Bariis Iskukaris, also called Isku-dheh karis (Somali البيلاف الصومالي), or simply referred to as Bariis is a traditional rice dish from

Somali cuisine Somali cuisine is the traditional cuisine of Somalis from the Horn of Africa. Somali cuisine does have moderate foreign influence from different countries mainly due to trade but traditionally also varies from region to region due to the expansiv ...

. The name ''Isku-dheh karis'' literally means "cooked mixed together", therefore it is sometimes used to more broadly refer to other grain-derived crops that require similar cooking. Hence the more specific term for this dish is ''bariis isku-dheh karis'' which means "rice (bariis) cooked mixed together".

Ingredients

Bariis iskukaris is made from

basmati Basmati, , is a variety of long, slender-grained aromatic rice which is traditionally grown in India, Pakistan, and Nepal.

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.

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 Saffron () is a spice derived from the flower of ''Crocus sativus'', commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent i ...

or orange or red food coloring are added to the dish after the rice has finished cooking to give the dish an orange color.

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.Culture and Customs of Somalia Culture and Customs of Somalia - Page 112, Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi Bariis and meat dishes served with it are considered

Halal ''Halal'' (; ar, حلال, ) is an Arabic word that translates to "permissible" in English. In the Quran, the word ''halal'' is contrasted with ''haram'' (forbidden). This binary opposition was elaborated into a more complex classification kno ...

and as such are suitable for consumption by Muslims.

Gallery

File:Somalicamelmeat.jpg, Bariis iskukaris with

camel meat A camel (from: la, camelus and grc-gre, κάμηλος (''kamēlos'') from Hebrew or Phoenician: גָמָל ''gāmāl''.) is an even-toed ungulate in the genus ''Camelus'' that bears distinctive fatty deposits known as "humps" on its back. C ...

File:Djiboutian rice (bariis) and fish (kalluun), Liver (beerka) with vegetable also (Sabaayad) pancakes.jpg, Bariis iskukaris with Fish, Liver and Vegetables File:SOMALI FAVORITE MAIN FOOD.jpg, Bariis iskukaris with Chicken

References

Djiboutian cuisine Rice dishes Somali cuisine {{africa-cuisine-stub