Trinidad and Tobago

Dish: Pelau

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups of Rice (brown rice optional)
• 1/2 stick Butter
• 1 Onion chopped
• 1 Garlic clove chopped
• Garlic powder(a dash)
• Black pepper (a dash)
• 1 coconut (grated)
• 2 stems fresh thyme cut
• 2 stems scallion chopped
• 4 table spoons sugar- brown
• 4 table spoons fry oil
• 1 inch piece of Stick of Cinnamon
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 1 pk sason seasoning
• 1 16 oz.can pigeon peas,(yellow or black eyed peas optional)
• 1 lb whole chicken chopped into small parts
  

Method

Grate the coconut, press out all liquid, then strain to remove all grated husk from the liquid. Set the coconut liquid or milk aside.

Wash & clean the chopped chicken, using lime and or vinegar, remove the fat
Pre-season the chicken, using the garlic, garlic powder, black pepper, chopped onions, scallion, cinnamon, seasoning and thyme, set aside.

In a pot, place the fry oil and sugar, under a medium flame, let the sugar brown for 3 to 4 minutes, it should brown to a golden brown, next, place the chicken in the pot and saute, let it cook for approximately 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is brown, turn constantly, so it would not stick.

Add Rice to the sauted chicken and spices, let it brown for 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly add the coconut milk, 2 cups at a time, add the salt, cover the pot tightly, let the ingredients cook under a low flame for another 15 to 20 minutes or until all the liquid has evaporated, and the rice is soft, not mushy.

As the rice cooks, if it is still hard, add more coconut milk liquid, as you add coconut milk, add more seasonings and salt to taste. After the rice is cooked, just prior to the end of the cooking process, add the butter, pigeon peas and sweet corn (optional), make sure you drain the water out of the peas and corn before adding it to the cooking process, let all the ingredients simmer for another 5 minutes
Fluff with a fork and serve hot.

The only difference in preparing Pilau and cook-up rice, for cook up rice, the rice need not be browned, you may also substitute other meats or none at all. Follow all instructions as described.

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