Diced chicken thigh simmered with onion, green pepper and Somali spices, served over rice with a side of banana. Hoyo's chicken suqaar at North Market is the city's reference Somali stew.

Chicken suqaar is a Somali home dish of diced meat stewed with onion, garlic and a warm spice blend (cumin, coriander, cardamom). Hoyo's Kitchen brought it from home cooking to mainstream Columbus through the North Market counter in 2014. The Hoyo's family arrived in Columbus from Somalia in the 1990s as part of the Twin Cities-Columbus refugee resettlement; the banana side is the traditional Somali sweet finish.

Where to eat Hoyo's chicken suqaar in Columbus

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Make it at home

Serves 445 minEasy

Ingredients

  • 700g boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2cm dice
  • 2 large onions, diced
  • 2 green bell peppers, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 tomatoes, diced
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp coriander
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
  • Salt and pepper
  • Basmati rice and a banana to serve

Method

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned, 6 minutes. Season with salt.
  2. Add onion and green pepper. Saute until softened, 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom and cinnamon. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Add diced tomato and 1/2 cup water. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes, partially covered, until chicken is tender and sauce thickens.
  5. Adjust seasoning. Stir in cilantro.
  6. Serve over basmati rice with a peeled banana on the side, sliced into the suqaar at the table.

Editor tip. The banana isn't a garnish; it's a temperature and sweetness counter to the spice. Slice it into the suqaar as you eat.