benazir's blog

Benachin

Actually it has been a while since I last sat at a computer. As y’all know I have two of them that run totally different os’s meaning operating systems. I blog from my Mac or my Dell laptop that runs windows 10 home edition and occationally from my Samsung Galaxy 10+ phone that runs android. At times I do not feel like sitting at my computer getting either a sore or a numb bum. I used to be able to sit at a computer for long spells on end and now I am listening to my body. On occation even my shoulders ache from sitting in front of a computer screen from hours on end.

It seems that I am always on line then ok that is true but I am not sitting in front of a computer that much anymore thanks to wireless technology. The real reason I am sitting in front of my screen now is to publish this wonderful recipe called benachin. What is benachin? Benachin simply is a delicious one pot jollof rice and there isn’t that much blending and grinding going on and it is simply yummy and irrisistable.

The choices of veg are 1 cup of either frozen dried or fresh vegetables such as either mixed vegetables, corn, okra or peas, 1 handful ugu which are the pumpkin leaves, taro leaves or moringa leaves. Also there are choices of protein that can be either fried, grilled or even smoked and if the meat is frozen please take down and leave in a refridgerator on a plate overnight for the meat to thaw. For bigger fish if cooking whole do not forget to score it which will help cut the cooking time down and help the fish to evenly cook. You may need 1 if it a big fish or up to 4 for tiny fish like butterfish or 1 lb or 1 kg of smelts or other choices of protein such as lamb, goat, veal, chicken, beef or turkey. Also add 3 to 6 quails only if you want.

You can cook this in the instant pot and the like on the pressure cook setting for the tougher pieces of protein. For this instant pot method and the like method, simply add 4 cups of water to the inner lining and set the trivet and the disk. Select pressure cook for 30 minutes for red meat and poultry. Select cancel then place air fryer lid and either select broil or roast to give it a lovely crunch at the top. For grilling then set the grill to 3 on an electric grill and wrap the meat in aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray. By the way this includes fish and shrimp too. Also you can go ahead and fry the fish in 1/4 cup of oil of corn, canola, vegetable or peanut and when finish frying the fish or other proteins kindly reserve this oil for the rice.

Fish takes anywhere between 6 to 20 minutes depending on how big it is and red meat like beef, veal, goat, lamb, besides poultry takes up to 40 minutes to on low heat to cook. Shrimp gets cooked until it turns pink then it is removed from the heat. This here is the stovetop method of cooking. Also you can add either 1 package of zabiha halal lunch meat or hotdogs or other sausage type cubed. 1 can of fish either in tomato sauce oil or even brine can be added near the end only. The canned fish is the only one near the end of cooking.

The only thing that gets ground is 1 pinch of black peppercorns, whole cryfish, 1 bullion cube and 1 habenero or scotch bonnet chili deseeded if using. In a large caldero add the oil to it that you fried the fish in if you went this route: if not add the same amount of oil with 2 tbs of palm oil. If you fried the fish and using reserve oil just add the palm oil here too.

The rest is almost like you are making the curry base for an Indian and Pakistani curry but at the same time this is an African dish. Peel and chop finely 2 cloves of garlic and 1 small piece of ginger, 1 onion or shallot cut in to half moon slices, these get added to the oil and they are fried until brown. Empty the contents of the mortar and pestle in to the onion mixture, 1 pinch each of thyme, red chili powder paprika, white pepper, for single uses only Curry Powder, some grated nutmeg, 1 to 2 bay leaves, 3 dashes of maggi or knorr aroma, 1 red bell pepper and 1 tomato chopped finely and this is done on low heat after you caramelize the onion mixture on high heat, add the 3 tbs of tomato paste after the contents turn to mush. Add here if you are using either zabiha halal hotdogs or other zabiha halal sauage like material or 1 can of zabhiha halal lunch meat that has been diced and or the veggies of choice here.

Now any type of rice can be used except for black or red jasmine rice. The red and black rice is out of the question the other types like white or brown jasmine, basmati, short grain long grain or even medium grain rice is permitted in this recipe only. Take 3 cups of rice and add it to a large bowl and rinse it until the water turns completely clear and add this to the pot with the onion, tomato pepper mixture. Add the precooked meat with the stock if you pressure cooked any or use water if you chose to either grill or even fry your meat.

Make sure the liquid you are using either stock or water is 6 cups. Add the rice and make sure you turn the heat up to high for the liquid to boil and again turn it down to low and cover the rice and let cook for between 15 to 20 minutes. Keep checking on it in the mean time to make sure that it isn’t sticking. When the rice is soft and there is still a tiny bit of liquid remaining, Go ahead and add the canned fish if using and stir and making sure you do not break up the fish or add either the grilled or fried proteins of choice on top of the rice and cover and turn the heat of and let sit for 20 minutes on dum.

I am leaving a link to how to smoke meat if you want to do this yourself here. Smoked Fish, This Is My First Time Smoking Meat, Smoked Quail I hope you will enjoy this. This can be added to the finished benachin too. Enjoy.

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