Tag: rice

Ham jambalaya

~ Sophie ~ Leave a comment

Quite a long list of ingredients, but quick and simple to make. Warming, highly-flavoured, tasty.

  • 2 tbsp veg oil
  • 125g chicken mini fillets
  • 125g smoked sausage/kabanos, sliced
  • 125g smoked ham, cubed
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 pieces celery, chopped
  • 1 large green chilli
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 tin tomatoes
  • 300ml chicken stock
  • ½ tsp hot smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • ½ tsp thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 200g long-grain white rice
  • Fresh parsley, chopped
  1. Heat veg oil in deep lidded frying pan
  2. Add onion, garlic, peppers, chilli and celery and cook until translucent and soft
  3. Add tomato puree, stir in and cook for a minute
  4. Pour in the stock and stir until all combined thoroughly, scraping all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan
  5. Add the seasoning, tinned tomatoes, sugar and salt. Put lid on and cook over low-medium heat for 10 mins.
  6. Add the rice, ham and sausage, combining thoroughly
  7. Place chicken fillets on top and push them just under the surface of the liquid
  8. Put the lid on and cook for 20 mins
  9. Once it’s all cooked, slice up chicken, spinkle in chopped parsley and stir together

Serve with garlic sauteed spinach

Chicken and chorizo paella

~ Sophie ~ Leave a comment

Will fill your kitchen with the most mouthwatering aromas while it cooks, and your mouth with dancing, contrasting flavours when you eat it. Feeds a hungry 2

  • 2 chicken thigh fillets, cut into small pieces
  • 1 chorizo sausage, cut into small pieces
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 1 tbsp garlic oil
  • Pinch of chilli flakes
  • Pinch of saffron
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • Handful of frozen peas
  • Handful of chopped fresh parsley
  • 150g paella rice
  • 500ml chicken stock
  • Lemon
  1. Heat the garlic oil in a deep frying pan and fry the chorizo until it starts to release its oil
  2. Add the chicken and brown in the russet-red oil
  3. Remove the meat from the pan and add the onion and red pepper
  4. Cook until softened then add the rice to the pan and stir it into the oil and veg
  5. Turn the heat up, add stock and spices
  6. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 mins
  7. Stir the meat through the rice and cook for a further 10 mins
  8. Turn the heat off, add the peas, parsley and a squeeze of lemon
  9. Cover the pan and leave to rest for a final 5 mins. Serve immediately

Coconut rice

~ Sophie ~ 4 Comments

One of the very nicest rices you can eat. Especially good as a soothing counterpoint to something challengingly spicy

  • 225g basmati rice
  • 150ml coconut milk
  • 300ml water
  • ½ tsp salt
  1. Place the rice in a bowl, cover with cold water and soak for 10 mins
  2. Drain and rinse through with fresh water
  3. Dump into a saucepan with a lid and stir in the coconut milk, water and salt
  4. Stick the lid on, bring to the boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 10 mins, then turn the heat off and leave with the lid on for a further 5 mins
  5. Fluff up and serve sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds and finely chopped spring onion

Mexican sweet potato bowl

~ Sophie ~ 2 Comments

Less a recipe, more a construction job. An ideal mid-week meal and an excellent way to use up leftovers, which I’m mildly obsessed with. Feeds 2 people. Tasty, satisfying, adaptable.

  • 1 large sweet potato
  • 2 tbsp veg oil
  • Paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, pinch of cinnamon
  • 1 packet pre-cooked basmati or long grain rice
  • 1 tin black beans
  • Chipotle chilli sauce (or regular chilli sauce with ½ tsp smoked paprika)
  • 1 avocado
  • Lime juice
  • Toppings – including pickled jalapenos, fresh coriander, sour cream, diced tomatoes
  1. Peel and dice the sweet potato. Mix the spices with the veg oil and then tumble in the sweet potato. Roast on a tray at 180C fan (200C) for 30-40 mins
  2. Drain the tinned black beans. Warm in a pan with the chipotle chilli sauce and a bit of the liquid from the tin
  3. Cook the rice according to the directions on the packet
  4. Dice the avocado and sprinkle with lime juice and a pinch of salt
  5. Construct the bowl with rice, then black beans, then sweet potatoes. Top with the avocado and any other toppings which appeal

By all means pre-cook the sweet potato to save time at dinnertime, use up leftover chicken, add grated cheese, substitute in brown rice, add fresh chilli. Munch on tortilla chips while you cook. So many options!

Nasi goreng

~ Sophie ~ Leave a comment

Spicy, savoury, yummy. No claims to authenticity, but such a comforting and quick weeknight dinner. Feeds 2 with seconds

  • 2 tbsp oil 
  • 2 eggs, beaten 
  • 200g pork fillet, cut into strips 
  • 4 spring onions, finely chopped 
  • 1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and grated/minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated 
  • 1 large red chilli, finely chopped 
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced into small cubes
  • 8 baby corn, cut into ½ cm rounds
  • 1 pre-cooked basmati rice packet 
  • Handful of frozen peas 
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce 
  • 1 tbsp gochujang 
  • 2 tbsp ketjap manis (sweet soy sauce – could substitute with 2 tbsp soy sauce + 2 tsp maple syrup)
  • Chopped coriander 
  • Handful of dry roasted peanuts 
  1. Heat oil in wok 
  2. Cook egg in flat pancake by swirling around bottom of wok until set. Remove from pan and slice into strips 
  3. Heat wok again and add pork. Stir fry until lightly browned on outside and just cooked through, then remove from the pan 
  4. Add a touch more oil if needed then add spring onion, lemon grass, garlic and chilli to the wok and stir fry briefly (don’t allow to brown) 
  5. Add carrots and baby corn, stir fry for a couple of mins
  6. Add fish sauce and chilli paste and mix to distribute through the vegetables
  7. Add rice (cold) and stir to coat in the paste 
  8. Add ketjap manis, pork, egg and peanuts, continue to cook and stir together until everything is hot
  9. Serve sprinkled with chopped coriander