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One-pot oven Jollof rice

This recipe of One-pot Baked Chicken and Jollof Rice start on the stove and finishes cooking in the oven. This One-pot Baked Chicken and Jollof Rice is also a combination of west African and Indians of terrific aromatic, spices and flavors. The little thing that makes all the difference in this recipe is the fried anise, allspice pepper, bay leaf, cinnamon and cloves before adding the rice and well-seasoned chicken. This recipe of One-pot Baked Chicken and Jollof Rice is outrageously delicious!

One-pot Baked Chicken and Jollof Rice Secret: “fried anise, allspice pepper, bay leaf, cinnamon and cloves”

One-pot oven Jollof rice
One-pot oven Jollof rice

This One-pot Baked Chicken and Jollof Rice starts on the stove because frying the anise, allspice pepper, bay leaf, cinnamon and cloves ensure the best flavors possible in the most effective way. If your oil begins to smoke, it is too hot and should be either removed from the heat source or the heat source should be turned down. Once they become aromatic, add the onion and cook until the onion is softened. Then, continue to add your other ingredients as desired. When frying spices, it is extremely important to pay close attention to them. Even if a single spice burns, the whole batch will be tainted with that bitter, burned flavor. Stir the spices frequently and mind the heat.

How to perfectly season the baked chicken?

For this recipe of One-pot Baked Chicken and Jollof Rice, I use a whole chicken, but other part of the chicken can be used (like the thigh, leg or wing). You can never go wrong with my combination of spices (1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1 tablespoon garlic, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon curry, 1 teaspoon bouillon cube, Salt and pepper) because you get maximum depth of flavor for minimum number of spices. Plus, I always have these spices on hand.

How did I partially cook it on the stove?

By partially cooking the One-pot Baked Chicken and Jollof Rice on the stove to first bring out the maximum flavor out of the spices and also allows me to bring the liquid to a boil before putting it in the oven. The flavor is so much better because of the fried onion.

One-pot oven Jollof rice
One-pot oven Jollof rice

Why add the chicken over the rice?

I added the perfectly seasoned chicken over the rice because the dripping of the chicken add so much more flavor to the rice. The result is a mouthwatering baked chicken coated in a beautiful rub, baked on top of fluffy soft rice. Oven Baked Chicken and Rice all cooked together in one dish is possibly one of the MOST loved family favorite dinners on the planet. I know in my heart of hearts this will become your new favorite.

How to make One-pot Baked Chicken and Jollof Rice

Ingredients

For chicken

  • 1 Chicken
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon curry
  • 1 teaspoon bouillon cube
  • Salt and pepper

For Rice

  • 1 anise 
  • 2 allspice pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cinnamon 
  • 2 cloves
  • 4 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • Scotch bonnet chilli to taste (optional)
  • Vegetables: 1 eggplant, 1 zucchini, 1 Summer squash, 2 carrots 
  • 1 teaspoon bouillon cube
  • Salt and pepper
  • 400 g (14oz) rice
  • 925 ml (3.9 cups) warm water*

Instructions

Preheat oven to fan assisted 180C / 350F / gas 4.

Season the chicken with teaspoon paprika, turmeric, garlic, ginger, curry, bouillon cube, Salt and pepper and set aside.

Heat a frying pan with the oil over medium heat and add the anise, allspice pepper, bay leaf, cinnamon and cloves. Cook for a minute

Add and fry the onion for about 7 mins until soft.

Stir in the tomato purred and the tomato paste, cook for 5 minutes.

Add the water, vegetables (1 eggplant, 1 zucchini, 1 Summer squash, 2 carrots) and bring to a boil.

Mixing in the rice and mix until well.

Add a layer of aluminum foil and make small incisions. Add the chicken and cover (Make sure the cover is over safe) 

Transfer the Jollof rice mixture into the oven for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven stir and put back in the oven without the lid for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is soft and done.

When done take the rice out of the oven, fluff it and serve.

Serve hot

Tips to make perfect oven baked chicken and rice

  • For this recipe I recommend long jasmine rice. Basmati rice or Jasmine rice can be substituted with the same liquid ratio and cooking time. Please do not use short grain rice, medium grain rice, risotto, paella or minute rice.
  • If the rice cooks before the chicken, remove the rice from the oven, and transfer the chicken in an oven safe dish and put the chicken back in the oven.
  • For a better color on the chicken, it can be broiled for an extra 2-3 minutes just to get your chicken golden and browned with crisp edges, and an amazing buttery, crunchy crust on the top of your rice!
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Haitian pork griot recipe

For this recipe of pork griot and Jollof rice, I combined my West African culture and Haitian experience. Pork griot is one of Haiti’s favorite’s dishes. To make the griot, big and fatty chunks of pork shoulder are marinated with limes juice, garlic, ginger, fresh thyme, onion, bouillon powder and salt, then boiled and finally fried until golden and crisp. Traditionally, the pork griot is served with Pikliz, which is a mixture of cabbage, carrot and chili pepper pickled. The acidity of Pikliz balances out the richness of the griot, but for this recipe I chose to serve it with some Jollof rice.

This is the image of Haitian pork griot
Haitian pork griot

How to make the a tasty a crispy pork griot ?

Do you know that Pork is the world’s most popular type of meat? Yes, it is. Though not exactly a health food, moderate consumption of properly prepared pork can be an acceptable part of a healthy diet. For the griot, I love to season the pork overnight to guarantee a tasty and tangy taste. Once the pork has being marinated overnight, it is browned, the chunk of pork should be separated from the broth and cooled. Lastly, the marinated – browned – cooled pork is fried in hot oil to obtain the griot.

What is Jollof rice for the griot?

The jollof is a pot of rice loaded with tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, scotch bonnet peppers, salt, spices and vegetable oil and more flavor than you’ll know what to do with. Furthermore, vegetables, meat or meats and different types of local spices can be added to personalize it. The secret to a good jollof rice is the flavor build in the tomato broth and oil coupled with the perfect ratio of rice. As far as I can remember, jollof rice is served at every west African party.  The jollof rice originated from Senegal and is a popular dish served in Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal, Togo, and Sierra Leone. The recipe varies lightly from one country to the next. The two main version are Ghanaian Jollof Vs Nigerian Jollof.

Ingredients for Griot

  • 1.5 kg pork (shoulder Cut in bite size)
  • 1-3 limes (juice) about 2 Tablespoons
  • 5 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoon ginger
  • 3 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
  • 2 Teaspoons salt or more

How to make the Haitian pork griot?

Marinate the pork with lime juice, salt, chicken bouillon, garlic, ginger, onions, thyme, scotch bonnet pepper (optional).

Let it rest in the fridge for about 2 hours or preferably overnight.

In a saucepan on medium heat, bring to a boil and simmer until tender for about an hour or more.

When pork is tender remove from liquid and any bits of spices, herbs of the pork. Set aside pork.

Fry the pork at 350F (180C) until the pork is crispy.

Using a sieve drain pork liquid, reserve the liquid and discard the rest of the herbs and spices. (I use ice to cool down the mixture and remove the excess oil)

Place pork liquid in a small saucepan on medium add 1 teaspoon tomato paste, 1 cup tomato,  1/4 cup oil, sliced onion and bring to a boil. 

Add the rice (2 cups water for 1 cups jasmine rice). Salt to taste. Add the cut vegetables (carrots and bell pepper).

Stir in rice and boil over medium-high heat until the water evaporates

Be sure the lid fits tightly on the pot. Turn down the heat to its lowest setting. Let the rice simmer for about 18 minutes, then remove from heat and allow the rice to steam in the pot for another 5 minutes.

This is the image of Haitian pork griot with Jollof
Haitian pork griot with jollof

Serve the rice with the griot.

Notes:

  • Cleaning the pork with vinegar or lemon juice is a test to see if the meat is still good. If the pork smells “off” even after its vinegar or lemon juice bath, chances are it’s not okay to cook.
  • The vinegar or lemon juice tenderizes the pork, cuts down on cooking time, and lets you store pork for a little longer in the fridge if you end up not cooking it the day you prep it.
  • The FDA currently does recommend against rinsing meat, however, in the African/Caribbean, there’s a common practice of rinsing off the meat and fish with a mild acid like lemon or lime juice or vinegar prior to cooking.
  • Before everyone owned a refrigerator, cooks would apply an acidic solution because they believed it killed any bacteria on the bird and to impart a little extra flavor. Currently, many folks use this same technique to get rid of any odors and add flavor to the meat.
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Jollof beef and shrimp Tagliatelle Pasta

Jollof beef and shrimp Tagliatelle Pasta

Jollof Tagliatelle Pasta is Tagliatelle Pasta cooked in flavorful tomato sauce and you will have a delightful lunch or dinner you and your family or guests can hardly forget. This recipe originated from west Africa and is a little different from the western recipes. The sauce is made of cooked tomato, spices and the meat of your choice. If you like jollof rice or jollof couscous, you will appreciate this recipe.  This delicious Jollof Spaghetti recipe is very easy. You can choose to add vegetables. I already have some Jollof rice recipes, click on any link below to view the recipes if you’re interested.

  • 1 box thin spaghetti (pre-cooked) – I used Collezione Tagliatelle Pasta
  • 2 cup shrimps
  • 1 lb kg beef
  • 1 teaspoon garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1 teaspoon chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
  • 2 3/4 cups chicken stock 
  • 5 large about 2 lbs plum tomatoes
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • Salt to taste

In a medium saucepan heat the oil and add the shrimp , garlic, ginger, chilli powder, curry powder, ground allspice, paprika and chicken bouillon powder. cook for 5 mins (until the shrimp turns pink).

Remove the shrimp and add 1 lb beef. Cook for 5 mins.

Add the chopped onion, tomato paste, blended tomato Add the chicken stock and cook until the beef is tender (sauce is about half the amount, and has thickened significantly to look like a paste). This takes about 15-20 minutes, depending on your beef.

Be sure to stir the sauce occasionally to prevent it from burning.

Once the sauce is reduced, taste the sauce and adjust for salt.

Add in the spaghetti and the shrimp. Cover and allow to cook for 3 minutes on low-medium heat.

Serve hot

How to cook the Tagliatelle Pasta?

To make a good Jollof Tagliatelle Pasta, the Tagliatelle Pasta need to be cooked to perfection. The first step is to boil a big pot of water and add a generous amount of salt (about 1 or 2 tablespoon). It should taste like the sea. Please remember to use a lot of water to avoid that the pasta sticks together. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta. As the pasta starts to cook, stir it well with the tongs so the noodles don’t stick to each other or to the pot. Cook the pasta 4 mins less that the cooking time on the package, but always taste pasta before draining to make sure the texture is right. Pasta will be cooked in the sauce for 4~7 mins to rewarm the pasta, get “al dente”—a little chewy. Drain cooked pasta well in a colander. I add a little bit of oil to help the pasta not stick together.

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Steak and potato skillet

Steak and potato skillet

  • 0.5 kg beef (cubed)
  • 0.5 kg baby yellow potatoes, quartered
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
  • 2 tablespoon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seed
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and fresh pepper

Preheat the oven at 350F

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic cloves, ginger, mustard, mustard seed, olive oil, Salt and fresh pepper. 

Mix half of the marinade with the potato and the other half with the beef

Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes until the potato is browned and tender. Serve warm

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Fufu

Fufu(foofoo, fufuo, foufou or foutou) is a staple food common in many countries in Africa such as Togo, Ghana, Liberia, Ivory Coast and Nigeria. Traditionally, the Fufu is made by boiling and pounding yam, cassava and green plantain. The water from the boil yam is used to adjust the viscosity of the fufu depending on personal preferences. These days, different types of flours are available on the market and can be used as substituted. Fufu is often served with groundnut soup, palm nut soup or light soup.


The traditional method is to boil starchy food crops like cassava, yams or plantains and cocoyams and then pound them into a dough-like consistency. Several machines can be used to easy up the process: the fufu machine, food processor and stand mixer.


The cassava is boiled tubers (cassava, yam or plaintain) are pounded together in a giant wooden mortar using a wooden pestle. In between blows from the pestle, the mixture is turned by hand and water gradually added till it becomes slurry and sticky. The mixture is then formed into a ball or a rounded slab and served. Fufu is eaten with the fingers, and a small ball of it can be dipped into an accompanying soup or sauce.

White Puna Yam
Water
NO salt

Peel the yam, rinse and cut into medium cubes.
Put in a pot, pour water to cover the pieces of yam and start cooking on medium heat.

Cook till the yams until the surrounding water will be cloudy and slightly soupy and it is very easy to drive a folk into the pieces of yam.
Separate the yam from the water.

Put the hot pieces of yam into the bowl of your stand mixer and using the beater attachment, whip the pieces of yam have the texture of flour grains. Let it cool down and switch to the dough attachment.

Kneed the yam with the dough attachment, until the dough is formed and smooth.

If you want the pounded yam softer, add some of the water from cooking the yam little by little until desired consistency.

Served the Fufu immediately after preparation because it becomes soft and loses its elasticity over time. Serve with your Fufusi, Goat meat stew, Egoussi soup, Okra soup, Ademe soup

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Chicken Jollof pasta

Chicken Hot-dog Jollof pasta

For this chicken and hotdog jollof pasta, I cooked Elbow macaroni in a rich, flavorful and well-seasoned tomato stew made with chicken and hotdog. About twice a week, my mom makes this for my kids and the love it. This recipe of is crazy good and fun to make.

We all have Elbow macaroni in our pantry. The Elbow macaroni can be cooked on the stove on in the microwave until it is soft or “Al dente. Elbow macaroni can also be use for mac and cheese, pasta salad…

  • 1 chicken cut into pieces
  • 1 tablespoon ginger 
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 allspice
  • 3 tablespoon garlic
  • 3 thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cube
  • Salt

Marinate the chicken with the thymes, ginger, cloves, all spice, garlic, cube and salt overnight.

  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 Sliced onion
  • 6 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
  • 2 tomatoes purée
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cube
  • 4 hotdog in 2
  • 1 packet of pre-cooked macaroni (250g of elbow pasta)

Heat the Oil and sear the chicken. Remove and set aside.

Add the onion and fry for 4 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and tomato.

Stir soup and add remaining cube and the chicken, lower flame, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. 

Add the hotdog and cook for 2 min and add the macaroni. Salt to taste and cook for 1 min.

Serve warm.

Notes:

  • Because I use fresh tomato and canned tomato, I add a pinch of baking soda to balance out the acidity.
  • To cut down the cooking time, the chicken can be pressure cooked.
  • It’s really easy to make to precook the pasta. For a box of Elbow macaroni, bring approximately 6 liters of water to a boil and add salt. Once the water starts to boil add the Elbow macaroni [Follow the instruction on the box for the timing]. Put a lid on the pot and give some room for the steam to escape. Use a spoon to stir the noodles so they don’t clump together as they cook. Bring back to a boil and cook for 7 minutes [1 minutes less than the time indicated on the box, because the Elbow macaroni will cook further in the tomato sauce]. Drain the Elbow macaroni. I add a little oil to avoid that the noodle sticks together.
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Yam Balls Fritters

Yam Balls Fritters (Yele Kakro = Ojojo)

1/2 medium water yam

1/2 cup crayfish

2  habanero pepper

1/2 onion

1/2 teaspoon ginger

salt

oil for frying

Peel yam by removing the skin with a knife; then drop the white part into cold water.

Wash and grate each the yam with the smaller side of a grater. 

Grate ginger and pepper on the small side. Grate the onion on the biggest side. 

Add the crayfish, salt and whisk. 

Heat oil to 350 degrees and drop little to medium sized dollops of the yam puree into the oil and fry.

Fry the yam balls until golden.

Serve warm

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Jollof Couscous

Jollof Couscous

Growing up my mom will rarely make Jollof couscous, I think she made it on New Year or birthdays. We will eat Jollof rice and Jollof spaghetti all year long but comes special occasion, my mom will make Yassa, pizza or Jollof couscous. I think that’s why that one of my favorite recipes.

The couscous is a North African dish and has the same texture as Attieke (a staple in Ivory Coast). The couscous is usually steamed in a “Couscousiere” several time until it’s is light and fluffy, not gummy or gritty. The traditional couscous is served with a spicy vegetable (carrots, potatoes, turnips…) stew with meat (lamb, goat, mutton, and sausages)… I also use the couscous to make this delicious dessert “Degue Couscous”.

For this recipe, I used the broth from boiled goat meat. I added the tomato, seasoning, and oil. I added the couscous which absorbs the flavors from the stew. The process is similar to the cooking of Jollof rice but the couscous cooks much faster.

  • 600g of couscous
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 fresh tomatoes
  • 1 cup frozen vegetable
  • 1 onion
  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • Salt pepper
  • 1.5-liter meat broth
  • 1 cube
  • Salt

Heat the oil and add the onion, garlic, and ginger.

Add canned tomato and tomato puree

Cook for 5 minutes and add the meat broth, frozen vegetables, cube and salt to taste

Bring to a boil and add the grains of couscous to rain while stirring

Cook the couscous for 5 minutes and salt to taste.

Mix well and extinguish the fire. Cover tightly to Let the couscous absorb the water for 10 minutes

You can serve hot and sprinkle with a little sauce

Use a ratio of 1-1 / 2 cup of water to 1 cup of couscous. (Multiply as needed to obtain a larger volume.)

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Goat Gari Pinon

Goat Gari Pinon

The short way to describe the Pinon (or Eba) as fufu made with Gari (Gali). Gari is a west African made with grated cassava and have a finer consistency then the regular couscous. Gari can be used to make GariFoto (Galifoto), GariDochi (GaliDossi) or just be consumed with an cooked black beans and palm oil,  okra stew, tomato stew, goat meat stew, Ademe, egusi soup …

Gari Pinon (or Eba) is Gari cooked in hot tomato broth. In some West African countries like benin and Ghana, the Gari is cooked on a medium heat but in Togo the gari is added to the hot broth (A Si Pinon). The gari soaks up the flavor of the tomato broth.

Traditionally the meat (chicken, goat, or beef) is boiled with spices (garlic, ginger, paprika…bouillon cube, salt) to tenderize it and the broth of the meat is use to cook the Gari Pinon. I use goat meat for my Pinon and serve it with some pepper, a quick tomato and onion cooked mixture and the fry goat meat.

1 kg goat meat

1 onion 

1 tablespoon ginger 

2 cloves

2 whole all spice

3 tablespoon garlic

1 cube

Salt

Mix all ingredients, add water and cook for 1 hour.

Remove the goat meat from the stock and fry until golden. Set aside

1/4 cup oil

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tomato puree

1 cube

Goat stock

Gari

On a medium heat, in a saucepan with the goat stock.

Add the paste tomato, tomato, and cube

Add the gari the hot broth gradually stirring vigorously until obtaining a homogeneous paste (Pinon).

1 onion

2 tablespoons oil

4 tomatoes

salt according to your taste

1 tablespoon cube

Cut the onion in half, mince very finely and set aside in a bowl

Cut the tomatoes in half and slice very thinly

On a medium heat , in a saucepan, heat the oil and add the onion.Cook for 10 mins

Add tomatoes, cube taste and add salt if necessary.

1/4 cup oil

1 onion

10 bonnet pepper scotch 

Salt to taste

Heat the oil and add the crushed pepper and onion, Add salt to taste. Cook for a min or  2

Serve the Pinon with the tomato mixture, goat meat and pepper

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Cassoulet Recipe

French Cassoulet Recipe

1 kg goat meat

1 onion 

1 tablespoon ginger 

2 cloves

2 whole all spice

3 tablespoon garlic

1 cube

Salt

Mix all ingredients, add water and cook for 1 hour.

Remove the goat meat from the stock and fry until golden. Set aside

2 lb canned cannellini beans

2 cups broth

2 tablespoons oil

1 large onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)

3 tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Potash (pea size)

1 teaspoon garlic

1 teaspoon paprika

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cube

Kosher salt

 

Drain and rinsing beans and set aside.

Heat the oil and fry the onion for 2 minutes.

Add tomato, seasoning broth, pepper, goat meat, tomato paste, potash and cook 5 minutes. 

Add drained beans. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce to low, cover a small bite, about 15minutes.

Serve immediately.