Bariis iskukaris

Bariis iskukaris

Bariis with camel meat
Course	lunch or dinner
Place of origin	Somalia
Region or state	East Africa
Main ingredients	rice and meat
Media: Bariis iskukaris

Bariis iskukaris, also called isku-dheh karis, is a traditional rice dish from Somali cuisine that is customarily cooked in a single pan or where the tenderization of both rice and stew occurs at some point in a single pan. ^{[1] [2]} The name isku-dheh karis literally means "cooked mixed together"; therefore, it is sometimes used to refer broadly to other grain-derived crops that require similar cooking. The more specific term for this dish is this bariis isku-dheh karis, which means "rice (bariis) cooked mixed together". ^[3]

Process

Because the different ingredients require different cooking times to make the ingredients tender or cooked, iskukaris is one of the more difficult rice dishes to cook. Since meat requires the longest cooking time, meat is usually the first ingredient to be placed in a iskukaris pan, followed by longer tenderizing vegetables such as potatoes, and then short-cooking vegetables are usually added at the same time as the rice. The addition of the rice is usually the trickiest part as it requires an experienced chef to ensure the surface rice cooks evenly with the middle-layered rice; this requires perfect timing. ^[4]

Bariis iskukaris is made from basmati rice, and is typically topped with raisins, peas, and fried potatoes, onions and peppers, and served with roasted lamb, beef, goat, camel, or chicken. It is a national dish of Somalia and is especially popular at weddings and is a staple dish which is almost universally served as part of a Somali daily meal. It is almost always accompanied with a roasted meat dish, the most common being lamb or goat meat, and served with fresh bananas. ^[5]

Spices

The dish incorporates a spice mixture called xawaash which literally translates as "spices" in the Somali language and which is made from a mixture of ground cumin, turmeric, coriander, paprika, cardamon, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Either saffron or orange or red food coloring are added to the dish after the rice has finished cooking to give the dish an orange color. ^[6]

History and culture

Bariis iskukaris can be served with various meats including chicken, mutton, fish or camel meat. It is typically served with a banana on the side. This rice dish is often served from a clay pot called baris dhari, which serves to impart flavor from food cooked in metal pots. ^[7] Bariis and meat dishes served with it are considered halal and as such are suitable for consumption by Muslims. ^[8]

Gallery

• Somali bariis dishes
• 
  Bariis iskukaris with camel meat
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  Bariis iskukaris with fish, liver and vegetables
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  Bariis iskukaris with chicken

References

1. Moju, Kiano (2018-06-01). "Somali Bariis By Amal Dalmar Recipe by Tasty". tasty.co. Retrieved 2019-03-27.
2. "Somali Rice Pilaf (Bariis Maraq) Riz Pilaf Somali البيلاف الصومالي". Xawaash.com (in Latin). 2013-01-14. Retrieved 2019-03-27.
3. Jacob, Jeanne (2006). The World Cookbook for Students. p. xv.
4. Gherlone, Laura. "A escrita feminina entre a fronteira e o não lugar: discursos femininos em ascensão na Literatura Italiana de Migração/Women’s Writing Between the Border and the Non-Place: The Emerging Female Discourses in Italian Migrant Literature."
5. "Check out this recipe for Spiced Somali Rice, also Known as Bariis Iskukaris". The Spruce Eats. Retrieved 2019-03-27.
6. "Xawaash (Somali Spice Mix) Mélange d'épices Somali حوائج – بهارات صومالية". Xawaash.com (in Latin). 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2019-03-27.
7. Culture and Customs of Somalia Culture and Customs of Somalia - Page 112, Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi
8. "YouTube". YouTube. 2018-04-12. Retrieved 2019-03-27.