Somali Rice with Steak and Green Onions

Rice

2 cups basmati rice; rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp. oil
2 chicken cubes
3 cups chicken stock
2 cinnamon sticks
5 cardamom pods
5 cloves

1. Heat oil in a pot; add the chicken cubes and stir to dissolve.
2. Add the rice and stir-fry for 1 minute to coat the rice with the oil.
3. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to very low and cover.
5. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.


Steak and Green Onions

1/2 lbs beef; cut into really small cubes
1 Tbsp. oil
1 Tbsp. Hoisin sauce
1/2 chicken cube
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. garlic; minced

1. Heat the oil in a small pot; add the beef and brown for 2 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and chicken cube and stirfry for 2 minutes.
3. Add the water and cover.
4. When most of the liquid disappears, add the hoisin sauce.
5. Cook for 5 minutes on low.
6. Serve over rice with green onions.

NOTE: Hoisin sauce is a bit sweet.

Soor (grits)with Chicken

Adding chicken and vegetables to soor really turns this normally boring dish into something amazing.

1 lbs chicken drumsticks; skinned (I also cut off the bony end.)

2 cups frozen peas and carrots

1 1/2 c. soor

6 cups chicken broth

3 chicken cubes

1 onion; chopped

2 Tbsp. oil

1/4 c. butter

1/2 c. parmesan cheese

1. Boil the chicken; reserve liquid.

2. Heat the ooil in a large pot; add the onions and simmer until translucent.

3. Add the frozen vegetables and chicken cubes; simmer covered for 5 minutes.

4. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.

5. Add the soor gradually and stir with a whisk until lump free.

6. Add the chicken and stir.

7. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat.

8. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes stirring every 2 minutes.

9. Add the butter and parmesan; stir and remove from heat.

Chicken and Green Beans

1/2 lbs. green beans; cut into 1 inch pieces
4 Tbs. oil
1 onion; sliced
1 tsp. ginger; minced
1 tsp. garlic; crushed
1 tsp. paprika
salt
2 tomatoes; chopped
5 chicken drumsticks; skin removed
1 cup water
1 red (bell) pepper; sliced
1 Tbs. cilantro; chopped

1. Boil the green beans for 3 minutes in salted water; drain and set aside.
2. Fry the onion in the oil for 5 minutes or until translucent.
3. Mix together the ginger, garlic, paprika, salt, and tomatoes; add to the onions.
4. Stir fry covered for about 7 minutes.
5. Add the chicken and the water and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat to very low and cook for 1 hour or until most of the liquid is evaporated.
7. Add the green beans, red bell pepper, and coriander; cook for 5 minutes.

Beef with Potatoes and Asparagus

1/2 lbs. beef; cut into large pieces
2 Tbsp. oil
1 onion; chopped
2 sm. tomatoes; chopped
1 lg. potato cut into large pieces or 6 small new potatoes
1 ts. garlic; minced
1 ts. coriander
1 ts. curry powder
6 asparagus spears; cut in half
1 cup of water or reserved liquid from the beef
salt to taste


1. Boil the until beef until tender. This can take up to 2 hours depending on the cut of the beef.
2. Remove beef from the liquid and set aside. (The liquid can be used at a later date if frozen or
refrigerated.
3. Heat oil in a large pot, add the onions and cook until translucent.
4. Add the tomatoes and garlic; simmer covered for 15 minutes.
5. Add the beef, potatoes, 1 cup of reserved liquid, coriander, and curry powder; simmer
covered until the potatoes are tender.
6. Add the asparagus and salt; simmer for 2 minutes.

Beef with Potatoes, Carrots, and Peppers

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lbs. beef, small cubes (I use the size that I would for oodkah.)
1/2 onion; chopped
1 ts. garlic; minced
1 chicken cube
1/4 ts. cumin
1/4 ts. salt
1/4 ts. pepper
1/2 sm. red bell pepper
1/2 sm. green bell pepper
1/2 sm. yellow bell pepper
1/8 cup carrots; finely chopped
1 potato; chopped
1/4 cup cilantro; chopped

1. Heat the oil in a pot; add the onion and cook until translucent.
2. Add the beef, garlic, chicken cube,cumin, salt, and pepper; simmer covered for 15 minutes.
3. Add the potato and simmer covered for 5 minutes.
4. Add the cilantro and the peppers and cook for 2 minutes.

NOTE: This tastes best with pita bread or batturas.
3.

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Bajiya (using red lentils)

1/2 cup red lentils
water to soak
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1 ts. garlic
1 ts. ginger
2 Tbsp. cilantro
1/2 sm. chili


1. Soak the lentils for many hours; drain and blend in a food processor until the lentils are smooth.
2. Add the chickpea flour, garlic, ginger, and chili; blend until thoroughly mixed.
3. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the cilantro.
4. Drop teaspoon fulls into hot oil.
5. Remove using a slotted spoon; drain on paper towel.

Bread Fritters

4 slices of thick white bread
1 cup gram flour or chickpea flour(besan)
1 Tbsp. rice flour
1 ts. salt
1 ts. cumin seeds
2 finely chopped green chilies
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of water

1. Remove the crust from all sides of the bread.
2. Slice the bread lengthwise into 3 equal parts.
3. Mix all the dry ingredients together: Gram flour (besan), rice flour, cumin seeds, and salt.
4. Add the water slowly to make a smooth batter. (Batter should be the consistency of pancake
batter.)
5. Add the green chilies and cilantro; mix well.
6. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium high heat.
7. Dip the bread slices in the batter one at a time and slowly drop into the frying pan.
8. Fry the pakoras in small batches. The pakoras will take about 4 to 5 minutes to cook.
9. Fry the pakoras until both sides are golden brown.

If oil is too hot pakoras will cook too fast and will not be crispy; if oil is not hot enough pakoras will be greasy.