My family cooked rice every day. Rice with vegetables, small piece of meat, plenty gravy - it was a staple and satisfying midday meal. In college, away from home, I hungered for rice - cooked white and fluffy like my father would do it, steaming and ready to soak up the flavours of stir fried vegetables, steamed fish or stewed chicken. And satisfied myself with cafeteria rice - perfectly good grains, but swimming in undrained cooking water. Doused with soy sauce, it was the nearest I could get to home. It's not hard to cook perfect rice - does not even require a steamer, or the exact hand width to know how much water to add. All you need to do is follow the package directions - boil until bubbling vigorously, then turn down to lowest heat and cover.
This pelau recipe is dedicated to my children, who are able to make it in college dorm kitchens or bedsit flats. It's a one-pot, complete meal recipe. It is not the traditional slow cooked, many meats, highly browned version of so many creole cooks, but it keeps a tummy happy.
Chicken breast, 2 lbs, cut in chunks
Garlic, 3 cloves crushed
Tomatoes, 3 small chopped
Seasoning peppers, 3 sliced
Salt, half teaspoon or to taste
Carrots, 2 medium, diced
Pigeon peas, 1lb, fresh or frozen
Pumpkin, small piece, cubed
Coconut milk, dried, 2-3 tablespoons
Rice (Uncle Ben's brown, preferred)
Cooking oil, 3 tablespoons
Brown sugar, 2 heaping tablespoons
Hot pepper, whole
Water
Season chicken with garlic, salt, tiny piece of ginger chopped (optional).
In a deep pot, over medium heat, heat oil and sugar until sugar bubbles slightly. Add chicken pieces and stir to brown. Cook stirring for 10 minutes. Add tomato and continue to cook. Add carrots and drained pigeon peas, and cook covered for about 10-15 minutes. Add coconut milk and two cups water. Cook until it is bubbling vigorously. Add rice and two cups water. Allow to cook at high heat until bubbling. Add pumpkin and turn down the heat to medium-low. cover and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes, until the rice grains are plump but not hard. Add a little water only if necessary - a tablespoon or so at a time. Put the hot pepper on top for the last 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let it sit for an hour or so before serving. (Be careful not to let the hot pepper burst - those who have "hot mouths" can add it to their helping.)
Great with a cucumber salad made with juice of a fresh lime; or with mango kuchela. Check out my recent pelau pot below.
This pelau recipe is dedicated to my children, who are able to make it in college dorm kitchens or bedsit flats. It's a one-pot, complete meal recipe. It is not the traditional slow cooked, many meats, highly browned version of so many creole cooks, but it keeps a tummy happy.
Chicken breast, 2 lbs, cut in chunks
Garlic, 3 cloves crushed
Tomatoes, 3 small chopped
Seasoning peppers, 3 sliced
Salt, half teaspoon or to taste
Carrots, 2 medium, diced
Pigeon peas, 1lb, fresh or frozen
Pumpkin, small piece, cubed
Coconut milk, dried, 2-3 tablespoons
Rice (Uncle Ben's brown, preferred)
Cooking oil, 3 tablespoons
Brown sugar, 2 heaping tablespoons
Hot pepper, whole
Water
Season chicken with garlic, salt, tiny piece of ginger chopped (optional).
In a deep pot, over medium heat, heat oil and sugar until sugar bubbles slightly. Add chicken pieces and stir to brown. Cook stirring for 10 minutes. Add tomato and continue to cook. Add carrots and drained pigeon peas, and cook covered for about 10-15 minutes. Add coconut milk and two cups water. Cook until it is bubbling vigorously. Add rice and two cups water. Allow to cook at high heat until bubbling. Add pumpkin and turn down the heat to medium-low. cover and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes, until the rice grains are plump but not hard. Add a little water only if necessary - a tablespoon or so at a time. Put the hot pepper on top for the last 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let it sit for an hour or so before serving. (Be careful not to let the hot pepper burst - those who have "hot mouths" can add it to their helping.)
Great with a cucumber salad made with juice of a fresh lime; or with mango kuchela. Check out my recent pelau pot below.
This blog is becoming my daily torture. :) I'm still waiting for my pots and pans from my recent move but as soon as get them, this is how I am going to learn how to cook.
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