Category: Main dishes

Main dishes

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Fried chicken drumsticks

Fried chicken drumsticks (orange brine)

10 chicken drumsticks

1 liter water plus ice

1 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves

1.5 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons brown sugar

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons ginger

1 tablespoons black pepper

1 bay leaves

The zest of 1 orange

The juice of 1 orange

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot. Stir until the sugar & salt dissolve. 

Add the chicken and Refrigerate for 16-24 hours.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, place the chicken, one piece at a time, in the oil. The oil should cover the chicken pieces almost completely and it will bubble gently as the chicken cooks. 

Continue to fry the chicken until the skin is golden brown. The exact amount of time you’ll need depends on the temperature of the oil, but the aunties left their chicken in for about 15-20 minutes (a long time!) with the oil over lower heat. 

Remove from the oil and set on paper towels to drain excess oil. Repeat in small batches until all the chicken is fried.

Curly Fries

2 large potatoes

Vegetable oil, for deep frying

Kosher salt

For the potatoes: Spiralize the potatoes into fries and soak in water in a container for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Drain the fries and pat dry,

Heat about 3 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat to 365 degrees F.

Cook the fries in batches until golden and crispy, about 2 minutes per batch. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate, sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

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Waakye

Waakye

2 cup Black eyed Beans

2-4 dried millet stalk leaves

4 cup Jasmine rice

3 tablespoon oil

Salt to taste

Remove unwanted particles and wash beans and soak beans overnight to reduce the cooking time.

Boil beans in a large saucepan with enough water and the leaves.

Wash rice, drain water and add it to the cooked bean and oil. (follow the instruction for the manufacturer for the Yasmine rice)

Add salt and stir, leave to cook whiles frequently checking to ensure desired texture.

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Powder Foufou recipe

Fufu (foofoo, fufuo, foufou or foutou)

The foufou (fufu or foutou) is usually obtained by pounding yam, cassava or boiled plantain. But I’m going to take a shortcut: the powdered foufou flour!

Fufu (Powder) is a white fermented carbohydrate food, produced from cassava, plantain, yam. Unlike the traditional product, which is in normally obtained in wet form and highly perishable, the mechanized product is presented in dried flour form. It’s a great substitute for the pounded fufu.

4 cups of fufu flour

6 cups of water, everything depends on the consistency you want

Boil 2 cups of water and add the mixture

Cook until the liquid turns into a paste.

Test: wet your hand and touch the dough … if it sticks to your fingers, cover and cook longer.

As soon as it is cooked remove from the heat and put in a ball.

Foufoui dessi or “sauce (white) of foufou”

1 chicken (1 onions, 6 cloves of garlic, 1 ginger teaspoon, 1 bouillon cube, 2 cloves, 2 allspice)

Smoked fish

Vegetables (okra, eggplant, tomatoes, green pepper)

Salt and pepper

Put in a large saucepan the chicken cut into pieces with enough water to cover the meat, the bouillon cube and the seasoning. Bring to a boil and keep on the heat for 20 to 30 minutes (depending on whether the chicken is more or less hard).

Cut the aubergines in 2, the tomato …

Add the eggplant and okra

Add 4 teaspoon of foufou

Once the meat, eggplant and okra cooked add the tomato, chilli,fish. Cook for 10 minutes and season to taste

Serve with foufou

Enjoy your meal !

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Shrimp Fried Rice

Shrimp Fried Rice

4 tablespoons canola

1 pound medium-large fresh shrimp, cleaned 

1 cup frozen peas

2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

4 cups cooked rice

1 onions

3 to 4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

 

To a large non-stick skillet or wok, add 2 tablespoons canola. Add the eggs and cook to scramble, stirring as necessary. Remove and set aside.

Add the remaining oil, add the garlic, ginger, onion and cook for 3 minute, stir intermittently

 

Add the shrimp, and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes

Add the peas and cook for about 2 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften, stir intermittently.

Add the rice, soy sauce, evenly season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Cook for about 3 minutes.

Add the eggs, cook for another min.

Serve hot

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Ham, liver and eggs fried rice

Ham, liver and eggs fried rice

2 tbsp olive oil

0.5kg beef liver

2 teaspoon fresh garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon ginger

Salt to taste

In a large skillet, warm the olive oil on medium heat.

Add liver, salt, garlic, and ginger

Cover and cook for 10 minutes, turning the liver over to brown on both sides.

Remove from the heat and set aside to rest for 5 minutes and cut in cubes

4 cup Long Grain cooked Rice

1 tsp. Kosher Salt

5 Large Eggs

1/2 cup chopped ham

¼ cup onion chopped , finely sliced

¼ cup bell pepper (red and green), finely sliced

2 tablespoon oil

1 cube

Beat the eggs with the ham in a medium bowl. 

In a large skillet, warm the oil on medium heat.

Add the onion and bell pepper, cook for 3 min.

Add the egg and cook the eggs while stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula until they’re cooked through. 

Add the cut liver, and cook for 2 mins

Add the cooked white rice, cube and salt

Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes, to warm through and to let the flavors come together.

Serves hot!

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Steamed Vermicelli

Steamed Vermicelli

Start by filling the base of a couscoussier at least halfway with salted water, and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, enough to keep the water simmering rapidly.

Next, mix 3 tablespoons of oil into dry, broken vermicelli. Be sure all the strands are coated with oil.

1st Steaming of the Vermicelli

Transfer the oiled vermicelli to the steamer basket, and place atop the couscoussier. Allow to steam for at least 20 minutes, timing from when you see the steam rise from the vermicelli. Watch for the ends of the broken vermicelli to poke up. 

2nd Steaming of the Vermicelli

Turn the vermicelli out into a very large bowl. Break it apart, and mix in about 1 1/4 cups water and a teaspoon orange dye. The vermicelli should absorb most of it.

Put the vermicelli back into the steamer, and place it atop the couscoussier for the second steaming. Allow to steam again for 20 minutes, timing from when you see the steam rise through the vermicelli. Again, you’ll notice the ends of the vermicelli poking up.

 

3rd Steaming of the Vermicelli

Turn the vermicelli out into a large bowl, and break it apart. Stir 2 teaspoons of salt into 2 cups of water, and add this to the vermicelli, tossing to mix well.

Put the vermicelli back into the steamer, and steam for a third time for 20 minutes. Again, time the steaming from when the steam rises from the vermicelli, and watch for the ends to poke up.

Test the vermicelli. If you want it a little more tender, steam for a fourth or fifth time if needed 

Incredible Baked Lamb Shanks

2 lamb shanks

2 onion chopped

5 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp mustard
½ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup olive oil + more for drizzling;
3 tsp balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 F.

Mix the garlic, mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

Add the diced onion at the bottom of the pan 

Add the lamb shanks and the seasoning 

 

Cover the roasting pan with foil, and roast in the oven 2 ½ hours.

Then remove the foil and Place the roasting pan in the oven and roast, uncovered, for about 35 minutes.

The lamb shanks are ready once the meat is falling off the bone.

Serve the Vermicelli with the Baked Lamb Shanks

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Chicken Peanut Stew

The African Peanut butter stew is creamy, delicious and flavorful. The combination of chicken, tomatoes, spices and peanut butter comes together quickly and is very easy to make. In African, we eat peanut as snack and sometimes with porridge. However, I noticed in the US most people love peanut butter and jelly. If you are not allergic to peanut butter and love peanut butter and jelly: this Absolutely a “must-try”.

The peanut butter stew gives you the aromatic flavor of the peanut butter and the savory taste profile. The peanut butter found in US grocery store are full of sugar, therefore you can make your own sugar free peanut butter. You can do so in 5 minutes by placing roasted peanuts in a food processor and turning the food processor on until it becomes creamy and smooth. The peanuts go in stages from crumbs to a dry ball to a smooth and creamy “liquid” peanut butter. The peanut butter holds in the fridge for a couple of weeks

Peanut Stew

  • 1 cup Peanut butter paste
  • 1 onion
  • 2 fresh tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2~5 habanero peppers and Serrano pepper
  • 8 chicken legs or wings
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon ginger
  • 1 Teaspoon of Black Pepper
  • 1 Bouillon cube
  • Salt to taste

Boil the chicken with your favorite seasoning – I used garlic, ginger, cube, salt and pepper. Fry and set aside.

Blend tomatoes and onion. 

Add remaining onion, tomato and tomato paste to the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and let it simmer stirring frequently to prevent any burns- about 5 minutes.

Next, add the peanut butter, chicken (2 cups of water or chicken stock as needed), season with, chicken bouillon, salt and cayenne pepper. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes or more

Add the habanero peppers and Serrano pepper

Adjust the soup thickness with water/chicken stock if necessary and let simmer to desired thickness

The peanut butter can be served with white rice, Eba, Foufou and gari…

Notes:

  • For this tutorials I used chicken, but you can also use beef, pork, or smoked fish.
  • The Peanut butter in the US is either smooth or crunchy, and both can work depending on your taste
  • You can also add vegetable like potato cabbage, carrot, kale, spinach, mustard greens, or whatever hearty greens you prefer.
  • You can make it as spicy as you will like by add pureed pepper

Peanut butter is comprised of about 25% protein, making it an excellent plant-based protein source. However, it is low in the essential amino acid methionine. Peanuts are low in carbs and suitable for people with type 2 diabetes or those following a low-carb diet. Although peanut butter is high in many healthy vitamins and minerals, it also contains a substantial amount of calories.

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Coconut fried rice

Coconut fried rice

5 cups Jasmine Rice washed and drained

6 cups Chicken stock

2 (400ml) cans coconut milk

1 large onion chopped

3/4 cup cooking oil

2 lbs frozen mixed vegetables thawed and patted dry with paper towel

1/2 medium cabbage sliced

1 large green pepper chopped

1 -2 habanero pepper finely chopped

8 franks hotdogs chopped (optional)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Mix in the coconut milk and chicken stock. Stir and taste for seasoning. Adjust as needed.  Add the washed and drained rice. 

Cover pan tightly cook until rice is done when all liquid is absorbed and the rice is soft but not mushy.

Heat up oil in a sauce pan, then sauté onions and garlic till onions is translucent.

Add the Shrimps stir fry for about 2 minutes.

Add mixed veggies to the mix and stir fry on medium low heat until the remaining moisture from the frozen veggies evaporates. This takes about 8 minutes. 

Stir, taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Turn off heat and set aside. Add the rice.

Serve hot.

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Grilled Lamb Kebabs & Semi Jollof

Grilled Lamb Kebabs & Semi Jollof

Grilled Lamb Kebabs

2 lbs. lamb chops

3 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon garlic

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne

2 tablespoon lemon Juice

1 teaspoon ground pepper

2 tablespoon parsley 

1 teaspoon salt

1 cube

If you are using a Wooden skewers, soaked in water 30+ minutes

Cut the meat into 1 inch cubes and place in a bowl.

Mix all the ingredients together and massage into the meat. Place the lamb/beef cubes onto the skewers.

Grill the skewers 15 minutes per side–turning once.

Preheat turbo oven to 392°F (200°C) Arrange the kebabs on the high grill rack and cook for 10-15 minutes, turning once after 3-5 minutes. Transfer oven cooked lamb kebabs to the round baking tray on the low grill rack.

2 colors jollof

750 gms basmati rice soaked for half an hour

1/2 cup oil

2 onions finely sliced

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

2 tomatoes finely blended

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp red chili powder

2 tsp coriander powder

1 cube

1 cup peas

salt to taste

To cook the rice perfectly, bring the water to a boil, add rice. When the water starts boiling again, cook for another 5 minutes. This absolutely depends upon the quality of the rice. When you press the rice between your fingers, it shouldn’t feel like a grain or feel cooked. It is somewhere in between. It is half grainy. Drain out the excess water immediately

Heat oil in a large pan and  add onions and fry till golden brown.

Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for another 30 secs. Add the red chili powder, coriander powder, salt, tomato and cube. Add 1/2 cup water and Cook for 5 mins.

Add rice and Do not mix. Add the sweet peas

Cover with foil and close the lid. The foil do not let the steam escape on low heat for 15 minutes. 

 

Serve the rice with the kebab

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Attiéké Steak Alloco

Attiéké Steak Alloco

3 Kg bone-in ribeye steaks, 1 1/2 to 2-inches thick

Kosher salt

1 tablespoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Season steaks with seasoning and let it rest for about 40 minute.

Place the steak on a small baking sheet and roast in the oven until an instant read thermometer inserted into its center registers 135 degrees F, about 1 hour.

 

1 ball of Attiéké

Salt 

Place Attiéké in a microwave-safe dish.

Add 1/2 cup of water and salt to Attiéké.

Allow the semolina to absorb all the water.

Microwave for 5 minutes (repeat by adding 1/4 of water until desired consistency)

Ripe plantains

Salt 

Peeled and cut diagonally or round, into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Add salt to the plantain 

Add oil into a nonstick skillet and place it on medium heat.

When the oil begins to shimmer but not smoke, add plantains (work in batches) and fry for 1 1/2 minutes on one side, flip and cook for 1 minute on the other side.

Remove plantains from pan and drain on paper towels.

Continue frying in batches until all the plantains are fried.

Simple, fast, easy, yummy!