Hilib Ari (Somali Style Goat)
Hilib Ari (Somali Style Goat)
In Somali, goat meat is known as hilib ari. The meat is first boiled for 60-90 minutes. The meat and the goat stock are both saved. Onions, peppers and garlic are sautéed. The goat meat and some of the stock are added back in. The main spices in this dish are xawaash, lemon pepper, and cinnamon. Dijon mustard is added to goat, hence the French influence. This is all simmered until the goat is even more tender and all of the liquid has been cooked off. Serve the goat with basmati rice.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs bone in goat meat cubed
- 6 cups water
- 1 large onion sliced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large bell peppers 2 different colors
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 large jalapeno left whole, but cut half way down the center
- 2 tbsp xawaash
- 1 tbsp lemon pepper
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 1 cinnamon stick
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp dijon mustard
Garnish
- parsley chopped
Instructions
- Add 6 cups of water and the goat to a large pot. Bring the goat meat to a hard boil. Cover. Reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer for 90 minutes. Strain the goat meat, saving the stock. Set both aside.
- In the same pot, add the onions without any oil. Brown over medium high heat for 5 minutes.
- Drizzle olive oil over the browned onions. Add in the peppers. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add in the goat meat. Brown for 5 minutes, incorporating between 1/2 cup and 1 cups worth of the stock.
- Add in all of the seasonings and the jalapeño. Continue cooking for a couple minutes.
- Mix in the Dijon mustard. Add in a little more of the goat stock. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the cover. If there is still a good amount of liquid in the pot, cook it off for 5-15 more minutes. You don’t want the goat to be soupy.
Xawaash
Xawaash (pronounced hawaaj) is a complex spice blend used in Somali cuisine; much like berbere is used in Ethiopian cuisine. It is used in dishes such as suugar, a meat and vegetable stew, and suugo, a Somali pasta sauce. I highly recommend that you lightly dry toast the whole spices. It completely changes the flavor, making the xawaash more aromatic.
Equipment
- Spice grinder
Ingredients
Whole Spices
- 3 tbsp cumin seeds
- 3 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 2 tsp green cardamom pods
- 1 tsp whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
Ground Spices
- 1 tbsp ground sage
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Dry toast the whole spices in a skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes.
- Grind the whole spice in a spice grinder. Mix together with the other ground spices. Store in a container for up to 3 months.
You must be logged in to post a comment.