OUTDOOR GRIILED CHICKEN AND ROAST PLANTAIN (BOLI)

It's the braai/barbecue season in most parts of the world. So we thought to set the season braai in motion over here too. Had a beautiful weekend cooking outdoors....Chicken, fish, plantain etc.

And we took turns...my hubby and myself.
I made the roast chicken while he made the fish, lol. Beautiful moments...a lotta tender loving care, with resultant yummy meals. I hope hubby can be a guest on our blog one of these days so he can share his own recipe as the fish was super tasty. And that beautiful tilapia fish came right out of his little farm. Nothing as fresh and nice as eating homegrown stuff. Really great feeling.

Also made Roast plantain to go with the barbecued chicken. The roast plaintain AKA boli was served with red oil, pepper and lots of onions. Finger licking goodness.

For our Sunday lunch, made my special Fried rice (https://cuddleskitchen.blogspot.com.ng/2016/07/my-easy-fried-rice-recipe.html)
Served the rice with coleslaw and left over roast chicken plus the grilled tilapia. All came together beautifully well...the spicy rice, the smoky meat taste and the crunch of the carrots and cabbage from the coleslaw, just awesome.

Now let's talk about the braai

INGREDIENTS

.1 medium size whole chicken...well cleaned

.5 tablespoons Dry ginger ground

.3 tablespoons Dry garlic ground

.1 tablespoon Dry yellow or chilli pepper ground

.1 teaspoon Dry Thyme

.1 tablespoon Curry powder

.1/2 teaspoon Black pepper

.2 teaspoons Barbecue Seasoning...I use robertson's

 1/4 cup of Olive Oil

.Salt

RECIPE

1. Thaw the whole frozen chicken in some brine water at room temperature...Brine water is simply salt and water. Do not add too much salt...For a 2.5 -3 litres, add about 3-4- tablespoons of salt, levelled. 

Allow to brine for an hour. (If chicken isn't frozen, just add to the brine water for same period).

Then flay open with your kitchen knife or hacking knife....better referred to as SPATCHCOCKING. (Spatchcocking involves opening up and flaying the chicken and removing the backbone without totally cutting through. Allows the chicken to cook fast, reducing cooking time by almost half)

2. With a fork or a little pointed knife, poke holes on the flesh of the Chicken especially at the breast area and thighs. This allows the spices to get into even the thickest and fleshiest parts.

3. Rub the Olive oil all over the chicken...on the Skin and flipside over 

4. Mix your  ground spices and do a dry rub on the chicken....massage for about 5minutes and allow to rest for 10minutes or a little more while you set up your outdoor grill

5. Once the charcoal in the grill starts glowing softly, spray some oil on your grill and transfer the chicken on to the grill  skin side up.

6. Cover the grill and allow the chicken about 10-15minutes before turning the chicken. Chicken starts getting done when you see clear fluid (not blood fluid) oozing out of the bird. 

Open intermittently to check on the meat and to adjust the fire...sometimes fluid from it could smoulder flame. So you may need to fan the embers to rekindle the flame. 

7. Cook each side alternately until fluid stops running out of the chicken

8. Then allow each side to brown. ...You may coat with barbecue sauce (brown sugar, some soy, some oilive oil, some chilli, ginger and garlic mixture) using a basting brush. 

*Will take about an hour and half (or a little more) to cook thoroughly. If you like your meat rare or medium rare then grill for less. I love my meat very well done.

9. Bring down and allow to cool a bit before slicing and serving.

Serve with roasted palantain, roasted corn or grilled potatoes 

FOR THE ROAST PLANTAIN

1. Just skin some firm but ripe plantain (As many as you like), poke holes into it with a fork or little pointed knife. 

2. Rub a little bit of salt...make sure not to lover salt

3. Roast on moderate heat 

4. cover the grill and open to turn the plaintain fingers intermittently until cooked through and browned on all sides... about 60% browned on all sides. 

You may also need to scrape the browned back as some of it may become too dark and dry while trying to ensure that the entire plantain finger is cooked thoroughly.

(Will take about half the time used for the chicken to get the plantains well done)

5. Fry some red oil (little quantity) with lots of onions and chopped scotchbonnet pepper. Sprinkle on the roast palntain and serve with your roast chicken or fish.

MY EASY FRIED RICE RECIPE

Fried rice is a very popular dish in Nigeria originating from Asian cuisine. Lovely dish, a little cumbersome to prepare but I recently twicked the usual recipe a little to make it less cumbersome. I call it my multicoloured and easy rice.
Below is my recipe and a few pictures to help with each step.
Before you start, put together all you need.
You'll be needing a large non-stick pot or a large frying pan/wok. very important for my style of fried rice as we will only be frying just once.

You also be needing a lot of meat stock( either chicken or beef or both). This is the main stay of a tasty pot of fried rice. Thus proper seasoning of your meat before cooking is advocated so as to produce very flovorful stock for your rice.

Fresh veggies in Fried rice also adds to the beauty of the rice and the crunch addition. You may use frozen veggies if fresh ones are out of your reach.

We will be frying the veggies with butter instead of cooking oil. Butter enhances the flavour of Fried Rice and also gives it a very lush look.

Ingredients:
4 cups of long grain Rice.
4 cups of chicken/beef stock
5 tablespoons butter (You may use vegetable oil if you please)
1 medium-sized red onion chopped
1/2 of each medium sized bell peppers(RED,GREEN,YELLOW,ORANGE)
1 large scotch bonnet chopped
1/2 cup green beans (or peas)
1/2 cup spring onions sliced
5 medium-sized carrots chopped
1 cup diced liver/kidney...I use Liver most often
3 garlic cloves minced
Some freshly groundginger(1 tablespoon too)
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon thyme(dry)
A few Sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon tumeric
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 knorr cubes
1 Royco cube
1/2 teaspoon preferred spice, I use Aromat or any fried rice seasoning
Salt to taste

Directions:
1. Season your meat with some knorr cube, thyme, ginger, garlic, salt  and onions...Remember to use half of the measuremnts as the rest will go into the rice.
Then cook till tender, strain out the stock. set meat aside

Directions:
1. Season your meat with some knorr cube, thyme, ginger, garlic, salt  and onions...Remember to use half of the measuremnts as the rest will go into the rice.
Then cook till tender, strain out the stock. set meat aside for frying or for the grill.

2.  Parboil and Wash your rice thoroughly till the water runs clear. You need to get as much starch out as you can to avoid sogginess. When it’s properly washed, pour into a pot, add the chicken/beef stock, water to cover, curry, thyme, white pepper, some tumeric and fried rice seasoning(gives characteristic yellowish green colour of fried rice) and allow to cook on medium heat till it’s cooked to a firm but soft texture...al dente. The trick is to cook on medium heat then not to add extra liquid. Once the initial liquid dries up, just bring down and cover tightly. The heat will cook the rice through. Do not let the rice burn as this will make a mess of the taste.

3. Once the rice is done cooking, get a large non-stick pot, wok or frying pan, place on medium heat. Add the butter and leave to melt.
When it’s melted, add in the chopped onions and green beans, season with a pinch of salt, curry, black pepper and a royco cube. sauté for a minute  or till green beans is soft but still a little crunchy.
Add the garlic, chopped bell peppers, chopped scotch bonnet, carrots,  diced liver, spring onions, then fry for about 2-3 minutes… aim is not to let the veggies become soft and soggy.
Add  the remaining ground ginger, garlic , curry powder and a few spriggs of your fresh rosemary then continue to fry for another 2 minutes…

4. When the veggies are all fried, pour in the cooked rice and stir for a bit. Taste for salt and other seasoning then adjust to your taste.
Allow to simmer for about 5-7 mins while still stirring.

And your fried rice is ready!
Serve with your grilled or fried chicken and a veggie salad if you please.