I miss home, by home I mean Africa. I miss the big family gatherings, the ambiance and the glorious food, most of all I miss my mum's cooking. Growing up, my siblings and I ate a lot of rice. My mum always gave us the freedom in the kitchen to experiment. The way we cook rice is very different across Africa, seasoning the rice however is not an uncommon practice. It was also common practice to soak the rice to remove surface starch, I think bringing it to a boil and rinsing it afterwards works better! Cooking the perfect rice is all about the correct ratio of water to the rice, the perfect temperature and lastly the timing. This recipe is a combination of a pilau and a stir fry.
For cooking the rice
For stir frying
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, pour water, add the rice and bring to a boil. After 5 minutes, take the rice off and give it a good rinse. Rinse the starch off 3 to 4 times. Pour in chicken stock, add the curry powder, bay leaves and salt. Bring the saucepan back to a simmer then lower the heat and cook, covered for 15 - 20 minutes or until rice is cooked through. Remove from the heat, spread the rice out on a large flat pan and let it cool down uncovered or for a quicker process, pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
In a wok, heat up oil over high heat, add onions, carrots, garlic and ginger and cook until onion is translucent. Add red pepper and cook for another 4 minutes. Add peas and corn cook for another minute. Add the curry powder and thyme. Add the rice, stir fry until well combined. Add a dash of white pepper and green onions. Stir fry until fragranced. Serve immediately with meat, fish or African stew and a side of plantains. Bon appétit.