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Jollof rice is a rice dish from West Africa. Jollof is traditionally made with long grain rice, tomatoes, scotch bonnet pepper, onion, and spices. How Jollof is prepared varies across different regions. Here is a version with mixed vegetables added.

Ingredients 

Jollof Rice 

• 400g x 2 cups long grain or basmati rice
• 2 two tins 400g chopped tomatoes.
• 3 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 red pepper
• 1 scotch bonnet chilli
• 1 onion
• 3 Maggie cubes 
• I chicken or Vegetable stock cube.
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• A couple of sprigs of fresh thyme.
• 1 cup of mixed vegetables
• 2 bay leaves (optional)
• 1 tbsp curry powder (optional) 

Roast Chicken

• 8 Chicken legs or thighs. (you can remove skin if you wish)
• 1.5 tablespoons of all-purpose seasoning or chicken seasoning 
• 1 tsp of garlic paste.

Method 

Preheat the oven at 190°C /gas mark 5.

Jollof 

1. Blend the pepper, onion, tomatoes, and scotch bonnet to a smooth paste.
2. Heat the oil in a medium sized pan and add the blended tomato paste along with the curry powder, thyme sprigs and bay leaves, Maggie cubes and stock cube of choice. Cook on a medium heat for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
3. While your tomato base Is simmering, put the rice into a bowl, cover with cold water and use your hands to wash the grains. Tip the water out then repeat twice or three times until the water runs clear. 
4. Add the rice to the pan, turn the heat down to a simmer then cover with foil and a lid (so no steam can escape) cook for approximately 20 mins or until rice is soft. 
5. Cook mixed vegetables separately according to packet instructions. 
6. Add to the rice and gently mix. Rice is then ready to serve.

Chicken 

7. Remove the chicken from its packaging, place in a bowl and wash with lemon, lime or vinegar.  
8. Place chicken on an oven tray and roast in the oven for 30 min turning halfway through.
9. Once chicken has thoroughly cooked through, place two pieces on a plate, add rice and serve with salad. 

In Guyana, Cook-up Rice, a one pot rice dish is known to be the must have dish on Old Year’s Night (New Year’s Eve). Traditionally meat such as pork, lamb or beef is used in the dish as well as a range of vegetables. This recipe is a vegetarian option.

Ingredients

• 300g/10½oz long grain rice  
• 1 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil
• 2–3 garlic cloves
• 1 onion finely chopped.
• 1 tsp grated ginger  
• 1 x 400g/14oz tin cooked pigeon peas aka gungo peas, (black-eyed peas) or red kidney beans), drained.
• 200g/7oz pumpkin or seasonal squash, peeled and chopped into chunks.
• 2 carrots peeled and cubed.
• 2 okra, sliced
• 150g / 5½oz baby spinach 
• 1 tin of coconut milk 
• few sprigs thyme 
• 1 chilli scotch bonnet finely chopped.
• 2 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 15g/½oz coriander, roughly chopped

Method

1. “wash” the rice.  Tip the rice into a bowl and rinse with cold water. Repeat two- or three-times until the water is clear. Drain, then set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a pan over a low heat stir in the garlic, onion, and ginger.
3. Add the drained peas, pumpkin, carrots, okra and baby spinach. Mix well to make sure the vegetables don’t stick to the pan.
4. Before the spinach starts to wilt, add 250ml/9fl oz water with the coconut milk, thyme sprigs and Scotch bonnet. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.
5. Season with the salt and pepper, then add the rice. Stir until everything is mixed and the veg is evenly distributed throughout the rice. Reduce the heat to low, cover and leave to simmer for 20 minutes or until all the liquid has evaporated.
6. Turn off the heat and leave the pan covered for a further 20 minutes. The steam will finish cooking the rice.
7. Scatter over the roughly chopped coriander and serve.

A suggestion.

If you would like less heat. leave the scotch bonnet chilli whole instead of chopping up.

Ingredients 

• 3 small onions chopped. 
• 1tlable spoon 
• 3 medium green peppers chopped. 
• large Aubergine cubed.
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1/4 tsp of black pepper or add according to your taste 
• 1 clove crushed garlic 
• x1 tin of tomatoes 
• grated cheese 
• Handful of crushed cornflakes

Method 

1. Sauté the onion and green pepper on a low heat for 3 min.
2. Cube the aubergine. If you wish you can peel the skin off. 
3. Add the cube aubergine.
4. Add salt, peppers, tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Cover and cook for 10 minutes until the aubergine is nearly tender. Pour into a casserole dish

Sprinkle it with cheese and cornflake crumbs. Bake uncovered at 350°F  / 180°C gas mark 4 serves 4 

Ingredients 

• 1 medium size butternut squash 
• 1 tsp of oil olive or coconut oil  
• 1 can of coconut milk 
• Handful of kale
• Vegetable stock cube 1 or 2 according to your taste 

Method 

Butternut Squash.

Peel and dice the squash. Wash and place on a baking tray. Coat with oil  

Roast in the oven at 180°C for approx. 35 min until soft. 

Place squash in a blender with the tin of coconut milk and blend until smooth. Put the contents in a pan and simmer on a low heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Feel free to add water if needed.

Kale 

Place kale in the air fryer for 2 minutes, if you don’t have an air fryer the kale can be crisped in the oven 180 for approx. 5 minutes or until crispy.

Plate butternut squash soup in a bowl. Place kale on top and voila it’s ready to serve. 

Ingredients 

Lettuce 

Cherry Tomatoes 

Method 

Wash lettuce pat dry and place in serving dish.

Wash tomatoes and pat dry and chop in half. Place tomatoes on top of lettuce. 

You can leave the salad plain or drizzle over your salad dressing of choice.