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Jollof rice with Whole Fried Chicken

This is one of my mom’s recipes and it was inspired by the Senegalese Thiébou guinar. But this is not Thiébou guinar because it does not have 2 keys ingredients (guedj and yet). The jollof rice is enjoyed in Togo, Benin, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Ghana, and Nigeria… This recipe is perfect for the parties and will allow you to impress your guest easily. The condiments are blended and then fried in peanut oil. Then we wet with water depending on the amount of rice to cook and the desired appearance for rice. The rice is cooked in this sauce, which gives it a specific color according to the quantity and type of tomato used (concentrated and fresh) with the vegetables of your choice. In this recipe, I used broken rice but jasmine or basmati rice is just perfect for this recipe. The rice is then served with vegetables and chicken.

Jollof rice with Whole Fried Chicken

  • 2 chicken (8 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons ginger, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon pepper)
  • 4 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 cubes
  • 3 large fresh tomatoes
  • 1 big onions
  • A red pepper
  • 3 large glasses of rice
  • 1/4 cup of oil (optional)
  • 3 carrots
  • 1 Cabbage
  • A pinch of bicarbonate
  • Green pepper
  1. Wash the rice and put in a colander
  2. Clean the chicken and marinate with the spices, cube and salted to taste. Cook for 1 hour (30 minutes on each side) – Add enough water to cover the chicken at all time.
  3. Once chicken is cooked, remove broth and set aside
  4. Add 3 tomatoes, crushed onion, tomato paste and a pinch of baking soda and salt to taste. Cook for 5 minutes.
  5. Add vegetables, 4 cup water and bring to a boil. (Adjust the seasoning with cube and salt). Simmer pendant 15 min
  6. Using a perforated spoonful remove the vegetables
  7. Add chilli and rice and stir and cook over medium heat. As soon as there is more water evaporates cover with a plastic bag then the lid of the maronite. And reduce the fire.
  8. The grains of rice are peeled off each other when cooked
  9. Fry the chicken
  10. Serve hot in a large bowl with the vegetables and chicken; and crushed green pepper

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Sorrel (Bissap) drink

Sorrel (Bissap) drink

Sorrel (Hibiscus sabdariffa) Sorrel has one of the highest levels of antioxidants of any widely available food. According to some studies, antioxidants enhance nitic oxide production in the body which reduces blood sugar, reduce cancer and oxidized lipids. Sorrel also exhibit activities against atherosclerosis, liver disease, cancer, diabetes and other metabolic syndromes. Sorrel harvested fresh to produce pro-health drink due to high contents of vitamin C and anthocyanins. French (Oseille de Guinée, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Bissap, carcade ou Roselle) English (Sorrel and Rosella) Sorrel is a species of Hibiscus probably native to West Africa. In Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, and Jamaica sorrel drink is made from sepals of the roselle infused with cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, ginger and rum or wine. In Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, The Gambia, Burkina Faso and Benin calyces are infused with mint leaves, dissolved menthol candy, and/or fruit flavors (pineapple). It often sold as popsicle. The Middle Eastern and Sudanese “Karkade” is a cold drink made by soaking the dried Karkade calyces in cold water overnight in a refrigerator with sugar and some lemon or lime juice added.

Sorrel (Bissap) drink

  • 2 cups dried red sorrel
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • ¼ cup chopped ginger
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 5 whole allspice
  • 1 orange zest
  • Sugar to taste
  • Rum (optional)
  1. Bring all 4~10 cups water to a boil in saucepan.
  2. Add all the other ingredients except the sugar.

  3. Set aside overnight .

  4. When ready to serve sieve ingredients, with fine sieve and discard all particles. Reserve drink

  5. Add the sugar as needed, together with rum according to preference.

  6. Serve with ice or make suck suck out of it.

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Suya Sandwich

Bread-skewers or Suya Sandwich

I feel like Suya (also called Tchintchinga) is universal. Unless, you are allergic to peanut, why wouldn’t love Suya? I think the Suya stand can be reference as a West African fast food stand. Suya is a meat skewer seasoned with roasted peanut and other spices. The Suya is a staple food in West Africa that originated from the Ayoussa culture. The suya can be made with beef which is the most common, lamb, chicken and even Kidney, liver and tripe which is sold in newspapers.

It can also be served with Jollof rice, Fried plantains, Akpan, Fried yam. For this recipe I used thinly slice beef marinated with powdered roasted peanut, garlic, ginger, paprika, salt… vegetable oil and I served it with some French baguette. And it is a marriage made in heaven the combination of roasted beef, the peanut, the spices and the French baguette make the perfect sandwich.

I drive 3 hours round trip to get my French baguette from Cait and Abby’s in South Orange NJ. If you cannot get your hand on some fresh French baguette for this sandwich, you can substitute the French baguette with some toasted white or Panini bread. Bush the crispy bread with oil before adding the Suya.  Furthermore you can dust the meat with the Suya spice. Unfortunately, because of my kids, I did not add any hot peppers (like cayenne pepper).

Suya sandwich

  • 3 teaspoons finely ground roasted peanuts
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon red peppers or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 ⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 ⁄2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 cube
  • 1/2 kg beef (cut into bite-sized pieces (beef, chicken, etc.))
  • 1 red onion (peeled and cut into chunks (optional))
  • 1/4 cup oil
  1. Stir the spices together , mixing well.
  2. Slice the onion
  3. Dip and roll the meat in the other bowl of the peanut-spice mix, making sure the meat is completely coated.
  4. Place the meat on skewers
  5. Brush with some oil and add more suya spice
  6. Broil in a hot oven, or grill over hot coals, until meat is done.
  7. Slice the bread in half
  8. Add some oil, suya spice and the suya
  9. Serve immediately with the reserved peanut-spice mix, for sprinkling or dipping as desired.

(Do not use the mix that came into contact with the raw meat.).

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Chin Chin recipe

Chin Chin

Chin Chin

These African croquettes are also known as “Atchomon” or “Achonmon” in Togo and Benin; “Chin Chin” in Nigeria, Ghana or “cakes” in other African countries. They are very easy to make and very appreciated during an aperitif with friends! Chin Chin is similar to the Scandinavian klenat snack, a crispy dough of cooked or fried donuts made from wheat flour and other traditional bakery items.

  • 3 cups 450g all purpose Flour
  • 2/3 cup 150g of butter (or margarine)
  • ¾ cup 150g of granulated sugar
  • ½ cup of milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt
  • vegetable oil
  1. Measure and mix dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
  2. Measure and mix the wet ingredients together except the butter.
  3. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and mix with your fingers until everything is combined.
  4. Pour in other moist ingredients and mix until dough is obtained. It should form a perfect dough, but if it feels a bit stiff, add a tablespoon of water or milk. If you feel too sticky, add a tablespoon or 2 more flour. Do not overwork the dough.
  5. Let stand on the counter for about 5 minutes. Unpack the dough and lay the dough about a quarter of an inch thick because the dough will increase when you fry them.
  6. Using a knife or pizza cutter or even a dough divider, cut the dough horizontally and vertically, forming small squares.
  7. Put the small squares in a bowl and sprinkle some flour on them and shake to prevent them from sticking.
  8. Heat the oil. Fry until the light is golden brown. Remove with a spoon to drain and spread on a tray lined with paper towel to cool. Chin Chin will be soft to warm but will harden as it cools.

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How to make fried patties?

Cabbage and hot-dog fried patties  || Cabbage and hot-dog fried empanadas

This is my easy recipe for homemade empanada dough for frying. The process to make this empanada dough for frying is very similar to the empanada dough for baking. A few differences are that this dough has a little bit less butter, but adds baking powder. The empanadas are light fluffy texture when you fry them.

Fried patties

Dough

  • 4 cup all-purpose flour (, plus more for dusting)
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 cup butter ((1 stick) melted)
  • 1 cup water (cold)

Filling

  • 4 cup cabbage (shredded)
  • 5 hotdogs (sliced)
  • 1/2 cup onion
  • 1/2 Maggie cube
  • 1/2 cup bell pepper (diced)
  • 1/2 cup carrot (diced)
  • 2 eggs (boiled)
  • hot peppers ((optional))
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil (to sautee the hotdogs and veggies)

Make the dough

  1. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix in cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add just enough cold water so dough comes together. Wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Make the filling

  1. On medium heat sautée the onion. Keep turning mixture with a spatula, as if cooking hash, until onion is softened and browned, about 5 minutes. Add cabbage cut until tender and add the hotdogs, and stir well to incorporate. (Add a little more fat to pan if mixture seems dry.) Add bell pepper and carrot. Season with cube, salt and pepper and let mixture fry for 2 more minutes. Turn heat to simmer, stirring well to incorporate everything.

Time to make your patties

  1. Divide chilled dough into 1-ounce pieces and form into 2-inch diameter balls. Roll each piece into a 4 1/2-inch circle. Lay circles on a baking sheet lightly dusted with flour.
  2. Put about 2 tablespoons filling in the center of each roundand some hard-cooked egg to each. Moisten outer edge of each round with water. Wrap dough around filling to form empanada, pressing edges together. Fold edge back and finish by pinching little pleats or crimping with a fork
  3. Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C). Place 3 or 4 pies into the fryer at a time. Cook for about 5 minutes, turning once to brown on both sides. Draion paper towels, and serve hot.