Suqaar Digaag (Spiced Chicken and Vegetable Sauté)

Suqaar is a fast Somali sauté of meat and vegetables, and this chicken version gets its warmth from xawaash, a cumin-forward spice blend. Make it when sweet peppers are plentiful at the market.

Serves 4 · 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the suqaar

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
• 1 medium red onion, halved and sliced
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ½ teaspoon hot, sweet or smoked paprika
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons xawaash, store-bought or homemade, divided
• Fine sea salt
• 4 to 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small jalapeño, stemmed and halved (optional)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 1 handful cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• Flatbread, such as anjero or sabaayad, or rice and salad, for serving

For homemade xawaash (makes about 6 teaspoons)

• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric

Instructions

1. If making the xawaash, toast the cumin, coriander, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom in a small nonstick pan over low heat, stirring constantly, about 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in the turmeric and set aside.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion, stirring now and then, until soft, 6 to 7 minutes.
3. While the onion cooks, toss the chicken in a bowl with the lemon juice, paprika, black pepper, 1 teaspoon xawaash and 1 teaspoon salt.
4. Stir the garlic and jalapeño (if using) into the onion and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the garlic softens.
5. Add the chicken and raise the heat to medium-high. Let it cook without stirring for 4 to 5 minutes, until nearly cooked through, then stir and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, until browned and done.
6. Add the bell peppers, cilantro and the remaining 1 teaspoon xawaash, plus a little more oil if the pan looks dry. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes, until the peppers are tender. Season with salt.
7. Serve with flatbread, or over rice with a salad on the side.

Tips

• Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

Adapted from Ifrah F. Ahmed, NYT Cooking.