← Nouns Cooking · West & East African

Ingredients

• 2 Tomato, chopped
• 1 red pepper, deseeded
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, stem removed
• 5 cm piece Ginger, peeled
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 125 ml Vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp Tomato purée (paste)
• 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1½ tsp Curry powder
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp Garlic powder
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 pinch Nutmeg (optional)
• 1½ tsp salt, or to taste
• 500 g Jasmine rice, rinsed until the water runs clear
• 700 ml hot chicken stock

Method

1. Blend the pepper-base ingredients with a splash of water until smooth.
2. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat and fry the sliced onion for 5 min until soft. Stir in the tomato paste and fry for 3–4 min, until it darkens.
3. Add the blended base, tinned tomatoes, curry powder, paprika, garlic powder, bay leaves, nutmeg and salt. Simmer uncovered for 15–20 min, stirring often, until thick and the oil separates.
4. Stir in the rice until every grain is coated, then pour in the hot stock. Bring to the boil, stir once and turn the heat to the lowest setting.
5. Cover with foil and the lid and steam for 20–25 min without stirring, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork, cover and rest for 5 min before serving.

Tips

• Jasmine rice is the Ghanaian choice; it cooks faster than parboiled rice, so keep the heat very low.
• Cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate within an hour. Check stock cubes for wheat if you need it gluten-free.
• Wear gloves to cut or blend scotch bonnets, keep your hands away from your eyes and wash the board, knife and blender well afterwards.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

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