NIGERIAN BASMATI FRIED RICE!!!

Season Greetings Everyone!!!

   What is Christmas in a Nigerian household, without the smell of freshly made fried rice? This used to be an essential in our house as we don't get to cook this meal often. Getting hold of the already chopped vegetables is something else in Nigeria, as one would have to go to big supermarket for them. And when seen, the price in relation to quantity isn't something to write home about lolzz. I usually get my fresh vegetables from the market as I would be cooking for a large quantity of people back home and as a typical Nigerian lady, I found this more economical. With a full house then, there was usually no fuss about chopping up the numerous amount of vegetables as an excuse not to participate in the chopping up process simply means no meal........And trust, who wants to be denied Christmas fried rice?(winks).


This meal is one that is easy and difficult to prepare at the same time, depending on your choice of rice!! Basmati rice is one delicate grain to work with, as one would have to be at alert when cooking with it. What makes a typical Nigerian Fried rice is the addition of liver to it. I tell you!! Liver just gives it that party taste, that you won't want to stop eating. Just writing this post and thinking of the taste of the meal makes me hungry. Shall we go on to the Nigerian Fried Rice cooking spree?

Yield: 6 servings


Ingredients

• 0.76kg Laps of chicken (old layer)
• 0.80kg worth of cow liver
• 0.25L of Olive/Vegetable oil
• 700g of Basmati rice
• 1kg of frozen mixed vegetables(carrot,kidney beans.green peas,bean stalk,red&green bell peppers)
• 2 spring onions
• Some Bay leaves
• 2 whole white onions
• 1 Can of sweet corn
• 1 Tbsp of unsalted butter
• 1/2 Tbsp of thyme
• 1/2 Tbsp of plain curry powder
• 1 Tbsp of salt
• 3 Seasoning cubes
• 1/2 Tbsp of grounded garlic/fresh
• 1/2 Tbsp of grounded ginger
• 1/2 Tbsp of chilli pepper
• 1 Whole tomato(for decor)

Note: I used the boiling method for this version of fried rice as when working with basmati rice, one has to be very careful and also to reduce the amount of oil used. Don't worry this rice still came out perfect(it wasn't sticky).

Before you start the cooking process

Vegetables

Ensure to wash all your vegetables, cut all vegetables into cube sizes (not more than an inch) and set aside.

Liver and Chicken

Cook the liver until it turns brown (25 minutes) with just water, no salt. Don't cook this with the chicken as this would change the chicken stock and we need it. When the Liver is cooked, chop it up into cube sizes also(not more than an inch).

Cut your chicken into your desired size and season it up with maggi cubes, garlic, ginger, salt,thyme,a little bit of pepper, onions, curry and bay leaves. Allow to cook for 15 minutes. When done, grill with suya pepper or fry it slightly and sprinkle suya pepper all over as I did mine. Save the chicken stock for the rice preparations.

Directions

1. Wash Basmati rice thoroughly and add it to the chicken stock to cook (the chicken stock already has curry and some spices). Additional water can be added to the rice, if chicken stock wasn't much but the added water should just be 2cm above the rice, then cover pot lid. This cooks in less that 10 minutes on medium heat.
2. When the rice is ready, set it aside, leaving it to cool......Ensure that your rice cooked dried.(rice is ready, when your finger can break the grain easily but not mash it).
3. Now time for vegetables.....Pour in your oil in a non-stick pan, and when oil is heated, add in a pinch of salt and onions. When your onions has turned translucent, add in the chopped up liver and let it fry for a few minutes, follow it up with your mixed vegetables and fry also.
4. Add in maggi, salt and thyme to taste, if the color of the cooked rice isn't as yellow as you want it, add in a little curry to the mixture. then stir while the vegetable and liver fries till the oil begins to separate from the vegetables. This would take about 6 minutes. 
5. When the vegetable and liver mixture is ready, add it in bits into the cooked rice or if the pan used for frying the vegetables is big enough, add the rice in it instead. Stir everything together and taste(you can add what you think is lacked). Add in a tablespoon of butter, Cover rice and stir every 1 minute. From this stage, it takes just 4 minutes and VIOLA... Food is ready!!

    This meal should be left to cool down by spreading it on a flat pan and then refrigerating it, so it won't go bad or it should be served immediately!

    Another trick is to prep the vegetables down and parboil the rice with the chicken stock. then refrigerate the cooked rice. Fry the vegetable close to the serving time, and fry your rice in batches(winks).

This meal is served with different kinds of salads, coleslaw and even moi moi, along side a bottle of soft drink. How do you eat your fried rice?

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