AI-generated image
Digaag qumbe (Somali chicken in coconut milk)
Digaag qumbe: chicken simmered in coconut milk with tomato, garlic and xawaash, from the southern coast
Coconut milk is the signature of the Benadir coast from Mogadishu south to Kismayo and Barawa, where the Swahili-speaking world meets Somali cooking, and digaag qumbe shows it off: chicken pieces simmered in a creamy coconut sauce with tomato, garlic, a hint of turmeric and xawaash. The sauce is mellow and gently spiced, coloured golden-orange, and generous enough to soak into rice, canjeero or sabaayad. Families make it for Friday lunch and to welcome guests. Boiling the sauce hard after the coconut milk goes in is the mistake to avoid, as it splits and turns oily; keep it at a gentle bubble. Chef's tip: brown the chicken well first, as the caramelised skin gives the mild sauce its savoury backbone.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticksskin on, bone in
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 4 cloves garliccrushed
- ½ oz fresh gingergrated
- 2 tsp xawaash spice mixSomali blend of cumin, coriander, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and turmeric; ready-made or homemade
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 3 tomatoesgrated
- 1 green pepperdiced
- 1 ¾ cups coconut milk1 tin, shaken
- 1 green chilli (optional)slit
- ½ limejuiced
- ⅓ oz fresh coriander (optional)chopped
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Fresh ingredients (8)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Season the 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks with half the 1 ¼ tsp salt. Heat the 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide, heavy pan over a medium-high heat and brown the chicken skin side down for 6–8 minutes, then turn and brown for 3 minutes. Lift out.
10 minStep 2: Pour off all but 2 tbsp of fat. Fry the 2 onions over a medium heat for 8 minutes until soft and golden.
8 minStep 3: Add the 4 cloves garlic, ½ oz fresh ginger, 2 tsp xawaash spice mix and ½ tsp ground turmeric and stir for 1 minute until fragrant, then add the 3 tomatoes and 1 green pepper and cook 5 minutes until jammy.
6 minStep 4: Return the chicken with its juices, pour in the 1 ¾ cups coconut milk, add the rest of the salt and the 1 green chilli. Bring to a gentle simmer, partly cover and cook for 25 minutes, stirring now and then, without letting it boil hard.
25 minStep 5: Check the chicken: the juices should run clear and the thickest piece should read 165°F. Simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes if the sauce needs thickening.
5 minStep 6: Stir in the ½ lime juice, scatter with ⅓ oz fresh coriander and serve with rice or flatbread.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 40 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does digaag qumbe (Somali chicken in coconut milk) take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Chicken kdra with almonds
Kdra takes its name from the tall copper pot it was cooked in, and in Fez it is a festive dish for weddings and family gatherings rather than an everyday tagine. The sauce is the point: kilos of onion melted down with smen, saffron, white pepper and cinnamon until it turns pale gold and creamy, with no tomato or paprika at all. Soft chickpeas and almonds simmered until tender go into it, and the whole thing is scooped up with bread. Expect a mellow, perfumed, buttery richness rather than heat. Chef's tip: soak and simmer the blanched almonds with the chicken; they lose their crunch and become creamy like the chickpeas, which is how Fassi cooks like them.
Moroccan
Mar i muntanya
Sea and mountain: the cooks of the Empordà, between the Pyrenees and the Costa Brava, have long put chicken and seafood in one pot, and this version with prawns is the one most families make for a celebration lunch. The sauce is a dark sofrito finished with a picada of almonds, hazelnuts, garlic and a little dark chocolate, which adds depth rather than sweetness. It uses wine; the alcohol-free option is in the ingredient list. Chef's tip: cook the prawns only briefly at the start and return them at the end, so they stay juicy while the chicken braises.
Spanish
Chicken tikka masala
Marinating the chicken in spiced yoghurt keeps it tender, and a few minutes under a hot grill gives it the smoky char of a tandoor. The sauce is rich but not heavy, finished with a little cream and dried fenugreek leaves.
Indian