Bariis Iskukaris

Bariis Iskukaris (Somali Spiced Rice with Goat)

The crown jewel of Somali celebrations: basmati rice perfumed with xawaash spice blend, ladled alongside tender goat meat and sweet caramelised onions studded with raisins.

Prep

20 min

Cook

90 min

Total

110 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •750 g (1¾ lb) bone-in goat pieces (shoulder or shank), lamb shoulder works as a substitute
• •60 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil
• •2 whole (2 medium) onions, thinly sliced, divided use
• •5 g (1 tsp) salt, plus extra to taste
• •600 g (3½ cups) basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear
• •75 g (½ cup) raisins, sultana or golden work well
• •40 g (⅓ cup) xawaash spice blend, see recipe below; toasted cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper and turmeric
• •1.4 L (6 cups) hot water or light stock, use stock if goat is lean
• •10 g (1 tbsp) tomato paste, optional, deepens colour
• •30 g (2 tbsp) ghee or butter, for finishing

Steps

1. 1 XAWAASH BLEND (makes ~½ cup): dry-toast 2 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tbsp black peppercorns, 1 tbsp cardamom seeds, 6 cloves, and a 5 cm cinnamon stick until fragrant, about 90 seconds. Cool, then grind with 2 tsp turmeric and 1 tsp ground ginger. Store leftovers airtight.
2. 2 Pat the goat pieces dry and season with half the salt. Heat half the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high and brown the meat in batches, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
3. 3 Lower heat to medium. Add the remaining oil and half the sliced onion; cook 8 to 10 minutes until deeply golden brown. Add the tomato paste if using and stir for 1 minute.
4. 4 Return the goat to the pot with any juices, sprinkle in 25 g (about 3 tbsp) of xawaash, and stir for 30 seconds until aromatic.
5. 5 Pour in 750 ml (3¼ cups) of the hot water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 60 to 75 minutes, or until the goat is fork-tender and reads at least 75 °C / 165 °F on an instant-read thermometer at the thickest part of the shoulder (lamb shoulder to 70 °C / 160 °F). Skim foam as needed.
6. 6 Meanwhile, caramelise the remaining onion: cook in a separate skillet with a splash of oil over medium-low for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until jammy and dark brown. Stir in the raisins for the last 3 minutes. Set aside.
7. 7 Remove the goat and strain the cooking liquid; you should have about 900 ml (4 cups). If short, top up with the remaining stock. Return the liquid to the pot, stir in the remaining xawaash and taste for salt; bring to a boil.
8. 8 Add the rinsed rice, stir once, and spread level. Reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly, and cook 18 to 22 minutes without lifting the lid, until the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. (For soaked rice, reduce to 15 minutes.)
9. 9 Rest the rice off the heat, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork and drizzle over the ghee.
10. 10 Mound the rice on a large platter, top with the goat pieces, and spoon the caramelised onion and raisins generously over and around. Serve hot.