Alluh My Caribbean Ghels Dem....

Red Beans and Rice with Pan Seared Spicy Jerk Chicken and a side of Glazed Plantains and Cabbage

My cravings can be impossible sometimes and I get the most craves at work. When you work in an area that has food EVERYWHERE it's impossible not to be hungry. So when I'm bored or have some downtime at the office, I'm all over yelp. I yelped Cuban or Jamaican food and immediately said I want plantains, rice and peas, and jerk chicken. I'm not Jamaican or Cuban but Nigerian food is not a huge difference to either of the two. Shot my mom a text that I have to stop by the grocery store after and mom went to the store instead and bought leg quarters, red beans, cabbage, plantains you name it she got it for me. I had my supplies but I had to have my favorite spices with me if I was trying to make this as "Caribbean" as possible.

Curry, Bay Leaf, Paprika, Cumin, Maggi are my secret weapons!

Red Beans and Rice

Jamaicans call their red beans and rice "rice and peas" which is literally the same thing so don't go to Reggae Hut asking for red beans and rice LOL! Only Jamaican Restaurant that I really give my money to is Jamaica House on Westheimer, a couple lights past the Houston Galleria Mall. Oxtails, Peas and Rice, the mac and cheese, it's just all good. Oxtails are not the cheapest neither does it have a lot of meat, so I use that only on special occasions. My red beans and rice are not Popeyes, they're BETTER! (well in my opinion) no comparison since there's nothing like a homemade meal. ^_^




Red Beans and Rice simmering on low heat
 

Onions
Green Bell Pepper
1 Habanero (be careful the heat is in the seeds and skin)
2 Garlic Cloves
Cilantro
1 Tomato
Half of a small tomato sauce tin
3/4 cups of chicken broth, if necessary
Half a package of Neck Bones
Secret Weapon Seasonings (use what makes you happy)
2 cans of red or kidney beans, or 1 bag of dried red beans
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Maggi Cube, LMAO! I'm sorry I love those damn cubes so much flavor what do you expect from a naija ghel

Yes I use neck bones in my red beans and rice smh so good and soooo much flavor. I broil my neck bones in a separate saucepan first so that it can build up a broth that way I don't have to use so much chicken broth in my rice and beans. Neck bones are very optional but I used them for my cabbage and beans and rice so it's really up to you. After neck bones have completely broiled in the saucepan you can add it to your bean pot and sautéed vegetables.

Let's see how well ya'll follow directions...I hope you didn't add rice -_- that's boiled separately and rice needs to be boiled partially. Yes partially unless you don't want to mix your beans and rice then fine, but I mix them so I partially boil the rice so the rice won't be mushy or too soft while cooking in the bean pot. I HATE mushy rice, I'm not eating sushi so there's no reason my rice should feel like baby food...that's gross -_-

Pan Seared Spicy Jerk Chicken

My mom did a pre-marinate of the chicken before I got home so that the chicken can grasp all the flavors. I usually like my meat to sit in marinate or seasoning that I usually make up at the top of my head just so the chicken won't lack juiciness on the inside.

Marinate:



Jerk

Cumin

Salt

Black Pepper

Cumin

Onion

Garlic

Cayenne

Paprika

Sear it in a nice size pan depending on the size of your chicken. I used leg quarters so I need a large pan. Extra virgin olive oil for the pan add some onions then place the chicken thigh down. Use tongs if you can! Flip occasionally so your meat won't burn. The aroma of your house will be amazing! If you want you could even chop a pineapple in the pan and sauté it in the pan before adding your chicken. It's simply for flavor.

Plantain were easy nothing special, made a brown sugar glaze and instead of frying it like I usually do I just sautéed it in the glaze. The cabbage was soaked in the left over broth of the jerk chicken and seasoned well with some neck bones for extra flavor. VOILA! The Lord is good.

 

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