Unlike other Nigerian rice recipes, the Fried Rice is prepared by stir frying seasoned precooked rice with a mixture of vegetables and cooked proteins(meat/chicken or prawns).
Video recipe here
Nigerian Fried Rice Ingredients:
•500g long grain white Rice
•500ml Chicken or Turkey stock/broth
•100g Cow Liver (use beef as a substitute)
•2 large Carrots
•1 handful Green Peas or Runner Beans
•1 large Green bell pepper
•1 Onion bulb
• 2-3 tablespoonful Curry Powder
•1 teaspoonful Garlic Powder
•½ tablespoonful Black or white pepper (optional)
•2- 3 Cooking spoonful Vegetable Oil
•2 stock cube or bouillon cube for Seasoning
•Salt (to taste)
For serving the Fried Rice:
•500g Chicken/Turkey thighs or drumsticks
• 1 teaspoon thyme(for cooking the chicken)
• 1 teaspoon curry (for cooking the chicken)
• 1 stock cube (for cooking the chicken)
• A few onion slices (for cooking the chicken)
Cooking Directions
1. If you don't have stock,you can easily prepare a tasty stock by cooking the Chicken;
Simply, Place the Chicken in a pot, add 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon curry, 1 stock cube and onion slices;
Add a little water and cook the chicken for 10 minutes. Then add more water and cook until done.
The liquid left after cooking the chicken,is your stock. Pour the stock into a Strainer to remove tiny chicken bones and any other particles in it; then set the stock aside for later use.
2. Wash and place the cow liver in a pot, add seasoning cube and salt to taste; Cook the liver for 10minutes, then when cooled,cut into cubes and set aside.
Liver can also be fried , before cutting into cubes.
Tip: If you can't stand liver, you can use fried beef , chicken or shrimps as a substitute.
3. Parboil the Rice using the normal method; then place in a sieve to drain out excess water.
Tip: Parboiling helps to reduce the starchy content of the rice which makes the grains to clump together when cooking.
The next step is to prepare the Vegetables
4a. Wash all the vegetables.
Dice the onion & set aside ;
b. Peel the carrots & cut into small cubes.
c. Remove the seeds of the green bell peppers & cut into small cubes.
Tip:
Although fresh veggies are the best for Nigerian fried rice, frozen vegetables can also be used(after thawing).
d.
Place the carrots & green peas in boiling
water for 5
minutes, strain out and place in a bowl of cold water, leave to cool in the water, then pour into
a sieve and set aside.
Tip: this method is called blanching. It helps to par-boil the vegetables without cooking it through, thereby cutting down the stir-frying process. It also helps to preserve the vibrant color of the vegetables.
5a . Place the reserved chicken stock into a large pot and bring to a boil. The stock should be at almost the same level as the rice, so that it dries up completely when the rice is done.
You can add some water if the stock won't be enough to cook the Rice.
b. As the stock begins to boil, add the parboiled rice, seasoning cubes(stock cubes), curry powder, garlic powder, onions and salt to taste. Leave to cook on medium heat until it's done.
TIP; The cooked rice should not be soggy or too tender and the grains shouldn't stick together either.
You can Pour out the cooked rice into a wider pot and set aside.
The Rice is going to be fried in small batches, so you'll have to divide the stir-fried vegetables into equal portions. The size of your frying pan/wok will determine how many portions you will have.
7. Pour a portion of the stir-fried mix into the frying pan; add the cooked rice and stir-fry for about 2 minutes.
Tip: Do not overcrowd the pan,make sure there is a little space in the pan so that you can move the rice around the pan for even distribution of heat.
Repeat this process for the remaining rice and veggie mix.
Now your Nigerian Fried Rice is Ready to be served with Moi- moi ,Fried plantains, Fried or grilled turkey/ fish/beef/Chicken or any meat of your choice. ENJOY!
You might also like these variation of fried rice:
Coconut fried rice
Frequently Asked Questions About the Nigerian Fried Rice
Q1. While cooking the Nigerian fried rice, why did you fry the rice in batches?
A1:Frying
the rice is what actually gave it the name ''Fried Rice'', so to make
sure that all the grains get fried equally, it is best to fry in small
batches.Frying in batches also helps to separate the rice grains and
gets all the ingredients and spices into every grain of rice, making it
taste better.
Q2. I have a very big frying pan, should I fry all the rice at once?
A2:
If you have a big frying pan like the type used for cooking at big
events ''agbari ojukwu'' or ''Osi ite'', then you can try to fry it in
larger portions, but not all at once. The idea is to make sure that
every single grain gets fried.So for Nigerian Fried Rice, be patient and
fry in small batches, your guest and family will thank you for your
effort ☺.
Q3: Apart from the liver, are there any other alternatives meat that I can use for cooking Nigerian Fried Rice?
A3: There are several meat to choose from.You can use de-boned chicken, turkey or beef, that has been cooked and fried. I have tried each of these meat for making Nigerian Fried rice and they all came out delicious.So if you don't like a particular meat, try using any of the above.
Q4: How do I preserve or store left over Nigerian Fried Rice,so that I can enjoy it again,without cooking from scratch?
A4: To enjoy your Nigerian Fried Rice over again,store it in an air tight container, in the freezer(not fridge) within two hours of cooking the food.It will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer
- Don't wait until the Rice has gone bad before placing it into your freezer.
- Do not put a hot meal in the freezer, let the Nigerian Fried Rice cool completely before storing it.
So whenever you need it, just defrost and warm it up in the microwave.
I just said a silent ''thank you'' to William Cullen and Percy Spencer for inventing refrigeration & Microwaving ☺.
Q5: Whenever I cook Nigerian Fried Rice, It always goes bad within 8 hours of cooking, How do I keep it from going stale before all my guest leaves?
A5: This is one question I get all the time,so I'll share how I keep mine fresh for longer periods .
No matter how delicious your Fried rice turns out, it doesn't stay fresh for too long.
The Nigerian Fried Rice does go bad quickly but you can still preserve it, so that you can enjoy it for longer hours.
- First, after frying the rice, do not place a lid over it immediately;Allow the steam to evaporate for a few minutes before transferring it into a food warmer.
-When serving the Nigerian Fried Rice, try to dish out the food from one side of the pot or food warmer ;don't stir the rice at every serve.
From past experiences,I noticed that the side that doesn't get touched, stays fresh for a longer period.
Hope these FAQs has been able to help you.
Enjoy your meal ☺