Name: Suqaar
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Somali
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs goat or beef, cut into 1-inch cubes; 1 large onion, diced; 2 bell peppers (red and green), diced; 3 Roma tomatoes, diced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 inch fresh ginger, minced; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp cumin; 1 tsp coriander; 1/2 tsp turmeric; 1/4 tsp cinnamon; 1/4 tsp ground cardamom; 1/8 tsp ground cloves; Fresh cilantro; Salt and pepper to taste

Tender cubes of spiced meat sautéed with onions, peppers, and vegetables. Somalia's everyday one-pan masterpiece.

The Cultural Story

Suqaar is how Somalia eats on an ordinary Tuesday. It is the weekday meal, the thing you make when you are not doing the big pot of rice. Cubed meat — goat is traditional, beef common — sautéed fast and hot with onions, bell peppers, and a spice blend called xawaash: cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves. Xawaash is Somalia's spice signature, Indian Ocean trade routes distilled into a blend. Suqaar can be eaten alone, with canjeero (the flatbread), with rice, or stuffed into a flatbread for a wrap. Nomadic Somali herders have cooked versions of this over open fires for centuries. The dish adapts to what is available: goat, camel, chicken, beef. The xawaash stays constant. That blend is what makes it Somali.

Ingredients

1.5 lbs goat or beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large onion, diced
2 bell peppers (red and green), diced
3 Roma tomatoes, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, minced
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp ground cloves
Fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1Pat meat dry. Season with salt and half the spices (cumin, coriander, turmeric). Let sit 10 minutes.
2Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add meat in a single layer. Do not stir for 2 minutes — let it sear and char on one side.
3Toss and continue cooking until browned all over, about 5 more minutes. Remove and set aside.
4In the same pan, sauté onion until soft. Add garlic, ginger, and remaining spices (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves). Cook 1 minute.
5Add bell peppers and tomatoes. Cook on high heat for 5 minutes until softened and sauce thickens slightly.
6Return meat to the pan. Toss everything together and cook 2 more minutes. Finish with fresh cilantro. Serve with canjeero, rice, or flatbread.

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