← Nouns Cooking · West & East African

Ingredients

• 500 g long-grain parboiled rice, rinsed
• 800 ml chicken stock
• 2 tsp Curry powder, divided
• 1 tsp Dried thyme
• 4 tbsp Vegetable oil, divided
• 1 Onion, diced
• 2 cm piece Ginger, grated
• 2 Carrot, finely diced
• 100 g Green beans, thinly sliced
• 100 g frozen peas
• 100 g sweetcorn
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, deseeded and minced (optional)
• 250 g peeled cooked prawns (optional)
• ½ tsp White pepper
• 3 Spring onion, sliced
• salt, to taste

Method

1. Put the rice, stock, 1 tsp curry powder and the thyme in a pot and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer gently for 15–18 min, until the rice is just tender and the stock is absorbed. Spread it on a tray to steam dry and cool a little.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large wok or frying pan over high heat. Fry the onion and ginger for 2 min, then add the carrots and green beans and stir-fry for 3 min.
3. Add the peas, sweetcorn, red pepper and scotch bonnet, if using, with the remaining curry powder and the white pepper. Stir-fry for 2 min, until bright and just tender. Tip the vegetables into a bowl.
4. Heat the remaining oil in the pan and add the rice in two batches, frying each for 3–4 min so the grains turn golden and a little toasty.
5. Return all the rice and vegetables to the pan with the prawns, if using, and toss for 2–3 min until piping hot. Season with salt, scatter over the spring onions and serve.

Tips

• The rice must be fairly dry before frying, or it turns mushy. Day-old cooked rice, chilled quickly, works perfectly.
• Traditionally fried diced beef liver is added too. Check stock cubes for wheat if you need it gluten-free.
• If you add the scotch bonnet, wear gloves to cut it and keep your hands away from your eyes.

Sources

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

Chef Lola's Kitchen 9jafoodie Eat Well Abi