BEAN 'N' STEW

 

There are so many ways one can prepare beans. Back in the days, we loved beans and yam porridge so much. Beans is a very good source of protein. For some reasons, my family doesn’t seem to like my way of cooking it those days. So I came up with this!

BEANS AND STEW

Ingredients

2 cups Nigerian sweet beans

1 Plantain

Tomatoes

1 Mackerel

2 Knorr cubes

Sea salt

3 Garlics

Thyme

Pepper

1 Onions

Knorr Aromat

Sunflower oil

Preparations

Pick the beans so as to ensure there are no stones. Wash and soak the bean for a couple of minutes, while you put a pot on the gas with 4oo lits of water and bring to boiling.

Once boiled, drain the water in the beans and add the beans into the boiled water. The secrete to having those beans come out one one is, always ensure that water in the beans does not go above the beans level until the beans is done. Meaning, one must always be checking the means time and again so it doesn’t burn.

The beans could take about 40 to 50 minute to done. I always love cooking mine the night before. I take my time and when it stays over night, it tastes better and has that beautiful dark colour.

While the beans is cooking, spice the mackerel with sea salt, ½ tablespoon of knorr aromat. Put into a freezer bag and put into the fridge to marinate.

 

Cut the tomatoes into cubes. In a medium pot, pour in 150 mls of sunflower oil, cut in onions, pepper and garlics. Fry for 2 mins and then add the tomatoes. Cook until the all the water in the tomatoes is dried out. Add 2 cubes of knorr, thyme, and pinch of sea salt.

While the tomatoes are cooking, bring out the mackerel from the fridge and put into the oven. Roast for 15mins 200 degrees gas. The reason for this is that when the fish goes into the stew, it won’t scatter.

Add the fish into the stew; reduce the gas and cook, allowing the fish to soak in the stew. Stir after 10 mins, and taste.

Serve with fried plantain.

GRILLED CROAKER N PLANTAIN!!!

Back home, I miss Friday night outs with friends. In this country, there is no break from work or school or business. Everybody is so busy making money. One gets back home knackered. So I try sooo much to make Fridays as lively as possible. Here is what I created last Friday.

Grilled croaker n plantain

Ingredients

 

Ginger

3 garlics

2 big onions - sliced

6 Peppers - sliced

Green paprika – cut into tiny strands

Knorr cubes

Plantain

Lemon

Olive

Thyme

Preparation

For the fish:

Grate the ginger and garlic into a small bowl; pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 cubes of knorr and thyme. Mix together with your fingers. Make three incisions on both sides the fish, then rub the mix on the skin and stuff some of the mix into the incisions. Sprinkle lemon on the skin, wrap with foil and marinade over night.

Grill the fish next day for 35 minutes 200 degrees.

For the pepper sauce

In a frying pot, pour in 3 tablespoons of olive oil allow heating. Add the onions, fry for about 3 minutes, and then add the pepper and a cube of knorr seasoning. Fry for another 3 mins. Add the paprika, fry for about 2 mins and turn off the gas.

For the Plantain

Peel off the back, slice and fry.

Serve with the fish and pepper sauce.

Enjoy!

MONSTER BREAKFAST!

MONSTER SANDWICH

I like making and eating light breakfasts but today, I decided to prepare a heavy but healthy one. After eating this, just go back to bed and sleep away – that’s the idea!

This sandwich is pretty simple and easy to prepare. Doesn’t take much time as well.

THINGS NEEDED

Tomatoes

Beetroot and young leaves mix

Mayonnaise/ ketchup  

Butter

Farmhouse bread or any other bread

Beefsteak

Onions

Garlic granules

Knorr aromat

Sunflower/olive oil

PREPARATIONS.

Sprinkle the garlic granules and the knorr aromat on both sides of the beefsteak. Pat the beefsteak with your fingers so the spices stick in. Drizzle sunflower or olive oil on the beef.

Heat up a grill pan or frying pan. It has to be really hot, then put in the beef. Fry for 4 minutes on both sides or until the beef is brown and completely cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Using kitchen tissue, wipe clean the grill pan. Slice the bread into the sizes you want – thick/thin. Drizzle oil on one side of each slice. Allow the grill pan to heat up, and then place oiled side of the bread on the pan. Grill until tanned and toasted. Do it for the other sides.

On one slice, spread mayonnaise/ketchup, then put the pan grilled steak, onions, veg/beetroot and sliced tomatoes, top-up with mayonnaise/ketchup. On the other slice, spread butter on it and cover the break.  Yess! That is it really. Munch away. 

 

 

The sweetness of the beetroot and onions and the crunchy bites, is just heaven. In fact, I don’t know how to describe this really.

Hope you try this!

Thanks for coming around, again!

PASTA BAKE

PASTA BAKE

Nothing equals the satisfaction of home cooking and the pride of having created a wonderful meal for yourself and the family. The enticing aroma that fills the kitchen stimulates ones appetite and cravings.

Pasta bake is one of my favorites. Preparing this dish takes about an hour 30 mins.

INGREDIENTS:  

Lean mincemeat

Onions – diced

Chopped canned tomatoes

Ginger

4 Garlics – {2 sliced, 2 pressed}

Knorr cubes

1 Cucumber - sliced

Mild grated cheese

2 medium carrots

Garden peas

Sweet corn

Green, red and yellow paprika – cut into cubes

Pepper – cut into tiny bits

Pasta

Curry

Thyme

Sunflower/vegetable oil

Salt

Olive oil

Method:

Transfer the mincemeat into a bowl. Spice with curry, thyme, garlic, ginger, and 2 cubes of knorr, salt. Mix together and set aside. {Use garlic press for 2 garlics and grater for the ginger}

In a medium pot, pour in 4 tablespoons of sunflower oil allow heating. Add onions, garlic and pepper. Fry for about 2 minutes. Then add the mincemeat. Fry until the meat is completely cooked and browned.

Open the canned tomatoes and add into the mincemeat. Add little water into the can and pour into the pot. Turn, cover the pot and allow cooking for 30 – 45mins or until the water is completely dried.

After the water is dried: add the carrots, peas, sweet corn and the paprika. Turn and turn off the gas.

 In another pot, pour in water about half of the pot and bring to boiling. Once the water is boiling, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, ½tablespoon of salt and the pasta. Cook for 8 minutes, turn of the gas and drain the pasta with the aid of a sieve. Allow cooling for about 3 minutes.

Set the oven at 180C. In a baking pot, add the pasta, cheese and mincemeat sauce in layers. Line the baking pot with cucumber and baking in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until the cheese turns golden.

Serve with chicken or any meat of your choice.

COCONUT VEG GRAVY

Ingredients

Chicken

Mushrooms - sliced

Carrots – cut in cubes

White/Irish potatoes – cut in cubes

Curry

Garlic

Thyme

Knorr cubes

Chicken fillet – cut in cubes

Spring onions

Onions

2 tablespoon Sunflower oil

Green, yellow and green paprika

Green peas

Coconut milk

Pinch of salt

3 tablespoons of flour

Salt

fresh pepper - optional

Method

 

For the meat – chicken

Season the chicken with 2 cubes of chicken, thyme, curry, onions, garlic and salt

With little water, boil the chicken until done

Fry the chicken and keep the stock for later

In a pot, add the sunflower oil. Turn on the gas heat

Once the oil is hot, add the chicken fillet

Fry for about 3 minutes, then add the, pepper, onions and spring onions

Stir for some seconds; add the potatoes, mushrooms then the green peas, carrots and a knorr cube

Fry for 6 minutes, add the coconut milk and 1/3 cup of water; stir and taste

Add the flour, stir, cover the lid and bring to boiling

Allow boiling for the next 5-6 minutes until thickened.

Taste for salt and serve!

Simple as that…

sunflower oil

previously made but with more vegetable and no mushrooms & coconut milk

CARAMELIZED COCONUT CAKE - LOVELY.

Caramelized  coconut cake served with vanilla ice cream

Mothers’ day is one of them days we all prepare special delicacies for our families. Today, I share with you the recipes of my very own delicacies.

CARAMELIZED COCONUT CAKE 

INGREDIENTS

1½cups of self-raising flour

½cups of dark brown sugar

1 cup of sugar

½teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

½teaspoon of baking powder

½cup of desiccated coconut

0.4kg of butter {at room temperature}

7 eggs

½cup of sugar for the caramel

2 tablespoons of milk

1½tablespoons of vanilla extract

½teaspoon of almond extract

12 peacans

Glazed cherries

METHOD:

Before starting, spread the cake tin with butter.

Sieve the flour and the raising agents together and set aside

Separate the eggs … yolks in a soup plate and the white in a bowl

Beat the egg white until fluffy, set aside

In a small pot, add the remaining sugar, turn on the gas heat and allow heating.

When the sugar melts completely, add ½ tablespoon of butter and the milk {this helps it not to stick to the pot}

Once the sugar is all caramelized, turn off the gas and allow cooling

In a bowl, put in the butter and the sugar

Cream with the electric mixer or a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes or longer if using wooden spoon

Add the yolks, vanilla, and almonds: cream together

Add the flour in 3 batches, after the first batch, add the caramel with the coconuts and turn with the lowest mixer speed or with wooden spoon slowly.

Turn on the oven at 200 degrees

After you’ve in all the flour, using a wooden spoon, fold in the fluffy egg white

Pour the cake mix into the tins

Add the pecans and cherries

Pop into the oven; reduce the temperature to 175, bake for 30 minutes 

fluffy egg white

Folding in the egg white

cake mix in the tin

After 30 mins

 

Thanks for coming around.

God Bless!

Belle