Grits with Beef Stew - Gruau au Pot-au-Feu de Boeuf
This is the ultimate comfort food. Forget about those fancy mancy foods that make you looking for something to eat not long after your meal. This is both filling and fulfilling. Nothing triggers memories like this dish. Make sure you’re happy when you first eat this, because those memories will stay with you for a long, long time. We know this because the first time we served this dish to some friends away from the homeland, we saw tears well in their eyes. Oh, yes!
Known in Somalia as soor, gashiisho, shuuro, malalaf, it is the most common staple food across the country. Grits are cheap and they store well, making them a food that is easily accessible to everyone. Another advantage is that they take very little time to cook.
It is usually served with a stew, with milk and sugar, or with butter and sugar. If you happen to have both a stew and some milk in hand for the grits, first you eat them with the stew, then you add the milk and sugar to the remaining grits. Are you still waiting for dessert?
C’est le bon petit plat ultime. Laissez de côté les grands plats sophistiqués qui vous laissent sur votre faim. Ce plat est à la fois rassasiant et réconfortant. Rien ne nous évoque plus de souvenirs que ce plat. Assurez vous d’être joyeux lorsque vous goûterez à ce plat pour la première fois, pour pouvoir garder ce souvenir très, très longtemps. Nous savons ça parce que la première fois qu’on a servi ce plat à des amis loin du pays, nous avons vu des larmes dans leurs yeux. Oh, oui!
Connu en Somalie sous le nom de soor, gashiisho, shuuro, malalaf, ce plat est le plat de base le plus répandu dans le pays. La semoule est très peu chère et se conservent longtemps, ce qui rend cette nourriture accessible à toute la population. Un autre avantage est qu’elle cuit très rapidement.
On sert la semoule d’habitude avec un ragoût, avec du lait et du sucre, ou avec du beurre et du sucre. Si vous avez du ragoût et du lait sous la main pour votre semoule, d’abord mangez-la avec le ragoût, puis ajoutez le lait et le sucre à la semoule restante. Avez vous encore envie d’un dessert?
Ingredients:
Beef Stew:
1/2 kg Beef cubes
1 Onion
2 Tomatoes
2 Potatoes
4 Garlic cloves
1 tsp Xawaash
2 Tbsp Vegetable seasoning
1/2 cup Vegetable oil
1 Tbsp Tomato paste
2 cups Water
Grits:
1 cup White corn grits
5 cups Water
1 tsp Salt (or more)
Ingrédients:
Ragoût de boeuf:
½ kg de Boeuf coupé en cubes
1 Oignon
2 Tomates
2 Pommes de Terre
4 Gousses d’Ail
1 cc de Xawaash
2 cs d’Assaisonnement Légumes
½ mesure d’Huile Végétale
1 cs de Concentré de Tomates
2 mesures d’Eau
Grau:
1 mesure de Semoule de Maïs Blanc
5 mesures d’Eau
1 cc de Sel (ou plus)
Directions:
Beef Stew:
Saute the onions and garlic in the oil. Add the xawaash, then about a minute later add the beef. Stir well and cover the pot for 5 minutes. We used a very tender cut of beef that doesn’t require a lot of time to cook. Add the potatoes, the water, and tomato paste, then cover the pot and let the stew cook for 10 minutes. If using a tougher cut of beef, cook until tender. Add the peppers 3 minutes before turning off the heat.
Grits:
Bring the water to a boil, then add the salt. Slowly stir in the white corn grits. Stir vigorously so no lumps are formed. Cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes on medium heat. Stir every 5 minutes. After the 15 minutes are over, turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. It is now ready to serve.
Note: We used good quality grits with a coarse texture which is the type we prefer. We didn’t use instant grits. If you use grits with a finer texture, the cooking time will be reduced.
Serving suggestion:
Scoop some of the grits onto a deep dish. Make a well in the middle and scoop the stew into the well. You don’t want a banana with it? You don’t know what you are missing!
Instructions:
Pot-au-feu de Boeuf:
Faire sauter les oignons et l’ail dans l’huile. Ajouter le xawaash, puis une minute plus tard ajouter le boeuf. Bien remuer et couvrir pendant 5 minutes. Nous avons utilisé un morceau de boeuf très tendre qui à un temps de cuisson très court. Ajouter les pommes de terre, l’eau, et le concentré de tomates, puis couvrir la casserole et laisser cuire le pot-au-feu pendant 10 minutes. Si vous utilisez un morceau de boeuf plus coriace, cuire jusqu’à ce qu’il soit tendre. Ajouter les poivrons 3 minutes avant d’éteindre le feu.
Gruau:
Faire bouillir l’eau, puis ajouter le sel. Verser en tournant doucement la semoule de maïs blanc. Ensuite tourner vigoureusement pour éviter la formation de grumeaux. Couvrir la casserole et cuire pendant 15 minutes à feu moyen. Mélanger toutes les 5 minutes. Une fois les 15 minutes écoulées, éteindre le feu et laisser reposer pendant 5 minutes. C’est maintenant prêt pour servir.
Note: Nous avons utilisé de la semoule de bonne qualité à gros grain, c’est notre variété favorite. Nous ne voulions pas utiliser de la semoule instantanée. Si vous utiliser de la semoule à grains plus fins, le temps de cuisson sera plus court.
Suggestion de Présentation:
Dépose le gruau dans un plat creux. Faire un puit au milieu et verser du pot-au-feu dans le puit. Vous ne voulez pas une banane pour accompagner tout ça? Vous ne savez pas ce que vous ratez!
Ingredients - Ingrédients
Ingredients - Ingrédients
Beef Stew - Pot-au-feu de Boeuf
Beef Stew - Pot-au-feu de Boeuf
White Corn Grits - Gruau de Maïs Blanc
Coarse Ground White Corn Grits - Gruau de Maïs Blanc Moulu grossièrement
Grits with Beef Stew - Gruau au Pot-au-feu de Boeuf
A banana perfectly compliments this dish, providing a sweetness that balances the salty taste of the stew and the acidity of the tomatoes.
Une banane est l’accompagnement parfait de ce plat, elle apporte du sucré qui équilibre le goût salé du pot-au-feu et l’acidité des tomates.
I grew up on rice and pasta. I used to hate beef-stew grits as a kid, which is now one of my favourite dishes! I am so much in love with grits now & I can’t get enough of this delicious dish. Even though I just ate, just thinking of it makes me feel hungry
Thanks for sharing this authentic recipe Abdullahi!
Looking forward to seeing some more of your traditional recipes soon!
Thank you Abdurahman. You’re not the only person that now misses foods that they were not too keen on when they were younger. You learn to appreciate your roots and all those carefree days.
I love your website and I’ve been telling everyone I know about it! I wasn’t much of a soor eater growing up, I just saw my parents eat it from time to time. I used to reject the idea of eating soor but this looks so good, I will definitely be trying it inshallaah, as soon as I get my hands on some grits. Thank you so much for putting this website together.
One quick question, what’s the name of the song in the video? It’s by Hassan Aden Samatar right?
Amal, thank you very much for your comment. At the end of each video we have the name of the song and the artist who sings it. The song was originally by Hassan Aden Samatar but this version is by Liban Issak Aden. Liban lives in Australia and was an Australian Idol semi-finalist. The name of the song is Huburoow.
Thank you
Thank you for showing us how to make this dish. It was out of this world delicious!
Could you please show us how to make suugo and tomato chutney. Thanks
May Allah bless you for your hard work!
We will post the recipes you requested very soon, God willing. Thank you for being a regular visitor to the website.
Looks delicious. I’m making it this week – thanks for the recipes. Especially for us Somalis who grew up in the ‘dibada’ and don’t know cooking very well.
Thanks for the comment. We made the grits last week and everyone enjoyed it.
As Salaam Alaikum wa Rahmatullah
I would like to thank you for this wonderful website. For the first time in my life I follow your recipes and it comes out like actual Somali food. It makes me remember my mother’s food.
Thank you very much
request: how do you make somali rice only with isku kariis
Thank you, Saida. We are happy the recipes worked for you. We already made Bariis Isku-karis. Are you asking about something else? If so, please describe it.
masha allah illaheey ha idiin zaidsho laakiin cadi ma tihdiin hadaa somali nahay siyaasad aan ku walanay wali webkaan camaleeti maba arkin masha allah walalayaalkeeyga qaaliga ah
Walaaasheenna Safiyo,
Aad iyo aad ayaad ugu mahadsan tahay faalladaada fiican.
Thank you for all the recipes , Can you help me I want to print you recipes without pictures but you don’t have print icon.Thank you again for this life saving website.
We are working on a printer-friendly version for the recipe pages. Please check later.
Thanks .
You are most welcome.
salaam sis/bro
do you guys know something called maraq xulbe. i learned from my mother in law and it is one of my husband’s fav. i never knew about till now and i dont like it. so i am wondering if you know it and have a recipe for it. it is a djoubtian dish. please let me know. jazakallah.
We will find out for you, and we will post it inshaAllah.
Thank you guys. stay blessed
waan kufaraxsanahay in aan helno faa idadaan waa loobaahnaa in aad noo soo bandhigtaan badhigaan quruxdabadan waan kumahadsantahay walalo waainlahelaa cafimaad buxa cuno caafimaad iyo fitamiinleh
Waad ku mahadsan tahay faalladaada wacan.
maasha allaah jazaakal laah ukhtii fillaah aad baa uga helay runtii waad ku mahasan tahay bandhigaaga wacan mar labaad iyo mar 10 naadba mahadsanid ukhtii xayaakallaah asc
Mahadsanid walaal. Khayr ayaan kuu rajaynaynaa.
ascwrwb,waa idin salaamay the beutiful couple oo noo sameeyay this site, maasha allah u can only imagine how u guys are helping alot of people, thanx for the sanbuus, soor iyo maraq, most of the recipe aa soo galiseen i will try insha allah. aad iyo aad aa ugu mahadsantihiin shaqada qabaneysiin, ilaahay haidinkugu badalo caafimaad, ilmo baari ah, iyo wax kastoo aa jeceshihiin. cuno macaan aa familkaaga u karineysit is another way of showing them jacaylkaaga, and u guys are helpin us do just that, thanx again
Wacalaykum Assalaam Waraxmatullaahi Wabarakaatuhu,
Aad iyo aad ayaa ugu mahadsan tahay faallada iyo hadalada fiican. Sidoo kalena waxaad aad ugu mahadsan tahay dhiira gelinta.
Thank you for sharing the lovely food reminds me of my mum’s food.
You are most welcome. We are happy we reminded you of your mother’s food.
Asalamucaleykum A&L i just wanted to know if i can use semolina instead of corn grits, or are the same thing?
thank you so much for your help:)
Wa’alaikum Assalam Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.
You can use semolina for this recipe. Semolina is made from wheat while the one we used here is corn grits. Thank you.
oohh is it also known as polenta? i have seen yellow one. thank you again for the quick reply, may Allah give you more khayr and xasana for duuniya and akhira.
Polenta is cornmeal; it is made from yellow or white corn. Thank you for your special prayer and comment.
Assalaamu alaikum, I just want to say this is one of the best and most authentic Somali websites around. My grandmother and both parents (Arabs) were born and grew up in Somalia. I remember visiting the beautiful country when I was barely 7-8yrs and can still recall VIVIDLY the amazing foods and beautiful landscapes! I grew up in Kenya, and my mum on occasion would make g’shiisho and us kids would lick our plates. I have not seen my mum in over 10 years and when I saw this post I literally cried longing for her. I remember she used to make the grits with coconut milk, probably because in coastal Kenya, coconut milk is a big part of most meals. Am not sure if there is a different version of that kind of g’shiisho or it was just an added twist of mum’s to the recipe, would you know? I would so love to make this dish for my family!
Wa’alaikum Assalam Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.
Thank you so much for your generous comment and supportive words. We really do appreciate them.
We know that coconut milk is used to make corn grits in some parts of Somalia. God willing, we will post a recipe in the near future. For now, you can substitute coconut milk for half the water.