Warming cumin, cardamom, turmeric, and ginger make this Somali chicken stew recipe from Hawa Hassan, founder of hot sauce and chutney company Basbaas, a rich aromatic experience. While it’s traditional to serve stews like diaag qumbe with a whole banana (get ready for a delicious study in hot-cold, savory-sweet contrasts) and white rice, Hawa likes to put her own spin on the dish—as all of the women in her family do—by switching in fresh spinach.
Ingredients
8 servings
3
1
2
½
2
2
1
1
1
1
¼
1
1
1
1
2
1
3
1
Preparation
Step 1
Blend tomatoes, bell pepper, and jalapeños in a blender or food processor until almost smooth; set aside.
Step 2
Heat oil in a large pot over medium. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add ginger, cumin, curry powder, turmeric, and cardamom; season generously with salt. Cook, stirring, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add reserved tomato mixture to pot and stir well to combine. Stir in yogurt and tomato paste, cover pot, and simmer 10 minutes. Add potato and carrot and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are nearly tender, 15–18 minutes.
Step 3
Add chicken, coconut milk, ghee (if using), and 1 cup cilantro. Stir to combine, then simmer until chicken is tender and sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Season with salt.
Step 4
Divide rice among bowls. Spoon chicken, vegetables, and sauce over. Top with cilantro leaves.
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Reviews (124)
Back to TopI loved the flavors of this recipe! So many layers. Curry is just the start.... This is the fourth time I've made this, and each time it gets better! I didn't change much just added more hot curry, and served with a Major Grey Chutney for more depth and a little sweetness.
Bryon Barton
Texas!
1/13/2024
What an epic disappointment. The sauce was watery and 0 Flavor even after adding tons of salt. It was quite the process and was not cheap to make.
Moniluv
Orlando Florida
8/17/2023
I don’t know what Chelsea k from twin cities is talking about but mark is right. This recipe is trash
Anonymous
Los Angeles
8/12/2022
I discovered this recipe January 2020 and it's so good I make it once a month, just for myself, so it feeds me for a whole week. The flavors are nice and complex, so it's not something that becomes bland or something I tire of. I eat it just as is, without the rice or spinach, and unfortunately I can't eat bananas. But regardless, it's great. very similar to some indian food and simple and easy to make.
Andrew
Colorado Springs
10/14/2021
I don't know what Mark from New Jersey did wrong for him to give such a scathing review... but it is completely unwarranted. I followed this recipe basically to a T... (a little more garlic, spices, and veg) but otherwise the same. And it turned out PHENOMENAL! I am EXTREMELY pleased with this dish and will definitely be making it again
Chelsea K
Twin Cities, MN
9/9/2021
This is NOT a 5 star dish. Not even a 4 star. As I type this review, the stars read 5 even though I entered 2. Stars are not properly updating. The end result was acceptable but not something I'd make again. Several technique issues at play. Stewing the chicken raw without browning first is a mistake in this dish. Adding the tomato paste raw without a saute is another mistake. In the end, something was out of balance. OK but not great and I'm not sure how to fix it.
Mark
NJ
7/10/2021
This recipe is excellent, and goes great with Hawa's Zanzibari pilau as well. My partner is dairy free so subbing in any kind of dairy free yogurt still creates a great creaminess and cohesion in the dish.
Anonymous
6/23/2021
This was incredible and every picky eater in the family loved it! Added more carrot and potato from previous reviews and totally agree that the sauce can handle the additions. I also tripled the curry and doubled the cumin because that's how we roll! Didn't have cardamom so threw in some cinnamon. Did take longer to cook the veggies than in the recipe which wasn't a problem other than people were salivating at the aroma and hovering in the kitchen around the stove. Fed a family of four and still leftovers. Definitely in the permanent rotation!
Melissa
Rochester, NY
6/3/2021
Delicious! Really enjoyed the BA video of the chef making this dish.
PG
Santa Fe, NM
3/4/2021
Absolutely wonderful! Makes a ton of food, totally worth the prep work. I second other reviewers' comments that there's quite a bit of sauce -- I upped the vegetables to 16oz of carrots + 2 potatoes and I still had enough sauce to really soak into the rice. I also added 3 jalepenos instead of 2 and it's still really mild (and I'm definitely not someone who handles heat in food well), so no worries to anyone concerned about that. I REALLY loved this dish when it made it in the summer because those fresh tomatoes made the sauce phenomenal. Not as mindblowing in winter, although I think just using a 28oz can of whole tomatoes (minus the liquid in the can) is better than paying up for bland out of season tomatoes. Still good either way, though!
RJacobs
2/28/2021
SO GOOD!!! the yogurt gives a creamy ness that is irresistible. i used chicken breast and chicken thighs two separate times. both are great, but the thighs give an extra fattiness. served with homemade flatbread (from claire saffitz’s cookbook) and it was A PERFECT COMBO!!
Kiersten Wasserman
2/21/2021
I've made this several times and it's always delicious. I'd recommend making it as the recipe suggests, but in a pinch I've substituted canned tomatoes for fresh and even mild harissa for red pepper and it's still delicious. I've also been lazy and skipped the blending step which also results in still tasty rustic version of the original recipe.
Anonymous
New York, NY
1/22/2021
This recipe was a complete hit and one that everyone asked to be included in the rotation. I kept the jalapeño seeds which gave it more spice but I will say I would give the potatoes a little longer because with the times they gave my potatoes were still a little too firm for my liking. Also added more garlic and turned out delicious.
Nick C
Atlanta, Ga
1/22/2021
This is a definite keeper recipe. The spices are well balanced with nothing overpowering the flavor profile. Just enough heat (keep the jalapeño seeds for more) a real comfort food dish! I followed the recipe to the letter and wouldn’t change anything. I served it over spinach and riced cauliflower with banana on the side. It was wonderful!
Dan
Albuquerque
12/24/2020
How's this different than a chicken tikka masala?
Hal
New York, NY
11/23/2020