• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Damn, Spicy!
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Tips
  • Gift Guides
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Tips
  • Gift Guides
    • Email
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Tips
    • Gift Guides
    • Email
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    You are here: Home / All Recipes / Spiced Somali Rice

    Spiced Somali Rice

    Published: Jul 23, 2020 · Last Update: Dec 2, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Spiced Somali Rice is unlike any dish you’ve ever had! Picture some basmati rice cooked in stock along with sauteed onions and tomatoes and a special spice mix made with cumin, coriander garlic, cardamom, cinnamon, and black pepper. It’s topped with fried onions and soft raisins. If you’re looking for a new recipe to spice up your meals, this is it!

    somali rice recipe

    SPICED SOMALI RICE

    Spiced Somali Rice anyone? Ever tried it?

    WOW.

    It’s like one of my favorite dishes. It’s SO unique! It’s basically basmati rice cooked in stock and spices and topped with fried onions and raisins (YES, raisins!!).

    Not gonna lie, I’m kinda frustrated at my description of this dish because it really doesn’t do it justice but I’ve tried googling to see how other people had described it and uhm… none of the descriptions I read were doing this dish any justice.

    So… that’s a great excuse to give it a try, right? 🙂

    Anyway. Somali Rice is perfect as a main or side, depending on the occasion! If you’re looking for a new recipe to spice up your meals, THIS is exactly what you’re looking for. It’s not popular but it’s usually VERY appreciated so I’d give it a go, you’re in for a LOT of compliments and “What is this again?! How did you make it??”.

    Oh, and want to know a fun thing about this rice? It has powdered food coloring in it. YUP! I know, it sounds so random and borderline inappropriate but it’s not Somali rice without food coloring! (You can also use gel, I’ll provide all substitutions below!).

    easy somali rice recipe

    WHAT EXACTLY IS SPICED SOMALI RICE?

    Somali rice aka Bariis Iskukaris (or Bariis) is Somalia’s national dish. It’s basically basmati rice cooked in stock and spices and topped with fried onions and raisins. Some people like to add extra vegetables to it (usually red bell peppers or potatoes) or cilantro.

    The spice mix used in this recipe can be easily made at home and is usually referred to as “xawaash”. It contains cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, cloves, coriander, and nutmeg.

    It’s usually served with roasted lamb or goat and fresh bananas!

    HOW DO YOU MAKE SOMALI RICE?

    1. Prepare the basmati rice by soaking it and cooking it until almost done.
    2. Fry part of the onions until golden brown and fragrant.
    3. Prepare the base of the rice by sauteeing extra onions, tomatoes, and spices. Add some chicken stock to your base (use vegetarian stock if vegetarian).
    4. Add the rice and top with softened raisins, fried onions, and food coloring.
    5. Steam.

    spiced somali rice recipe

    HAPPY COOKING BABES!! I hope you’ll love Spiced Somali Rice as much as I do!!

    Please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating if you make it! I LOVE hearing from you! 💘

    OH! YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE MY:

    • Spicy Lebanese Potatoes
    • Oh So Easy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
    • Baked Feta Cheese with Tomatoes
    • Baked Cajun Popcorn Chicken with Chipotle Mayo
    Easy Somali Rice Pilaf Recipe

    Spiced Somali Rice or Bariis Iskukaris

    Damn, Spicy! @ www.damnspicy.com
    Spiced Somali Rice is unlike any dish you've ever had: it's packed with flavor and so aromatic! Imagine some basmati rice cooked in stock along with sauteed onions and tomatoes and a special spice mix made with cumin, coriander garlic, cardamom, cinnamon, and black pepper. It's topped with delicious fried onions and soft raisins. If you're looking for a new recipe to spice up your meals, this is it!
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine Somali
    Servings 2 people

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup basmati rice soaked in water for an hour and drained
    • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
    • 1/2 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
    • 1 medium onion diced
    • 1 medium tomato diced
    • 1/2 tbsp ground coriander
    • 1 cube chicken or vegetable stock
    • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom or 4-5 cardamom pods
    • 1 stick cinnamon
    • 3 cloves garlic crushed
    • 1 tbsp ground cumin
    • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
    • 3 tbsp water
    • salt to taste
    • 1/4 tsp powdered food coloring (orange) or 2-3 drops gel food coloring mixed with 1 tsp water
    • 1/4 cup raisins softened

    Instructions
     

    • Cook the basmati rice in salted water until half cooked (some of the rice should be translucent and some should be white). I usually cook mine for 7-8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
    • In a medium pan over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot (around 350F - 375F), add the sliced onion and fry until golden brown and fragrant, then remove from the oil and place onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Do not discard the oil!
    • In the same pan over medium heat, add the diced onion to the oil and saute for a minute. Add in the chicken or vegetable stock cube, and the tomato and saute for another minute. Then add in the cardamom and cinnamon. Saute for another minute. Add in the garlic, cumin, and pepper. Saute until the onions are soft and translucent. Stir continuously to keep the mixture from burning.
    • Add in the water and stir. Top the mixture with the basmati rice. Do NOT mix! Simply place the rice on top of the mixture and make sure the oil mixture is entirely covered. Reduce heat to the lowest setting. Top the rice with the softened raisins and the fried onions. Dot the rice with the orange food coloring. Do not mix. Wrap the lid of your pan with a clean kitchen towel, then place it on the pan.
    • Steam for 8-10 minutes, the rice should release a cloud of steam when removing the lid. Turn off the heat and allow it to rest covered for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and gently mix until the onions, raisins, and food coloring are combined into the rice. Serve! If you used cardamom pods, you should remove them before serving.

    Notes

    📷 DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?!
    Tag @damnspicy on Instagram!
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    « Russian Jam Filled Cookies
    Scallion Pancakes with Soy Ginger Sauce »

    Pop up

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Michelle says

      April 16, 2021 at 5:38 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious rice recipe

      Reply
    2. Michelle says

      April 17, 2021 at 2:54 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent recipe, my family loved it. Topped the rice with lamb. This recipe is a keeper

      Reply
      • Bianka says

        April 21, 2021 at 8:26 am

        Thank you for your feedback Michelle – I’m so happy to hear that you & your family loved it!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome to Damn, Spicy! I share tried-and-true recipes from my trips around the world!

    You can expect new recipes weekly with a mix of sweet & savory!
    Read more »

    Contacts ⭐︎ New Here?

    GET A FREE ECOOKBOOK

    when you subscribe to my spicy newsletter!

    Footer

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Comment Policy

    Read

    • Recipes

    Contact

    • Home
    • Contacts
    • New To Damn Spicy?

    This blog contains affiliate links, please read Disclaimer for more information.

    Copyright © 2023 DAMN SPICY

     

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT