It's the Jamba of all Leias
The title was only to attract Star Wars fans(sorry :P). This is my very first attempt at something that I've wanted to do for a long time but never really had the courage to start. This is my first food post. No, not another soliloquy about my undying love for food. A rendition of a recipe that I made on a Saturday night, which turned into quite a feast.
If anyone remembers my "Much Ado About Food" post, my inspiration has always been my grandmother and my mother, who in all my cooking endeavours has been a faithful and irreplaceable assistant. I have this habit of "literally" keeping everything I use during the recipe nearby like I would need that exact ingredient within 0.25 seconds of previously using it, even though most of the time that just sits there collecting dust and will probably never be used in the recipe again. And because of the lack of infinite space on the kitchen counter, my mom has to do all the picking up and the dusting off the flour and clean whatever hell I cause in the kitchen.
She often helps me with the mise-en-place of the whole dish(for those who don't keep their eyes glued to cooking shows, that means pre-preparation). From cutting vegetables to answering my shout out doubts about just how much is 1/8 of a cup actually is(I suck at maths). So on to the recipe after this not so brief introduction-:
Peri Peri Chicken Jambalaya
The origin of the Jambalaya is from New Orleans and is considered a chief main course, being a traditional rice dish. While various additions include Chicken, Sausage, Seafood and often a mixture of all three, there is no replacing the colossal importance of the spices in this concoction. Traditionally served with corn bread it's a perfect dish for a family gathering and packs quite a punch. It can be found all over local restaurants in New Orleans and is a tremendous hit.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
8.Stir to completely combine.Simmer(low heat) for about 25-30 mins.You might need a bit more time, to get it to the consistency you need (ideally, the rice should be flaky but not too sticky), so just turn up the heat a bit and keep it on for around 5-10 mins more.
P.S-This is my first food post. I would love to know if this recipe worked out for you and if my post helped!And any criticisms are welcome and appreciated. And I promise to post better pictures next time.Thanks to mom for all her disaster management skills and dad for the ingredients.
Goodbye...my (hopefully)cooking humans...
If anyone remembers my "Much Ado About Food" post, my inspiration has always been my grandmother and my mother, who in all my cooking endeavours has been a faithful and irreplaceable assistant. I have this habit of "literally" keeping everything I use during the recipe nearby like I would need that exact ingredient within 0.25 seconds of previously using it, even though most of the time that just sits there collecting dust and will probably never be used in the recipe again. And because of the lack of infinite space on the kitchen counter, my mom has to do all the picking up and the dusting off the flour and clean whatever hell I cause in the kitchen.
She often helps me with the mise-en-place of the whole dish(for those who don't keep their eyes glued to cooking shows, that means pre-preparation). From cutting vegetables to answering my shout out doubts about just how much is 1/8 of a cup actually is(I suck at maths). So on to the recipe after this not so brief introduction-:
Peri Peri Chicken Jambalaya
The origin of the Jambalaya is from New Orleans and is considered a chief main course, being a traditional rice dish. While various additions include Chicken, Sausage, Seafood and often a mixture of all three, there is no replacing the colossal importance of the spices in this concoction. Traditionally served with corn bread it's a perfect dish for a family gathering and packs quite a punch. It can be found all over local restaurants in New Orleans and is a tremendous hit.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- Oil
- 500gm chicken
- Salt
- Pepper
- 2 Onions(small to medium)
- Capsicum(1-2, on size)
- Garlic(2 cloves)
- Chillies(Optional)
- Thyme and Basil
- Cayenne Pepper
- Worchestire Sauce
- Nando's Peri Peri Hot Sauce
- Tomato Paste
- Tomatoes(around 3-4)
- Rice(2 cups)
- Chicken Broth(2/1/2 cups)
- Coriander(Optional)
The Compilation
1.The first step consists of frying the chicken(I used wings, but other parts like legs and breasts work just as well). The chicken has to be washed properly and patted dry with a tissue or towel, and rubbed with the salt and pepper.(I used crushed peppercorns for a better hit).8-10 minutes on both sides or when the meat gets golden brown.
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| Left-Fried Chicken, Right-The Veggies |
2.Remove the chicken from the pan and add olive or vegetable oil.Let the oil heat up a bit and add diced onions and capsicum(diced into medium pieces).Cook for 6-8 mins until the onions are a little bit see-through. Add the garlic(crush with the blade to release more flavour.)Cook for an additional 2 minutes until fragrant.I added some chillies for a more dominant spice pallet.
3.Put the chicken back into the pan.And combine.
4.In a separate bowl, combine 1tsp salt, 1tsp pepper, thyme, basil(if you don't have these, a good substitute can be oregano), cayenne pepper(use chilli flakes if not available).
5.Add the spice mix, Worchestire sauce(1/4 cup or as per taste).Use soy sauce if not available. Now, what makes this recipe pop is the addition of the Peri Peri sauce, add around 1/4 cup or more if you like it spicy.
6.Follow with the addition of the tomato paste(I blended 2 tomatoes with some olive oil) or you can use store bought paste.Add the diced tomatoes.Mix thoroughly until the tomatoes reduce to a slight curry.
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| Dish After the 7th Step |
7.Finally, add the rice(washed and drained) followed by the chicken broth until the whole concoction is submerged. Make sure you have enough chicken broth as the rice needs to cook completely and the chicken needs to soften as well.
8.Stir to completely combine.Simmer(low heat) for about 25-30 mins.You might need a bit more time, to get it to the consistency you need (ideally, the rice should be flaky but not too sticky), so just turn up the heat a bit and keep it on for around 5-10 mins more.
9.Garnish with coriander or parsley, and serve with buttered bread and a side of your favourite carbonated drink.
So, our final outcome?..DRUM BEAT....
When the food finally arrives on the table...
P.S-This is my first food post. I would love to know if this recipe worked out for you and if my post helped!And any criticisms are welcome and appreciated. And I promise to post better pictures next time.Thanks to mom for all her disaster management skills and dad for the ingredients.
Goodbye...my (hopefully)cooking humans...
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