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Djiboutian

Skoudehkaris

Non-vegetarian

Djibouti's national dish: lamb cooked with tomato, onion and warm spices, then simmered with rice in the same pot so every grain soaks up the flavour.

Skoudehkaris is a Djiboutian rice dish, ready in about 1 hour 55 minutes and made with lamb shoulder and basmati rice. It serves 6 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
20 min
Cook
1 h 25 min
Rest
10 min
Total
1 h 55 min
Serves
6
Level
Intermediate
Calories
610

Ingredients

6 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Brown the lamb in the oil in batches, then add the onions (opens in a new tab) and cook until golden.

    Meat searing in a hot pan
    How it looks · Photo: Skylar Kang on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Add the garlic (opens in a new tab), cardamom (opens in a new tab), cinnamon (opens in a new tab), cloves (opens in a new tab), cumin (opens in a new tab) and pepper (opens in a new tab) and fry for a minute, then the tomatoes (opens in a new tab) and tomato paste (opens in a new tab). Pour in 400 ml of the water with 1 tsp salt, cover and simmer until the lamb is tender.

    • 50 min
    • low heat
    A sauce simmering in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Nanda Mends on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Add the drained rice, the remaining water and salt, stir once and bring to the boil.

    • 4 min
    • high heat

  4. Step 4

    Cover tightly and cook over the lowest heat until the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed. Rest 10 minutes, fluff, scatter with coriander and serve with a banana (opens in a new tab) on the side.

    • 18 min
    • low heat

    Food safety: Cool leftover rice quickly and refrigerate within 1–2 hours.

About this dish

Origin
Djibouti · Commonly attributedRelated to the spiced rice-and-meat dishes of Yemen, Somalia and the Indian Ocean trade.Also popular in SomaliaMore food from Djibouti
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Rice dishes · Main courses
Cooking method
Braised, Simmered
Taste
aromatic / warmly spiced, savoury, rich
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pot · Festive & celebration
Cook more with
Lamb shoulder · Basmati rice · Onion · Tomato · Tomato paste · Garlic
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering · Braising

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

610 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 412 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 15%
  • Carbohydrate 40%
  • Fat 45%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy610 kcal148 kcal
Protein22.2 g5.4 g
Carbohydrate61.3 g14.9 g
Net carbohydrate58.6 g14.2 g
Sugars3.4 g0.8 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre2.7 g0.6 g
Fat30.4 g7.4 g
Saturated fat10.5 g2.6 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol60 mg15 mg
Sodium855 mg208 mg
Salt equivalent2.1 g0.5 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
566 mg
Calcium
74 mg
Iron
4.6 mg
Magnesium
50 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
35 µg
Vitamin C
10 mg
Vitamin D
0.2 µg
Vitamin B12
1.9 µg
Folate (DFE)
—

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: coriander leaves, banana.
  • Basmati rice: Generic long-grain white rice (FDC 168877); basmati has very similar composition.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Soak the basmati 20 minutes before cooking so the grains cook evenly in the meat broth.

Common mistakes

  • Lifting the lid during the rice stage — steam escapes and the rice cooks unevenly.

Serve with

  • Serve with a banana on the side, a green chilli sauce (basbaas) and a simple salad.

Storage

  • Keeps 2 days refrigerated.

Reheating

  • Sprinkle with water and reheat covered until piping hot.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3, 4

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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