Recipe: Jamaican Cuisine

I saw these recipes on one of my favourite healthy foodie website and it’s finger licking good! They are recipes your family will love… I have heard that Jamaican dishes are to Nigerian’s thus I had to give these recipes a try, well not just a try, I have prepared them several times.

Jamaican Red Beans and Rice

Coconut milk, thyme, scallions and scotch bonnet peppers give this rice dish island flair! The perfect side dish to Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken, or enjoy this as a meatless  meal with a simple avocado and tomato salad on the side.

Rice and beans are a staple in most Caribbean and African countries especially Nigeria because they are not expensive and nutritious. Beans are an excellent source of fibre, protein and complex carbohydrates.

This meal is not spicy as the pepper is cooked whole for added flavour and is discarded before you finish cooking. Of course, if you want a spicy rice dish, you can chop the scotch bonnet and add it to the rice (I cooked mine this way), but caution, it will be hot!

Servings: 10 • Serving Size per person: 3/4 cup • Calories: 192.4

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp  canola
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/4 cup onion, minced
• 1 scallion (aka spring onion), chopped
• 1 sprig fresh thyme or 2 tsp of dried thyme
• 15.5 oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups uncooked long grain rice
• salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 1/4 cups water
• 13.5 oz can (1 3/4 cups) light coconut milk
• 1 whole scotch bonnet hot pepper or yellow small pepper (not chopped)
• Salt to taste (optional)

* This recipe Makes 7 1/2 cups

Preparation:

In a medium pot, heat oil over medium heat; add garlic, scallion, onion and thyme. Sauté a few minutes, then add rice, beans and stir.

Add the coconut milk, water, salt and fresh pepper and place the whole scotch bonnet pepper in the pot, stir to combine and bring to a boil.

Remove and discard or chop and add the hot pepper for more 'spicy-ness' and continue to cook the rice till almost all the liquid is absorbed and just skims the top.

Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered for 10 more minutes to allow the steam to finish cooking the rice (do not be tempted to lift the lid before that). Serve hot.

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

 

This is  a superbly spicy chicken dish prepared light with skinless chicken drums and thighs, cooked in a pot with light coconut milk, scallions, onions, tomatoes, garlic, thyme and one very hot scotch bonnet pepper. I ate this with Jamaican rice and beans and boy it was yum!  Yum!! Yum!!!  deliciouso! !!!(In Dora backpack voice).  I love spicy food and If you like really spicy food then add more pepper. 

Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1 thigh and drumstick • Calories: 235

Ingredients:

• 6 bone-in chicken legs with thighs attached, skin removed (6 thighs, 6 drumsticks, I the left  skin on for more flavour then remove it before eating)
• 1 lime juice
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 4 medium scallions aka spring onions, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 - 1 hot scotch bonnet pepper (you can remove seeds + membrane if u can stand hot chilli), chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp canola ( olive oil would be fine too)
• 1 medium carrot, chopped finely
• 2 tsp cornstarch or oat flour ( I used oat flour)
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened light coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp salt

Preparation: 

Squeeze lime over chicken and rub well. Drain off excess lime juice.

Mix tomato, spring onion, onion, garlic, scotch bonnet pepper, thyme and soy sauce in a large bowl and add the chicken, and marinade for at least one hour.

After an hour, lightly brown the chicken on medium-high heat. 

When browned on all sides, pour the marinade over the chicken and add the carrots. Stir and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Mix oat flour or corn starch and coconut milk and add to stew, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook for another 20 minutes or until tender, add salt to taste.

and voila! the combo...