AFRICA

Origin: Cameroon

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6 servings

 

8 minutes

 

 

 Ingredients:

-        4 large ripe plantains 

-        1 whole chicken (about 5 pounds or 2.5 kg) 

-        1 onion, chopped 

-        8 medium tomatoes, blended 

-        1-inch ginger root, peeled and roughly chopped 

-        8 garlic cloves, peeled

-        ½ teaspoon ground white pepper 

-        4 small seasoning cubes (Maggi) 

-        1 celery stalk, roughly chopped

-        3 stems of green onions 

-        8 stems of parsley or cilantro 

-        2 medium carrots or 1 large, chopped 

-        1 handful of green beans, chopped 

-        1 bell pepper or ¼ each of 4 colored bell peppers, chopped 

-        2 cups vegetable oil 

-        1 teaspoon salt 

-        1 habanero (hot) pepper (optional)

Instructions:

1.     Prepare the Spice Blend: In a blender, combine the garlic, ginger, celery, parsley, optional hot pepper, and half of the chopped onion. Add ½ cup of water and blend into a paste.

2.     Marinate the Chicken: Rinse the chicken thoroughly and cut it into pieces. Place the chicken in a pot and add ¾ of the spice blend, ½ teaspoon of salt, 2 seasoning cubes, ½ teaspoon of white pepper, and 1 cup of water. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for 20 minutes.

3.     Fry the Plantains: While the chicken is cooking, heat the vegetable oil in a separate pot over medium heat. Peel and slice the plantains into circles, then deep-fry them until golden brown. Depending on the size of your pot, you may need to fry the plantains in batches. Once fried, remove them from the oil and set them aside on paper towels to drain excess oil.

4.     Grill the Chicken: Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the stock and place it on a greased baking tray. Reserve the stock for later use. Grill the chicken in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for about 15 minutes, or until it develops a golden-brown crust.

5.     Prepare the Tomato Sauce: Remove more than half of the oil used for frying the plantains, leaving a small amount in the pot. Heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat and sauté the remaining chopped onion until translucent. Add the blended tomatoes and cook until the acidity is reduced, stirring occasionally. 

6.     Combine Ingredients: Add the remaining spice blend to the tomato sauce and cook for 2 minutes. Then, pour in the reserved chicken stock, the remaining seasoning cubes, and white pepper. Stir well and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Add the grilled chicken pieces to the sauce, ensuring they are well-coated. Gently stir in the fried plantains, followed by the chopped vegetables (carrots, green beans, bell peppers, and green onions). Mix carefully to avoid breaking the plantains. If the mixture appears too dry, add a couple of tablespoons of water to achieve a moist consistency. Allow everything to cook together for 2 minutes, then remove from heat.

7.     Serve: Serve the Poulet DG warm, optionally accompanied by a chilled glass of juice.

Origin: Nigeria 

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4 servings 

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70 minutes

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Ingredients:

-        2 cups of rice 

-        1 medium sized tomato 

-        2 red bell peppers 

-        3 habanero peppers 

-        1 medium sized onion 

-        3 large cloves of garlic 

-        1 small ginger 

-        4 cups veggie stock

Steps:

1.     Prep all your vegetables and aromatics (cut and clean) 

2.     Pop them in the oven and bake till the tomato and habanero are slightly burnt. 

3.     Blend until smooth 

4.     Wash your rice

5.     Toss rice, stock and blended pepper into a pot. 

6.     Cover with aluminum foil to steam 

7.     Cook for about 40 minutes (make sure it burns!)

Origin: Jamaica

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6-8 servings 

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30-40 minutes 

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 Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1 1/2 c. red lentils

6 c. water

2 Tbsp. vegetable bouillon

1 (13.5 oz.) can coconut milk

4-6 ears fresh corn, cut in to quarters

1 scotch bonnet chili, cut in half (optional)

4 medium yellow potatoes, chopped

10 oz. bag frozen butternut squash OR 1/2 butternut squash, cubed

1 bag frozen corn

2 red bell peppers

1/8 tsp. black pepper

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Steps:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot and saute the onion until translucent. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minutes. Immediately add the lentils and then the water, vegetable bouillon, and 2 of the sprigs of thyme. Stir so the lentils don't stick and simmer for 15 minutes or just until the lentils are about halfway tender. 

2. Add the potatoes and continue cooking until they are just cooked through. If you are using fresh butternut squash cubes add that here as well.

3. While the lentils and potatoes are cooking place the red peppers directly on a hot stove burner and char on all sides. As soon as they are charred place in a plastic bag and allow to steam, at least 10 minutes. Remove from the bag and scrape off the skin and chop.

4. Once the potatoes are tender add the remaining two thyme sprigs, coconut milk, scotch bonnet chili, corn ear pieces, butternut squash (if using frozen), frozen corn, red pepper, and black pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes and check for seasoning. Add more bouillon, salt, or pepper as needed.

Origin: Nigeria

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4-6 servings

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1 hour 20 minutes

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 Ingredients:

-        500g chicken breast (or preferred chicken parts) 

-        2 medium red onions, chopped (one for broth, one for cooking) 

-        1 tablespoon blended ginger and garlic (mixed with a little water) 

-        6 large tomatoes, blended 

-        3 red bell peppers (tatashe), blended 

-        2–3 fresh chili peppers, blended 

-        1/4 cup olive oil 

-        2 cups long-grain parboiled rice 

-        2 teaspoons salt (adjust to taste) 

-        2 teaspoons curry powder 

-        2 teaspoons thyme 

-        4 seasoning cubes (2 for broth, 2 for cooking) 

-        2 bay leaves (remove after cooking)

-        2 cups chicken broth (or adjust as needed) 

-        Extra water (as needed, added gradually while cooking) 

-        1 cup diced carrots

-        1 cup chopped bell peppers (assorted colors)

-        1 cup green beans, chopped

-        1/2 cup spring onions, chopped

-        1 tablespoon olive oil (for stir-frying vegetables) Optional Garnishes & Serving

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Suggestions: 

-        1/2 cup cooked shrimp (optional, for added protein) 

-        1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional, for garnish) 

-        Sautéed kale, spinach, or lettuce (optional, for serving) 

-        Fresh slices of tomatoes and bell peppers (optional, for serving)

 Suggestions:

• 1/2 cup cooked shrimp (optional, for added protein)

• -  1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional, for garnish)

• -  Sautéed kale, spinach, or lettuce (optional, for serving)

• -  Fresh slices of tomatoes and bell peppers (optional, for serving)

 

Steps: 

1. Step 1: Prepare the Chicken Broth 

• Season the chicken with salt, black pepper, curry powder, thyme, seasoning cubes, and chopped onions. 

•  Add the blended ginger and garlic mixture and let it marinate for 10 minutes. 

• Boil the chicken in a pot with a little water until tender. 

• Once cooked, remove the chicken and set it aside. Reserve the broth for cooking the rice. 

2. Step 2: Prepare the Tomato Sauce 

• Blend tomatoes, red bell peppers, and chili peppers into a smooth paste. 

• Pour the mixture into a pot and cook on medium heat until most of the moisture evaporates (about 15 minutes). 

3. Step 3: Parboil the Rice (Optional)

• If using a rice variety with high starch content, such as most parboiled rice brands, boil the rice for 5 minutes.

• Strain and rinse to remove excess starch, which helps prevent stickiness. 

4. Step 4: Cook the Jollof Rice 

• In a large pot, heat olive oil.

• Add chopped onions and sauté until soft.

• Add the reduced tomato mixture and stir well. Let it fry for 5 minutes. 

• Pour in the reserved chicken broth and start with a small amount of additional water—just enough to cook the rice but not too much to avoid sogginess.

• Season with salt, seasoning cubes, curry powder, thyme, and add 2 bay leaves. Stir well to combine.

• Pour in the parboiled rice without stirring thoroughly to avoid burning. Simply spread it evenly across the pot.

• Cover the pot with foil, then place the lid on top to create a makeshift pressure cooker. This helps the rice cook faster and more evenly.

• Check the rice every 5 minutes to see if the water has dried. If the rice is not yet soft to your taste, gradually add more water as needed until fully cooked (about 20–25 minutes). 

• Once it starts cooking, do not stir. Stirring while it is still cooking will cause burning and make the rice soggy. 

• To check if the rice is done, insert a fork or knife into the rice, if it comes out dry, the rice is ready.

• Once fully cooked, remove and discard the bay leaves. 

5. Step 5: Prepare the Stir-Fried Vegetables 

• In a separate pan, heat a little oil.

• Add diced carrots, bell peppers, green beans, and spring onions. 

• Stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until slightly tender but still crisp. 

• (Optional) Add cooked shrimp and stir for another minute. 

6. Step 6: Final Touches & Serving

•  Fluff the cooked jollof rice lightly with a fork. 

•  Mix in the stir-fried vegetables or serve them on the side. 

• Garnish with chopped parsley if desired. 

•  Serve hot, accompanied by optional sides of sautéed kale, spinach, or lettuce, and fresh slices of tomatoes and bell peppers. 

•  Enjoy your delicious, well-prepared Jollof Rice!

Origin: Egypt

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3-4 servings 

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1 hour 20 minutes 

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Ingredients

For the Pasta

• 500g Penne pasta

• Water

• Salt, to taste

For the Meat Sauce

• 500g Ground beef

• 1 onion

• 1 1/2 cup tomato sauce (canned and/or crushed tomatoes)

• 2 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon thyme

• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

• 1 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)

For the Béchamel Sauce

• 1 1/2 cup flour

• 1 1/2 cup butter

• 1 1/2 litres milk

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

For the Assembly

• 1 cup grated mozzarella

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 degree F.

For the pasta

1. Start by boiling the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.

For the meat sauce

1. Finely dice the onion and cook in a pan with the olive oil, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the meat and break it up using a wooden spoon and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, thyme and the tomato sauce and simmer for 3-4 minutes. set aside.

For the Bechamel Sauce

1. Begin by melting the butter over medium heat.

2. Whisk in the flour while over heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes as you continuously whisk.

3. Pour the milk in slowly while continuing to whisk until the sauce is formed.

Macarona Bechamel, Assemble!

1. In a deep, large casserole dish, add the pasta. Add the meat mixture and mix together. Smooth out to create a layer. Add a layer of mozzarella.

2. Cover using all of the Bechamel sauce and smooth it out (for presentation).

3. Bake at 375 degrees F for 40 mins. Serve with a smile! 

Notes

• This is generally a pretty simple recipe. There are some tips regarding the Bechamel sauce and pasta in the post, however as long as you follow the instructions, you should be good! I’d recommend playing around with the meat sauce to create a version of it that you really love! 

• If you’re following the recipe video, you might notice a little red pepper being used to prepare the ground beef. That’s just some spice to add a little extra kick to the recipe. It’s not required (or traditionally included). 

Origin: Nigeria 

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12-20 servings 

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25 minutes 

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Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup dried hibiscus leaves 

• The skin/backs of a pineapple 

• The skin/backs of a lemon/lime 

• 10 cups of water 

• Sugar to taste

Steps: 

1.     Wash the backs of your fruits 

2.     Toss all ingredients into a pot with water and boil for 20 minutes 

3.     Drain and add sugar to taste