Assorted Ways To Enjoy Rice At Christmas

Christmas is here again and although the voice of Merry Christmas is now heard every where, FOOD , not just food but GOOD FOOD remains a major part of the celebration and the commonest food to relish at this period is RICE.

Rice is known all over the world as a staple food that is rich in starch and carbohydrate, which can be eaten anywhere and without much stress. it has, however, become boring for some people who only boil and eat it with stew. This is not only peculiar to Nigeria, other countries of the world can testify to this!

Although these have lost the rich savour and pleasure as good food, yet you need not worry, the recipes below will definitely show you other pleasant ways to relish your rice, especially as you celebrate Christmas!

Ofada rice with ofada stew

Recipe for 3 servings

5 cups of ofada rice

Salt and seasoning to taste

10 fresh tomatoes

5 fresh atarodo [pepper]

5 fresh tatashe pepper

2 large onions

2 cooking spoons palmoil

Garlic and ginger to taste [optional]

5 large pieces of cow skin [ponmo] diced

Assorted meat and intestine [shaki, fuku, etc]

3 shawa smoked fish [optional]

2 wraps of locust beans [iru]

Method

Check the rice for stones, wash with hot water, parboil and cook until tender. Make sure it’s not too soft, thus ensure the water you use in cooking the food is added little by little.

While the rice is cooking, wash, season and cook the assorted meat until tender. Wash the tomatoes, peppers, ginger, garlic and one of the onions. Pour into a blender and blend slightly, make sure the puree is not smooth, just pour the tomato mixture into a bowl and set aside.

Check the rice, once it tender, drain and scoop into sizeable mommoi leaves. Set aside until warm.

Meanwhile, wash and slice or dice the other onion, set a pot or saucepan on fire, pour in the palm oil, add the onion and the tomato – pepper mixture, the seasonings to taste and other ingredients, including the locust beans. Stir and allow cooking for 10 minutes. Check for taste, unwrap the wrapped rice, serve in a clean and scoop the ofada stew on the rice. Hmmmn can you feel the aroma? A cup of cold water will not disappoint you!

Merry Christmas!

Fried rice

Recipe for 3 servings

2 cups of rice [parboiled]

4 fresh carrots [diced]

3 fresh green peppers

1 cup green peas

1 cabbage [sliced]

1 cup fresh soft maize or canned sweet corn

2 spring onions [sliced]

1 white onion [diced]

2 cooking spoons groundnut oil

½ teaspoon each of curry and thyme

1 cup liver [cooked and diced]

salt and seasoning to taste.

Method

Pour the groundnut oil into the pot and fry the onions as well as all the other ingredients. Don’t forget to add the maize and the liver, including curry, thyme, seasoning and salt to taste. Allow simmering for two minutes before adding the rice in sprinkles, stir and add a little water at a time and cook until properly done. You can serve with chicken , cole slaw salad or fresh fish.

Ofe akwu na ‘abaka’ rice

Recipe for 5 servings:

2 big cups of palm kernel (akwu)

1 big onion (crushed)

1 tin tomato (optional)

4 dry fish (mangala)

2 smoked fish (titus/mackerel)

12 pieces of dry meat

½ cup crayfish (ground)

4 pieces of cameroun pepper or ½ tablespoon of dry ground pepper

1 cube of locust beans

Seasonings and salt to taste

1 bunch of basil leaf (shredded)

Preparation:

Cook the palm nuts without adding salt. Cook until tender, remove from heat, drain and pound until the fleshy part of the kernel is extracted from the nut. Transfer into a big bowl and pour warm water over the nuts. Rinse and extract the oily water, strain and add to the pot, discarding the nuts and chaff. Leave to boil and cook for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, wash the dry fish, smoked fish and dry meat properly. Add to the boiling pot. When the stew is slightly thick, add the crayfish, onion, pepper, salt and seasonings to taste; including the locust beans. Stir and simmer until the delicacy is no longer watery (if watery, add the tomato puree) before adding the shredded basil leaf. Stir and serve warm with the cooked abaka local rice.

Shrimp rice

Recipe for 3 servings

3 cups of rice

1 onion [chopped]

1 teaspoon curry and thyme

3 fresh peppers [chopped]

5 fresh tomatoes [chopped]

1 cooking spoon groundnut oil

½ kilogram croaker fish or any other [fried]

4 large carrots [shredded]

Salt and seasoning to taste

Method

Parboil the rice, drain and set aside. Using the oil, fry the onion, tomatoes and shrimps. Add the salt, seasoning and other condiments, stir everything properly and add to the parboiled rice.

Do not stir the pot, just hold the two edges of the pot and shake gently but vigorously. Allow cooking until tender and a bit crispy, reduce the heat and simmer until the water is dry. Remove from heat and serve, garnished with shredded carrots and fried croaker fish or even chicken.

Curried rice

Recipe for 4 servings

4 cups rice [parboiled]

1 cooking spoon groundnut or vegetable oil

2 teaspoon butter

1 big onion [chopped]

2 tablespoons curry

1 teaspoon thyme

½ teaspoon ground dry pepper

4 tomatoes [sliced]

1 kilogram chicken [cooked and stir-fried]

Salt and seasoning to taste

Method

melt the butter in a pot and add the oil. When hot add the onion, curry, thyme and all others except the tomatoes. Add the chicken with its stock, especially as the stock will be the water that will cook the rice.

Allow to cook for 5 minutes before adding the parboiled rice. Stir once, and cover the pot. Cook until the food is ready. As soon as it’s ready, the colour of the food will be pure yellow. Serve warm with the sliced tomatoes.

Rice pancake

Recipe for 3 servings

2 cups rice flour [sieved]

2 eggs [whisked]

3 large bananas [ripe]

2 fresh peppers [chopped]

1 cup warm water

1 onion [chopped or sliced]

Salt and seasoning to taste

2 cooking spoon vegetable or groundnut oil

Method

peel the bananas and cut into small pieces. Pour into a blender; add a little water and blend into a purée. Pour into a bowl; add the rice flour, onion, pepper, salt and seasoning to taste, including the whisked eggs. Mix thoroughly and set aside. Meanwhile, heat few drops of the oil in a saucepan, scoop the mixture into the pan, and allow it to cover the surface of the pan, fry until slightly brown on both sides. Do the same with the entire mixture, remove from heat and serve warm with cold tea enriched with either chocolate or milk.

Rice with chicken carrot soup

Recipe for 5 servings

4 cups of rice

5 joints of chicken

4 green peppers [diced]

8 large carrots [diced]

1 teaspoon curry and thyme

1teaspoon ground ginger

½ ball of garlic [ground]

8 big fresh tomatoes [sliced or diced]

1 cooking spoon vegetable oil

3 fresh peppers [chopped]

Salt and seasoning to taste

Method

wash and boil the rice and set aside. Wash, season and fry the chicken in the oil until quite brown. Quickly add the chopped onion, tomatoes, carrots, peppers, garlic, ginger, curry, thyme, salt and seasoning to taste. Cook for a while, stir and simmer for few minutes. Serve fresh and hot over a sizzling plate of rice.

Executive fried rice

Recipe for 4 servings:

½ kilogram meat [boiled and cubed].

2 fresh chicken laps [boiled and cubed]

½ kilogram liver [boiled and cubed]

2 large snails [boiled and washed with lemon]

2 white onions [sliced]

2 ripe red peppers [cubed]

3 green peppers

½ cup groundnut or vegetable oil

1 cup green peas

1 clove ginger [minced]

1 small bunch lettuce [washed and shredded]

5 large carrots [cubed]

3 cups rice

Salt and seasoning to taste.

1 cup sweet corn

Method:

Parboil rice and drain the water. Pour some groundnut or vegetable oil into a frying pan; fry the carrot, green peas, green pepper, liver, chicken, meat, snail, minced ginger, red pepper, sweet corn, onion salt and seasoning. Allow to fry for three minutes. Pour the fried ingredients into the parboiled rice and stir gently together. Add the lettuce and seasoned boiled meat and chicken. If necessary, add some water. Cover to steam until the food is ready and the water underneath the rice is dry. Remove from heat and serve hot.

Coconut rice

recipe for 5 servings

4 cups of rice [parboiled]

2 whole coconuts

Salt and seasonings to taste

1 kilogram of chicken [seasoned and cooked]

4 fresh red pepper [crushed]

10 fresh shrimps [cleaned]

1 large onion sliced

5 tablespoons crayfish [ground]

4 large dry fish [cleaned]

Method

Break the coconuts, use a knife to unpluck the white edible parts, wash and grate into a sizeable bowl or cut into tiny bits and blend into a puree. Pour some cups of warm water over the grated or blended nuts and extract the milk. Pour into a pot and boil for few minutes. Add the salt, seasonings and all other ingredients. Stir; allow boiling for 10 minutes before adding the parboiled rice. Cover and cook until the food is ready. Remove from heat and serve warm garnished with either green pea, kidney beans , diced carrots or grilled fish/chicken.

Pineapple fried rice

Recipe for 4 servings

1 large pineapple (scooped)

150g pineapple pieces (diced)

130g barbecued meat (diced)

150g mushroom (diced)

4 cups of steamed rice

2 eggs (whisked)

2 spring onions (chopped)

8 pieces shrimp (salted)

Salt and seasoning to taste

How to make a scoop

Wash the pineapple, cut off the head, use a spoon to remove all the fleshy part inside, this is a scoop!

Preparation:

Pour some hot water over the scooped pineapple; allow soaking for 10 minutes and drain. Take a pan and heat 5 tablespoons vegetable oil, fry the meat, mushroom, onions and eggs. Add the rice, diced pineapple including the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly and place the mixture inside the pineapple scoop, garnish the fried rice with the shrimps and serve hot.

Coconut rice in summer fish salad

Recipe for 6 servings:

2 coconuts (grated and milk extracted)

5 cups of parboiled rice

10 fresh tomatoes (chopped)

10 fresh shrimps (cleaned and deveined)

3 fresh peppers (chopped)

Meat (cooked)

Salt and seasonings to taste

Preparation:

Pour the extracted coconut milk into a pot and allow to boil for 10 minutes. Add the meat, shrimps, salt and seasoning to taste. Add the chopped tomatoes, peppers and onion to the parboiled rice. Add everything to the coconut milk mixture and cook until soft. Reduce the heat and simmer until the water dries up. Remove from heat, garnish with the summer fish salad and serve hot.

summer fish salad dressing

Recipe for 6 servings

1 large croaker fish (boiled and flaked)

4 table spoons mayonnaise

5 table spoons fresh dill (chopped)

2 table spoons lemon juice

Preparation:

Add everything together, mix thoroughly and serve on the coconut rice.

Brown rice

Recipe for 2 servings

1 cup brown rice

¼ cup butter

a slice of lemon for garnishing

Salt seasoning and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Brown rice is simply white rice, whose nutritive outer layers have not been removed by milling. It has an interesting, nutty flavour that blends well with chicken. Cook this type of rice in plenty of boiling salted water for 20 to 25 minutes or according to the package directions. It should be tender but still have a definite texture. Drain, wash with hot water to remove the starch and spread in a buttered dish. Do with butter sprinkle with a little salt, seasoning, pepper and place in a very low oven (200 f) for 15 to 30 minutes to dry and heat. Toss occasionally with a fork.

Egg-fried rice

Recipe for 4 servings:

4 cups long-grain rice [cooked]

3 eggs

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

Few stalks of spring onions [finely chopped]

2 onions [diced]

1 small tin of sweet corn [drained]

2 cups diced carrots

1 clove fresh garlic [peeled and crushed] (optional)

2 chicken stock cubes

1 cooking spoon vegetable oil

Salt to taste

Preparation:

Break the eggs into a small bowl, add some of the spring onions, some salt, and beat lightly to combine. Heat a little oil in a large sauce pan, add the beaten egg mixture and cook stirring constantly until the eggs are scrambled and set. Remove from pan and set aside. Heat the remaining oil in the sauce pan, add the spring onions, onions, carrots, corn, garlic and stock cubes. Stir-fry and stir in the soy sauce. Add the cooked rice, stir, and add the scrambled eggs. Mix well, remove from heat and serve hot.

Seafood risotto

Recipe for 4 servings:

3 cups of beef stock

A generous pinch of ground black pepper

4 cups short grain rice

2 onions [chopped]

1 fresh garlic clove [chopped]

2 cups fresh shrimps [cleaned]

1 medium croaker fish (boiled, deboned, shredded)

1 bunch parsley leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 tablespoons butter

Salt and seasoning to taste

Preparation:

Melt half the butter in the oil in a saucepan and sauté the shrimps with the black pepper, onions and garlic. Allow to simmer gently, but not brown, this should for 4 minutes. Add the rice and mix well to coat each grain with the butter and oil. Add enough of the stock to just cover the rice, stir and simmer, gently stirring as frequently as possible. When all of the liquid has been absorbed, add the parsley, remaining butter, the fish, seasoning and salt to taste. Stir well, remove from heat and serve.

Chilli rice

Recipe for 2 servings:

½ kilogram ground beef

1 onion [chopped]

2 large green peppers [chopped]

1 clove garlic [minced or pressed]

7 fresh tomatoes

1can kidney beans [drained]

2 cups instant rice

Salt and seasoning to taste

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation:

Crumble the ground beef into a casserole. Add the onion, green pepper and garlic. Cover and microwave for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the meat loses most of its pink colour and vegetables are tender. Stir to break up the meat; drain. Add the remaining ingredients except the cheese. Cover and heat until the rice is tender, stirring after half the time. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the food. Remove from heat and serve warm.

Chinese fried rice

Recipe for 3 servings

Any kind of leftover meat, cut up into bite sized pieces

2 eggs

2 cups parboiled rice

1 package frozen peas

1 clove garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 tablespoon sherry

Soy sauce

Salt and seasoning to taste

Preparation:

Open the bag of the frozen peas into strainer, run under cold water and set aside to thaw and drain. Heat wok, and then add 1 tablespoon peanut oil. Scramble the eggs in wok, remove when done and set aside. Wipe out wok, heat and add 2 tablespoons peanut oil. Stir-fry the onion and carrot for 1 minute. Add the drained peas, garlic, and sherry, including the salt and seasoning to taste. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Crumble and add up to 3 cups of rice. Stir-fry for a minute, add 2 tablespoons soy. Continue to stir-fry until the rice is warmed through. Add more soy if desired. Keep the rice moving so it won’t clump together. Add the meat and combine thoroughly. Gently chop the scrambled eggs and sprinkle on the top when done.