Tag: main course
Jollof Rice with Chicken
Jollof Rice with Chicken
You don’t know what you’re missing until you’ve eaten rice that’s baked in the oven. Jollof rice with chicken is happens to be one of the most popular dishes all over West African countries; originating from Senegal. This is a great dish to make if you’re feeding a lot of people since it all is cooked in one baking dish. The rice is baked in a tomato broth with peas, carrots, onions, and garlic, with chicken pieces layed across the top. With baking rice in the oven, the outside develops a crust with the inside being moist and fluffy, absorbing the chicken juices. This is so good that having seconds is inevitable.
Ingredients
Chicken Seasoning
- 6 bone in chicken thighs
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon powder
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Jollof Rice
- 1 medium onion diced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups basmati rice washed
- 15 oz canned tomato sauce puréed
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
Instructions
- Mix all of the chicken thigh seasoning ingredients together.
- Season the chicken thighs. Make sure to season under the chicken skin.
- Heat up cooking oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Place the chicken thighs skin side down.
- Brown the chicken for 5 minutes a side. Remove the chicken from the pan.
- Mix all of the rice ingredients together in a 9” x 13” baking dish.
- Place the chicken thighs on top of the rice. Cover the pan with foil. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour.
- Remove from the oven.
- Take the chicken off the top of the rice. Give the rice a stir. Place the chicken back on top of the rice and cook covered for another 30 minutes.
- Take the pan out of the oven. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Singapore Curry Noodles
Singapore Curry Noodles
While this stir fried noodle dish isn’t really from Singapore, you can find it on just about every Chinese take out menu. While there’s nothing difficult in cooking these noodles, there are a lot of steps to completion. It is all worth it in the end.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 12 shrimp 16/20 ct, peeled and deveined
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 tsp fish sauce
- 8 oz rice stick noodles
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp Shaoxing cooking wine
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1/4 lb bbq pork sliced
- 1/2 medium onion sliced thin
- 1 small red bell pepper sliced thin
- 12 snow peas sliced
- 1 small carrot julienned
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- salt to taste
- 2 tsp sesame oil
Instructions
- Marinate the shrimp with 1 tsp vegetable oil and 1/2 tsp of fish sauce. Set aside.
- Pour boiling water over the rice noodles. Let sit for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Mix together the garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, shaoxing wine, white pepper, and sugar. Set aside.
- Heat up 1 tsp of cooking oil in a wok or large sauté pan over high heat. Pour in the eggs and let set for 10 seconds.
- Scramble and set aside in a bowl.
- Wipe the pan clean. Add in 2 tsp of cooking oil. Toss in the shrimp and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add in the pork and onions. Sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add in the bell pepper and snow peas. Sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add in the carrots and 1 tsp of curry powder. Sauté for 30 seconds. Season with salt. Remove everything in the pan to the bowl with eggs.
- Wipe the pan clean. Add the remaining cooking oil. Sauté the noodles for 30 seconds.
- Mix in the rest of the curry powder.
- Add back in the stir fried eggs, meat, and vegetables. Season with salt. Stir fry for 1 minute.
- Turn off the heat. Add in the green onions. Drizzle with sesame oil.
Bengali Cholar Dal
Bengali Cholar Dal
Bengali cholar dal is traditionally eaten during celebrations. Chana dal is used in it’s preparation. Chana dal is actually a yellow split pea. When cooked and mashed, it adds a creaminess to the dal. It is also full of complex flavors from the coconut, golden raisins, cardamom, and chilies. Serve this dal with puris, which are kinda like mini fried pita, or parathas.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- Spice grinder
- bean masher
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup chana dal
- 5 cups water
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp sugar
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 green bird’s eye chilies slit length wise
- 1/3 cup coconut grated
- 1 tbsp golden raisins
Spice Mix
- 1 cinnamon stick 1”
- 6 green cardamom seeds
- 2 dried Kashmiri chilies
Garnish
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Pour the water into a pot with the chana dal. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Add in the turmeric, cloves, salt, and sugar. Simmer for 75 minutes, occasionally stirring.
- Turn off the heat. Mash with a bean masher.
- The dal doesn’t have to be completely smooth as a purée. It is good to have a little texture. Set aside.
- In a small skillet over medium heat, lightly dry toast the spice mix spices for 5 minutes.
- Grind in a spice grinder and set aside.
- Heat up cooking oil in a pot over medium heat. Sauté the cumin seeds, bay leaf, and green chilies for 30 seconds.
- Add in the coconut and fry for a minute.
- Pour in the dal. Give it a stir. Bring to a boil. Add in the spice mix and golden raisins. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
