AI-generated image
Muqmad (Somali spiced meat preserved in ghee)
Muqmad / oodkac: tiny cubes of dried, spiced beef fried crisp and kept in ghee, the Somaliland breakfast treat
Before fridges, nomadic families in Somaliland preserved meat as muqmad, also called oodkac: beef or camel cut into tiny cubes, dried in the sun, fried in ghee with garlic and spices and packed into a container topped with more ghee. A spoonful is eaten for breakfast with sabaayad or canjeero and tea, and jars are made for Eid, weddings and travellers. Sun-drying raw meat is risky in a home kitchen, so this safer version cooks the cubes through to 71 °C first, then dries them in a low oven and keeps the finished jar in the fridge. The traditional raw-dried version is not for pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system. Cutting the cubes unevenly is the common mistake: big pieces stay moist inside while small ones burn, so aim for 1 cm all round. Chef's tip: partly freeze the meat for 45 minutes and it cuts into neat cubes far more easily.
- Total time
- 240 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the meat
For frying and preserving
- 14 oz gheemade from pasteurised butter
- 1 onionvery finely chopped
- 8 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 tbsp xawaash spice mixSomali blend of cumin, coriander, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and turmeric; ready-made or homemade
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/8 doneStep 2: Uncover and keep cooking, stirring, for 10–15 minutes until all the liquid has evaporated and the meat begins to sizzle in the pan.
12 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 200°F (176°F fan). Spread the cubes in a single layer over two lined baking trays.
Step 4: Dry in the oven for 2–2½ hours, stirring every 30 minutes and swapping the trays, until the cubes are dark, shrunken and firm, chewy rather than moist when you bite one.
140 minStep 6: Add the dried meat and fry for 15–20 minutes, stirring often, until crisp and deep brown. Stir in the 1 tbsp xawaash spice mix, 1 tsp ground cardamom and 1 tsp ground black pepper for the last 2 minutes; do not let the spices burn.
18 minStep 7: Spoon the meat and ghee into clean, sterilised jars, pressing the meat down so it is covered by at least 1 cm of ghee. Cool, seal and keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, or freeze for 3 months. Always use a clean, dry spoon.
Step 8: To serve, warm a few spoonfuls in a small pan until the ghee melts and the meat is hot through, and eat with flatbread and tea.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does muqmad (Somali spiced meat preserved in ghee) take?
- About 240 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 200 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 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.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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
Pork souvlaki
This is a pork recipe. Walk through any Greek town after dark, from Athens to Thessaloniki, and the smell of souvlaki stands drifts down the street; cubes of pork shoulder grilled on thin skewers are the country's favourite cheap supper, eaten standing up or at a plastic-table taverna. At home you marinate the meat in lemon, olive oil, garlic and dried oregano, grill it hard and fast, and pile it on warm pitta with tzatziki, tomato and red onion. Chef's tip: cut the pork into even 2.5 cm cubes and leave a little fat on; lean loin dries out, shoulder stays juicy over high heat.
Greek
Pfälzer SaumagenStuffed pig's stomach
Saumagen is the pride of the Palatinate, served at wine-village festivals and family dinners from the Haardt hills to Ludwigshafen. A cleaned pig's stomach is stuffed with diced pork shoulder, pork sausage meat, potato and carrot seasoned with marjoram and nutmeg, poached slowly, then sliced thick and fried until crusty. The stomach works only as a casing and is ordered from a butcher; if you can't get one, bake the same filling in a covered terrine in a water bath. Serve with sauerkraut and mashed potato. Chef's tip: fill the stomach only three-quarters full, or it bursts as the potatoes swell.
German
Chha goshtLamb in buttermilk gravy
Up in the hill villages of Himachal Pradesh, where flocks are walked to summer pastures, lamb is often cooked in chhaachh, the thin buttermilk left after churning butter. Thickened with a spoonful of gram flour, it makes a pale, gently sour gravy that is milder and lighter than the red curries of the plains, and it is a favourite at dhams, the festive meals of the Kangra and Chamba valleys. Serve it with steamed rice or makki ki roti. Chef's tip: whisk the gram flour into the buttermilk until there are no lumps before it goes near the pot; once it hits the heat, any lumps stay lumps.
Indian