot. Season lamb with salt and sear until deeply browned on all sides.

Sear 10:00

Cook Aromatics

Add onions and cook until caramelized. Add garlic, tomato, cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, and turmeric. Cook 2 minutes.

Deeply caramelized onions are essential to the dish's rich color and sweetness.

Saute 12:00

Simmer Lamb

Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lamb is almost tender.

Simmer 30:00

Cook Rice

Add drained rice to the pot with the lamb and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to lowest heat. Cover tightly and cook until rice is fluffy and liquid absorbed.

Do not stir once the rice is added â€” let the steam do the work.

Cook rice 20:00

Rest and Serve

Let rest covered 10 minutes. Fluff gently. Mound on a platter with lamb arranged on top. Serve with banana and salad.

Like Somali bariis, skoudehkaris is traditionally served with a banana on the side.

Rest 10:00

Skoudehkaris

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Step-by-step instructions

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