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A bowl of Somali Bariis rice garnished with a cinnamon stick and a fork.
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30 Minute Bariis - Easy Somali Rice Recipe

A deeply fragrant Somali rice dish packed with warm spices that's so much easier to make than it looks. This one-pot bariis is built on a toasted xawaash spice blend and comes together in about 35 minutes. Trust me, once you make this you'll never want plain rice again!
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Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
Resting time:5 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings

Ingredients

Spice Blend

  • 1 tablespoon Ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon Ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
  • 4-5 Whole cloves
  • 2 Cinnamon sticks
  • 4-5 Cardamom pods

For the Rice

  • 2 tablespoons Neutral oil
  • 1 large Onion diced
  • 2 Garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup Fresh cilantro
  • 2 teaspoon Vegeta Seasoning (or 1 chicken stock cube)
  • 2 cups Basmati Rice rinsed
  • 3 cups Water

Instructions

  1. Rinse your basmati rice under cold water, swirling it around until the water runs completely clear. This removes the excess starch and helps the grains stay fluffy and separate. Drain well and set aside.
    A bowl of fluffy Somali rice with a light, tender texture, served in a green ceramic dish.
  2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
  3. Add your diced onion and let it cook for about 5 minutes until it's soft and translucent. Keep the heat moderate and don't let the onions burn
    Sautéed chopped onions in a frying pan, ready for Somali rice dish.
  4. For the garlic and cilantro, the traditional Somali way is to pound the garlic cloves and cilantro together in a mortar and pestle into a rough paste before adding them to the pot. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, just mince both finely and add them straight in with the onions.
    A bowl of Somali Bariis with chopped herbs and spices, ready to serve.
  5. Stir the garlic and cilantro into the onion and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
  6. Add all the spices: cumin, coriander, turmeric, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and cardamom. Stir in your Vegeta seasoning (or crumble in the stock cube if using that instead). Stir everything together and let it toast for 1–2 minutes.
    Sautéed spiced ground meat in a frying pan, ready to be served with Somali rice.
  7. Pour in the drained rice and stir it around so every rice grain gets coated. Let it toast for 2–3 minutes, stirring the whole time, until some grains turn lightly golden.
    Cooked Somali Bariis rice with spiced meat in a frying pan, ready to serve.
  8. Add 3 cups of water. Give everything a good stir then bring it all to a boil.
    Soup made with spices, herbs, and vegetables in a large pot.
  9. Reduce to the lowest heat and let the liquid come to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and leave it completely undisturbed for 15 minutes. Please don't lift that lid even once. The rice cooks entirely on trapped steam and every time you open it that steam escapes and the rice won't cook evenly.
  10. When the timer goes off, turn off the heat but keep the lid on for another 5 minutes. That resting time is really important for getting those fluffy separate grains.
    A close-up of Somali Bariis rice dish with cinnamon sticks and fresh herbs.
  11. Now take the lid off and use a fork to gently fluff the rice. Optionally, finish with a little fresh cilantro on top and serve warm.