Surbiyaan is a popular Somali rice dish and it is every ones favorite. In this recipe I have used chicken paired with basmati rice, which is a must for this recipe. The rice is soaked, and boiled with water half way. Then the rice finished cooking with the chicken sauce which includes blend of spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, cloves, which give the dish an amazing flavor and fragrant.Then it is garnished with sauteed onion and raisin.
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Somali Style Rice : Surbiyaan
Ingredients
- 6 pieces chicken Thighs & Legs
- 3 cups basmati rice
- 5 cardamom pods crushed
- 2 black cardamom
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 5 peppercorn
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 cloves
- 2 teaspoons cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika/red pepper
- 2 teaspoon cilantro chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/2 green pepper chopped
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1/2 lemon
- two medium tomatoes chopped
Instructions
- Clean and soak the rice with water and let it rest of 30 minutes.
- Fry the chicken with the oil until brown, add cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon sticks, cloves, pepper corn.
- Add onions saute until brown then add garlic add tomatoes .
- Add the yogurt when tomatoes are tender.
- Then add the juice of a lemon, cumin, ginger, coriander, paprika and the cilantro.
- Let it simmer while covered on a medium heat until boil and then lower the heat for 10- 15 minutes.
- In another saucepan add the rice in boiling water cook until the rice is half done.
- Drain and add the rice to the chicken sauce and cook until the rice is tender on a medium heat covered, add the garnish.
For garnish
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon food coloring
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 onion, sliced
- Heat the oil over medium heat, add the onion and fry until nice and brown. Add the raisins and cook until they puff up.
- Add this mixture over rice, add the food coloring on one side.
Would it be weird if I used chicken breast (boneless) for this recipe?
You can use chicken breast it is fine, it is a lot healthier.
I love your website, it looks so professional and well designed. However it would be so much more appreciated if you had videos that can guide people better ( I.e those who are more of visual learners or can’t read instruction well). I love what your are doing… Please keep it up!
Thanks for your kind words, maybe Insha Allah in the future I will add videos.
Please how much tomatoes
how much tomatoesplease
Rose
two medium tomatoes,
I made this it is so tasty.
walal adoo mahadsan ma taqan sida lo sameyo NAFAQO ama batatiga dhexda ukunta ama hilibka shidan laga galiyo?
mahadsanid
Amina wili maan kudarin halkan laakiin waxaad ka heli kartaa halkan sida loosameeyo nafaqo,
http://www.somalirecipes.com/2009/09/potato-stuffed-with-egg-nafaqo.html
Salam, I like your new website, but I loved the other the one better, it had that warm feeling…… Is that time of the year again where I look at your website to learn new things and get some insperations…. I was just at your sister’s house yesterday and she cooked my mum and I Lamb Surbiyaan and it was delicious….. you guys are gifted with your cooking skills…. Everytime I attemp this it looks and taste more like Biryaani then Surbiyaan… I’ll keep practising!!! ;o)
Asalamu Alaikum Samira,
Many thanks for your feed back.
What kind of yogurt is needed ??
Hi,
Full/whole fat yogurt.
Thank you so much, you made really easy.
and I am a person who never cooks, and I have made this dish. 🙂
Salaam walal.
Thanks for showing us, how we can. Really I’m learning something from you, and I’m a person who want to learn something new.
Waxan ka codsanayaa hade suragaltahy ina dosha di somalia lagu samenjiray ama dolsha somali, ina nogu so darto sida losameyo tas aya iga maqan runti onan jeclan laha inan sameyo, thanks.
by amiira from Norway!
Asalamu Alikum
I tried this but somehow didnt come out right, when you add the yogurt it becomes lumpy. Sis would you be able to upload a video of how to make this and your other recipes.
Hana thanks for trying the surbiyaan, the yogurt should be smooth try to mix it well, the videos are helpful and Insha Allah I have plans of uploading in the near future, in the mean time please be patient with me.
Thanks for the recipe! Clarification, on the last direction point, am I mixing in the rice with the chicken sauce or which sauce are you referring to?
Hi, yes mix the rice with the chicken sauce.
thanks for stopping by and trying the recipe
enjoy!
Salaam,
Sis can you please post pictures or video for this recipe. I’ve made it before and it has not turned out right, it was probably more like a biryani. Hope to make this during ramadan insha allah, Also, if you where to make it with lamb, can you you go through the same steps?
Many thanks for your feed back Hana,
I will add some video, Insha Allah.
hey don’t for forget the banana
Banana is a must! 🙂
asalamualaykum, sister jazakallah khayr for this informative website. I enjoy your recipies, and look forward to trying them out. I have a request, can you please add a somali japatti recipie? Many thanks!
Wa Alaykum salaaam, thanks for stopping by, about the Somali jabati, you can find under breads as sabaayad there are few recipes. Let me know if that is what you are looking for.
This is in my oven right now, will let you know how it tastes, hopefully this time it will be delicious insha allah
mmm Insha Allah it will come out right, I am working on lamb surbiyaan.
Sorry for late reply, masha allah, it turned out really well! I think the reason why it didn’t turn out right at the beginning was because I skipped out some ingredients. Good to hear your working on the Lamb version, lol I was going to ask you for that recipe as I want to make it for Eid insha allah, thanks
I always thought this was a south Yemeni dish but Indian influenced because in Yemen Indians make it and its called zurbiyaan
That is good to hear, thanks for sharing.
That is a good question, this dish is originated in Persia and it is a popular dish in South Asia called biryani, and also through out the world.
We inherited this dish through trade, Aden former capital of Yemen was the life life back then. There are many versions of this type of rice and almost every one makes it differently but the idea is the same.
I tryed to make it and it was very good!!! do you guys have a store I love to visit!! Thanks wallal!
Surbiyaan is a somali dish from Saylac/Awdal Region. I love Surbiyaan its very good. But i have also heard about Surbiyaan with lamb?
Thanks Abdi
The Surbiyaan with lamb or goat is the way
i love somali food.
Thanks youi
Could someone please tell me how many people this recipe will serve. Thank you
hi it will serve 9 – 10 people it will depend the portion etc.
salam, when are we adding green pepper? and also is it green bell pepper or green chillies? thanks for ur help. i am making this rite now. pls reply asap 🙂
Salam Faiza sorry for the delay, you can add both for a spicier rice add the chili if not the green pepper will do. enjoy!
I’ve been looking for a recipe for the typical somali wedding baaris.
Is this the one?
Salaam Ubah,
This could be one of them, let me know how it goes.
I made this and it came out mushy. What did i do wrong? How long do you cook rice?
Hi, Precious don’t cook the rice all the way.
What kind of basmati rice do you use? Can give me the exact name of rice you use. Thanks.
Salamaleikoum, sis i wonder if you Can tell me how to make estomac goat sauce with out potatos. Tank you d avance
Salaam,
I just wanted to say thank you for putting this up. The steps were easy to follow (even for someone who is as bad at cooking as I am). It turned out beautifully and I’m sure my family will think so too! 🙂
Mmm I love Indian food
This Kind of rice is famous in eymen especialy in Aden (south of eymen) As a popular dish
how many drops of food coloring? And red or should i make it orange? This looks delicious. I love Somali food.
Thank you Jacki
few drops will do the work
Thanks fafe
Thank you Ubah, I am happy you tried the recipe.
i made this for my hooyo tonight and it tasted amazing! thank you for the recipe
Great! Thank you
Hi,
My somali man doesnt like chicken.
What other meat can i add, lamb?
Hi, you can substitute any meat you like. Thanks!