Oven Roasted Chicken Legs

Ingredients.

2 shallots. 

1/4 onion. 

6 garlic cloves. 

Basil leaves. 

1 lemon (Juice)

3 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 and ½ tablespoons smoked paprika

2 tablespoons liquid All Purpose seasoning

For glazing

½ lemon (juiced)

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon oil

Instructions

1.     Place all in a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.

2.     Make incisions on the chicken legs and place them in the bowl.

3.     Add in the blended mix, rub in and cover bowl with cling film.

4.     Leave in the fridge overnight.

5.     Preheat oven gas 160C. Place marinated chicken legs on a roasting rack, roast for 45 minutes – an hour.

6.     Place the glaze ingredients in a bowl, mix well and brush on the chicken. Allow further 5 minutes in the oven and serve hot.

Simple Coconut Rice

INGREDIENTS.

2 cups of Sella Basmati rice. 

300 ml meat stock/broth 

250 ml coconut milk

150 ml water 

3 tomatoes

3 bay leaves 

Fresh thyme

1 knorr seasoning cube

1/2 teaspoon himalayan salt 

1/2 teaspoon curry powder 

1/4 cup coconut oil 

1 spring onion 

3 garlic cloves 

Thumb size ginger 

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. On a medium to high heat, heat up coconut oil in a pot. Once hot, add garlic, ginger, white pepper, curry powder and shallots; allow frying for 3 minutes or until fragrance. 

2. Add bay leaves, thyme and sliced tomatoes. Stir and allow frying for 5 - 8 minutes. Next, add the spring onion and continue frying for the next 5 minutes.

3. Add meat stock/broth, stir and bring to boil. Then, add the coconut milk, stir in and allow to boil. After a minute, add the salt and taste. Taste could be adjusted by adding extra salt. 

4. Now, wash rice with warm water until you have clear water. Drain water using a sieve.  Add washed rice in the boiling pot. Stir in, then cover pot with foil and also with the pot lid. Move pot to the smallest gas burner and turn down the heat to the lowest. 

5. Allow to steam cook on a low heat for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, stir the rice and cover again. Rice should be cooked at this point. Turn off gas, and leave covered for the next 10 - 15 minutes. 

6. Serve hot . 

Homemade Akara

INGREDIENTS

2 cups of brown beans 

2 teaspoons Himalayan salt 

1 medium onion 

1 scotch bonnet 

100ml water 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Peel beans and soak in warm water overnight. 
2. Next day, drain out water and place overnight soaked beans in a blender. 
3. Add the onion, pepper, salt and water. 
4. Blend until smooth. 
5. Tip mix into a bowl of a stand mix and whisk on medium speed for 5 minutes. This could be done with hand mixer as well. 
6. Have a taste. You can adjust taste by adding more salt if need be. 
7. Heat up oil for deep frying. Scoop in mix, using a spoon or ice cream scooper.
8. Fry until both sides are golden brown. 
9. For next batch, turn off gas heat to cool down the oil temperature and process with the above steps.

I have another version, video is shown below

Crispy "KFC" chicken

Ingredients.

For chicken seasoning

1 teaspoon Foodace Grill mix 

1 knorr cube (optional) 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt 

1/4 teaspoon curry powder 

2 njangsa seeds (optional) 

1.2kg chicken (thighs and drumsticks) 

1 tablespoon Foodace All Purpose seasoning 

Dry coating 

1 cup plain flour 

1/3 cup corn flour 

1/4 teaspoon sea salt 

1 teaspoon dried dill/basil/parsley

(Place all in a baking tray, mix to combine and set aside).

Wet coating

2 eggs

Season with little sea salt.

(whisk and set aside).

PS: use bowl/tray that is big enough to accommodate more than 2 chicken at once.

1 cup Light cream

Instructions.

1. Place chicken in a bowl, season with sea salt (toss to ensure they are well coated) and leave to rest for about 10 minutes.

2. Blend together All purpose seasoning, Grill mix, Knorr cube, curry powder and njansa seeds.

3. Add the blended mix in the chicken bowl, again ensure that they are all coated with the spice blend. Cover with cling film, place in the fridge and allow to marinate for 1 – 2 hours or more if you have got the time.

4. Once chicken is out of the fridge, pour in the light cream, lightly toss, again to ensure chicken pieces are coated.

5. Using a thong or your hand/fingers, take out the chicken pieces, one after another, dip in the whisked eggs, lightly coat and then transfer onto the flour tray, toss around to ensure they are well coated, then, transfer to a clean tray, leave the coated chicken pieces to rest for about 5 – 7 minutes.

6. While the chicken pieces are resting, heat up oil for frying (I used cast iron deep pan). Once heated, fry chicken in batches. 

7. Transfer fried crispy chicken pieces to a lined baking tray, mix 1 tablespoon honey and 1 teaspoon lime juice, coat the chicken using pastry brush.

8.  Preheat oven, gas 160 degree Celsius, place chicken in the oven (reduce gas oven to 100)  for about 7 – 10  minutes. Serve hot.

Easy Shredded Beef sauce

Ingredients

1 parsnip (chopped)

1 leek (chopped)

3 medium carrots (cut to desired shape)

1 knorr cube (optional)

2 tablespoons corn flour

1 teaspoon curry powder

3 tablespoons coconut oil

1 and ½ cup of water
2 spring onions (finely sliced)

560g of sirloin beef (thinly sliced)

3 garlic cloves (crushed and finely chopped)

1 tablespoon Foodace All Purpose seasoning

2 (1/4 teaspoons) Himalayan pink salt

Instructions.

1.     Place thinly sliced beef in a bowl, season with Himalayan salt, knorr cube, curry powder, all purpose seasoning and corn flour. Combine all together and set aside.

2.     In a pot, heat up the coconut oil. Once heated, add in the chopped garlic, fry for few second, then add in the seasoned beef strips.

3.     Fry until they start to brown, this should take about 5 – 7 minutes (this should be on a high gas burner). Now, add in the parsnip, followed by carrots. Allow frying for another 3 minutes. Then, add in the remaining vegetables and stir in.

4.     At this point, pour in the water, stir and have a taste. Adjust taste by adding more salt or seasoning cube; your call.

5.     Cover pot with lid and allow to simmer until vegetables are cooked and sauce thicken as desired. Stir occasionally.

6.    Once satisfied with taste, turn off gas and pair with mash or rice or have it on its own. Delicious.

Foodace Easy Mackerel Sauce

Ingredients

4 frozen mackerel fillets (I buy from Iceland)

1 teaspoon Foodace All Purpose seasoning

½ teaspoon Foodace Grill Mix

2 garlic cloves (crushed)

2 fresh tomatoes

2 paprika peppers

1 scotch bonnet

1 small onion

¼ cup avocado oil

1 knorr chicken cube

2 handfuls spinach

salt to taste

Instructions.

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1. Place mackerel fillets on a microwavable plate, microwave to defrost or allow to thaw overnight.

2. Once defrosted, drain out the water, season with the Grill mix and Himalayan salt.

3. Place tomatoes, paprika peppers, onion and scotch bonnets in a food processor and process; just roughly chopped.

4. Heat up avocado oil in a medium sauce pan/pot, fry the fillets for 3 minutes on each side, skin side first.

5. Once frying time is up, take out the fillets and place on a plate. Add in the roughly chopped tomato mix, season with knorr cube, Foodace All purpose seasoning and then fry until the juice dries a little bit, this should take about 8 – 10 minutes.

6. Then add back the fried mackerel fillets, break them up into smaller pieces. Stir in and taste. Adjust taste by adding either salt or seasoning cubes.

7. Cover pot with lid, leave to simmer on low heat for 5 minutes. Then add spinach,  stir in, once wilts, turn of the gas and serve hot. Can be eaten with bread, boiled yam, fried/boiled plantain…