African Style Rice
I know what you must be thinking (maybe), ‘why is Dax posting about an African style rice recipe when it is so close to Cinco de Mayo! Shouldn’t he be posting about some Mexican recipe instead!?’. Â I thought the same thing, for only a second, but this recipe is too good not to post. Of course I will be knocking out some sort of Mexican torta in a couple of days, but in the meantime, the focus is on an African style rice dish that is loaded with awesome spices.
This recipe was inspired by a couple of different thoughts. One being the chicken suqaar sandwich and some flavors of Indian food that I recently had. When the two came together, it was a match made in heaven. This is a recipe that is a one pot meal, and one that you could eat throughout the day, or week. It makes plenty and has you questioning the spice blend.
Let’s get started.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of basmati rice, soaked in water
- 1 whole onion, diced
- 2 roma tomatoes, diced
- 6 cardamom pods, seeds only
- 3 star anise
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
- 5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 3 tbsp canola oil
- 2 chicken breasts, diced (or substitute boneless/skinless thighs)
- 2 cups of chicken stock
Start by adding the rice to a bowl, and cover with cold water. Set this to the side as you prepare the rest of your dish.
Heat a large skillet (enough to hold all of the chicken, vegetables, and rice), on medium heat and add in the canola oil. Let the oil heat up for a minute or so, then add in the diced onions. Cook these for about 7 minutes, or until they just begin to caramelize.
Now add in the garlic, ginger, cardamom seeds, cinnamon, star anise, cumin, black pepper, and turmeric powder. Give these a good stir, and cook for about a minute so they release their oils. Give this a good smell. Don’t you love it?
Toss in the tomatoes and chicken, and give a good stir.
Strain the rice, then add the rice to the mixture. Give this another good stir, then add in the chicken stock. Stir again, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the rice and chicken has fully cooked.
Remove the lid, stir, and give it a taste. If the rice is cooked, great, if not, cook a bit longer. Season with any additional salt.
I served mine as a main course, alongside some Indian mixed pickles to bring a nice accent to the dish.
This African style rice was pretty darn awesome, and pretty to boot due to the turmeric. Hope you enjoy.
African Style Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups of basmati rice soaked in water
- 1 whole onion diced
- 2 roma tomatoes diced
- 6 cardamom pods seeds only
- 3 star anise
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
- 5 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 3 tbsp canola oil
- 2 chicken breasts diced (or substitute boneless/skinless thighs)
- 2 cups of chicken stock
Instructions
- Start by adding the rice to a bowl, and cover with cold water. Set this to the side as you prepare the rest of your dish.
- Heat a large skillet (enough to hold all of the chicken, vegetables, and rice), on medium heat and add in the canola oil. Let the oil heat up for a minute or so, then add in the diced onions. Cook these for about 7 minutes, or until they just begin to caramelize.
- Now add in the garlic, cardamom seeds, cinnamon, star anise, cumin, black pepper, and turmeric powder. Give these a good stir, and cook for about a minute so they release their oils. Give this a good smell. Don’t you love it?
- Toss in the tomatoes and chicken, and give a good stir.
- Strain the rice, then add the rice to the mixture. Give this another good stir, then add in the chicken stock. Stir again, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the rice and chicken has fully cooked.
- Remove the lid, stir, and give it a taste. If the rice is cooked, great, if not, cook a bit longer. Season with any additional salt.
- I served mine as a main course, alongside some Indian mixed pickles to bring a nice accent to the dish.
