Modern Thali

Last Saturday was my birthday and I decided to make an intercontinental meal. After much deliberations and debate between I and my kids we finally arrived at this menu. Actually I wanted to make this while my kids gave suggestions such as pizza, pasta, lasagna (can u see they all wanted Italian). Since I was the birthday girl, my wishes were obliged!

This combines Indian, Kenyan, Arab and Oriental cuisine, the curry is India, while kachumbari is native to kenya. I tweeked the veggies a bit from the original recipes. I used less yogurt for the raita and less tomatoes for the kachumbari. This was an impressive spread and would make a perfect menu for a get together or a special occasion where you want to impress and best of all it is easy to make.

Curry Chicken

Ingredients

1kg Chicken thigh (bones removed and cut into cubes)

3 Medium sized Onion

1 tbsp curry powder

2 cloves garlic

1 70g can tomato paste

½ Can coconut milk

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chili powder

2 chicken cubes

1 handful coriander (or parsley if coriander is not available)



Chicken breast can be substituted but I prefer the thigh because it’s more flavourful. I used the bigger chicken thigh popular called orobo because it is easier to de-bone and cube.

1. In a hot pan heat the oil, add the chicken sprinkle with the chicken cubes fry until browned on both sides and the chicken starts to release its oils. ( if your pan is small you can split the chicken into two and fry in batches, do not over crowd the pan so that the chicken would brown evenly and nicely)

2. After the chicken has rendered its fat remove the chicken from the pan, sauté the onion in the pan with the chicken fat for 5 minutes add the garlic and cook for a few seconds.

3. Mix in the tomato paste, curry powder, chili, cumin and turmeric.

4. Pour in the coconut milk, cover and simmer on low heat until chicken is tender. If it starts to thicken too much add a cooking spoon of water or less.

5. I didn’t add salt because the chicken cubes already has salt and since the sauce is thick the saltiness from the cubes is enough.




Raita


1 cup plain yogurt

2 large cucumbers, chopped

2 tbsp finely chopped onion

1 tbsp chopped coriander

1 tbsp lemon juice

Pinch of salt

½ tsp cumin





1. In a mixing bowl combine all the chopped items together

2. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, pinch of salt and cumin

3. Mix all together and serve

I couldn’t get plain yogurt so I used vanilla flavoured yogurt it was alright just had a bit of ice cream flavour to it,





Kachumbari
2 large tomatoes

1 large onion

1 green pepper (capsicum)

1 small cabbage

1 tbsp spoon olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

Handful of coriander, chopped

Pinch of salt

Pinch of chili



1. Finely julienne( slice) all the vegetables put in a bowl

2. Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a another bowl

3. Pour over the vegetables and mix set aside in the refrigerator until serving time.





Braised Rice
1 cup rice

1 small onion

1 tsp butter

2 cups chicken stock

Salt and pepper

2 chopped carrots

1. In a pot sauté the onions and carrot in butter

2. Washed the rice and add to the pan gently fry in the butter for a few minutes

3. Add the chicken stock and the seasonings, bring to a boil

4. Place in an oven at 250 degrees for about 15 minutes or in place of an oven allow to cook on the burner until ready.

Couscous
1 cup couscous

1 small onion

1 carrot

Pinch salt

Pinch pepper

1 tsp olive oil

2 cups chicken stock



1. Bring the onion and carrot to a boil in the chicken stock.

2. Add the oil, salt and pepper, turn of the heat

3. Pour in the couscous cover the pot allow to stand for 5 minutes

4. Turns the heat on to the lowest after 5 minutes and allow to simmer slowly for 2 minutes

5. Fluff with a fork and serve.



Pappadom
A pack of pappadoms

Oil for deep-frying



1. Heat the oil until high for deep-frying, drop one pappadom in the hot oil pressed down in the middle with a soup ladle while using another flat spoon to scoop the pappadom together towards the soup ladle.

2. Try to make it form the shape of a bowl.

3. Scoop out and drain



Plate all the different dishes as creatively as you can, enjoy!

Curry Fried Rice with Sweet and Sour Beef

Home …………………….. Happiness

Kids ……………………… Joy

Life ……………………….. Good

Morning alarm ……………. Morning run

Eggs...............................…....Breakfast

Amala ……………………....Shitta

Diet …………………………Coke

Woman …………………….. Awesome

Beautiful ……………………You

Chinese.…….………….……Take out

Ok I wrote all that because I wanted to illustrate that anytime I hear Chinese I simultaneously think takeout. I love Chinese meals “I no go lie”.

It’s an easy meal to make, hardly taking much time to cook except the preparation stage which involves a lot of chopping.

I modified this recipe of fried rice to make it more Nigerian this is achieved by adding curry to the rice. Chinese don’t add curry to their rice.

Ingredients

For the Rice

2 Cups Rice

1 Tbsp Curry powder

1 large Onions, thinly sliced

3 cloves Garlic, sliced

250 g Shrimps

Mixed veggies (carrots, Peas, sweet corn, red and green peppers)

Sugar

Salt

Oil.

For the Sauce

500g beef

2 Tbsp chopped ginger

1 Tbsp chopped garlic

1 tsp chili flakes

2 Tbsp soy sauce

Seasoning

2 Tbsp Sugar

1 Tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp Corn starch

2 cups water

Salt

Oil

Chives for garnishing

1. Boil the rice as you would normally cook it add the curry powder to the rice. Once the rice is done allow it to cool down a bit you can transfer it into a colander to hasten the cooling process. 
2. In a frying pan heat 3 tbsp of oil sauté the onions and the garlic until translucent add the veggies and the shrimp cook until the shrimps turn pinkish white. You can add any cube seasoning of your choice.  Add the boiled rice, sprinkle the sugar on top the rice and keep stirring for about 3 minutes, seasoning with salt. Set the rice aside
   

Simple Chinese Egg Fried Rice.

Chinese egg fried rice is a super-duper easy meal to make. There are some evenings when am at a loss for what to prepare for dinner. I guess it happens to you too..... or am I alone?

Well when this happens I look through my fridge for leftovers that I can whip up and serve. In comes my simple Chinese fried rice!

The ingredients are a staple at my house as a baker am never out of eggs and I almost always have leftover boiled rice. This my version is devoid of lots of veggies but you can add any veggies you like e.g carrots, capsicum, peas, spring onions, garlic etc. 


Ingredients

2 cups boiled rice (day old rice are the best so boil your rice a night before)
1 onion
3 tbsp oil

4 eggs

2 tsp honey

2 tsp soy sauce

Salt

1. Slice the onions and fry in a tbsp of oil in a non stick pan.
2. Crack the eggs and whisk, add to the onions and fry until done.
3. Turn the eggs unto a plate, pour in the remaining oil into the pan heat it up and add the rice
4. Add the honey and soy sauce and fry
5. Taste for salt and add a little salt, make sure you taste because the soy sauce is salty.
6. Add the eggs back in with the rice give them a good stir.
7. Your meal is ready!