Somali · main

Bariis Iskukaris (One-Pot Rice with Goat)

Bariis Iskukaris (One-Pot Rice with Goat) reads warm spice 5.7, umami 4.8 and allium 4.2 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Somali main, about 4 hr 47 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.2 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.8 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.2 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.2 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 6.4 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Warm Spice 5.7 · Umami 4.8 · Allium 4.2 · Floral 3.9 · Richness 3.9 · Salinity 3.6 · Earthy 2.2 · Sweetness 2.2 · Sourness 2.0 · Fruity 1.9 · Bitterness 1.3 · Herbaceous 1.2 · Nutty 1.0 · Citrus 0.6

What's in it (13)

• goat meat — 1200 g
• long grain basmati rice — 600 g
• vegetable oil — 110 g
• onion — 200 g
• garlic — 15 g
• cinnamon — 2 g
• cardamom pods — 800 g
• cloves — 800 g
• xawaash — 15 g
• tomatoes — 500 g
• water — 1500 g
• salt — 10 g
• saffron threads — 1 g

Time & effort: about 4 hr 47 min (4 hr 25 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 164.3 kcal, 7.6 g protein, 5.3 g fat, 27.9 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Rinse the sella basmati three or four times until the water runs clear, then soak it in cool water for 2 hours. Sella rice is parboiled before milling, which is why it can take a long soak and an hour and a half of stewing alongside meat without turning to porridge.
2. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat and cook the sliced onion 10 minutes, until soft and pale gold.
3. Add the garlic, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods and cloves and cook 2 minutes, until the whole spices swell and perfume the oil.
4. Add the goat and the xawaash and brown the meat 10 minutes, turning it so every side takes colour and the spice blend toasts against the pot. Xawaash is warm and aromatic, not hot - the heat in a Somali meal comes later, from the basbaas at the table, not from the pot.
5. Pour in the pureed tomatoes, cover, and cook 15 minutes over medium heat.
6. Add the boiling water and the salt, cover, and simmer 1 hour 30 minutes, until the goat is fork-tender and the broth has taken on the spices.
7. Drain the soaked rice and stir it into the pot. The liquid should sit about 2 cm above the rice; ladle a little out if there is more.
8. Trickle the saffron water over the surface in two or three places, so the finished rice is streaked orange rather than uniformly stained.
9. Cover and cook over low heat 10 minutes, stir once from the bottom, then cover and cook 10 minutes more. Rest 10 minutes off the heat before serving with basbaas and banana on the side.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Pilau ya Nyama ya Mbuzi (Swahili Goat Pilau) — Swahili Coast
• Rogan Josh with Praan and Ratanjot — Indian · Kashmir
• Tripes à la Mode de Caen — French · Normandy
• Durban Mutton Bunny Chow — South African · Durban Indian
• Kosha Mangsho (Slow-Bhuna Goat) — Indian · Bengal

Keep reading: what warm spice, umami, allium mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.