Skoudehkaris

About This Recipe

Skoudehkaris is the most celebrated dish of Djibouti, reflecting the country's position at the crossroads of Arabian, Somali, and Ethiopian food cultures. Tender lamb (or goat) pieces are cooked with long-grain rice in a spiced broth perfumed with cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. The result is a pilaf-style one-pot meal of extraordinary depth, eaten at weddings, Eid, and family gatherings.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 600 gbone-in lamb shoulder, cut into pieces
• 2 cupsbasmati rice, washed
• 1 largeonion, sliced
• 1 tspground cumin
• ½ tspground cinnamon
• 4 podscardamom, lightly crushed

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown lamb

   In a large pot heat 2 tbsp oil over high heat. Brown lamb pieces all over, about 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.

2. 2

   Build spiced broth

   In the same pot fry onion 5 minutes. Add cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom pods; stir 1 minute. Return lamb, cover with 1 litre water, season with salt, and simmer covered 35 minutes until lamb is nearly tender.

3. 3

   Add rice

   Add washed rice to the broth (there should be about 700 ml remaining — add water if needed). Stir, cover tightly, and cook over low heat 20 minutes until rice is fluffy and liquid absorbed.

4. 4

   Rest and serve

   Remove from heat and rest 5 minutes. Fluff rice gently and serve on a platter with lamb pieces on top.

Variations

• •

  Substitute goat or chicken for lamb.

• •

  Add raisins and toasted almonds on top for a festive presentation.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash of water to restore moisture.

Frequently Asked Questions