BN Cuisine with Chef Fregz: Pressure those Ribs, Fry that Rice

Hello Fam!

Kilon Popsicles?

I’m just here basking in the what is left of this birthday love and gift receiving. Thanks to everyone again who reached out.

This post was born out of a near disaster with a client and my indecision to make an Asian fried rice or Nigerian styled rice, so I just mixed elements of both excluding that thyme and liver.. yuck! In all fairness to liver though, I had some really good liver in fried rice from the bukka next to my house I was shocked! Normally, liver in fried rice tastes like sand and just irritates every taste bud I have. Oh well there can be miracles like I discovered yesterday.
As much as my fried rice is thyme, curry and liver free, I made sure the colour was the same. We used the same veggies plus zucchini for a new touch but I went a little more asian with my curry paste and ginger. To give us a familiar green yellow colour I went with turmeric – the spice that gives curry its colour. It’s locally grown and called local ginger. It is highly medicinal and its mild flavour is perfect across so many dishes.

The near disaster was me thinking a dinner was Sunday whereas it was Saturday! Lord! Jesus it was a fire! Someway somehow I made it. I had this braised bee ribs idea but as the ribs were now in my freezer and I was super late I replaced it with fillet steak instead.I had some ribs to lying around and discovered I had a pressure cooker ( I have never really cooked with one before. I always swore the pressure would slap my head one day) I had initially planned to forget it in the oven till Jesus comes, but I couldn’t dull when the pressure cooker was there.

I wanted to go anise flavour with a hint of spice. So, I had my star anise, cinnamon powder and dark ale on standby I used Guinness stout here.

What You Need

For the Braised Beef

2.6kg beef ribs cut into 2-3 inch stubs
600ml Guinness stout or any dark ale of your choosing
1 tbsp smoked or regular paprika
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 knorr cubes
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper
3/4 – 1 tbsp cameroun pepper
2-3 star anise
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
10 large cloves of garlic sliced or crushed
2 ginger roots (washed and sliced)
1 large onion sliced in huge chunks
1 cup rice wine or 1 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup balsamic (I didn’t have rice wine vinegar so I kinda made my own)
1-2 tbsp honey

How To
Season the beef ribs with all the dry spices, and leave to marinade for about 10 minutes.
In a fry pan heat up the oil and sear (quickly frying to colour but not cook all the way). Do them in batches.

When finished, place all in a pressure pot along with all the liquid seasonings except the honey, star anise, garlic, ginger and onions. Add a bit of water to just cover. Ensure your lid is locked according to packet instructions and place on a fairly high heat and leave to cook for about 35-40 minutes. For a total fall of the bone experience leave for an hour.

When the pressure has cooled, open the pot and add the honey and reduce the sauce. Skim off any fat that may flow to the top. The sauce should thicken as it reduces.

Garnish with a few red chillies and spring onions.

For The Shrimp Fried Rice

350g shrimps (Deveined, cleaned and seasoned with Knorr chicken and garlic)
3/4 cup finely diced carrots
1/2 cup finely diced green pepper
1/2 cup finely sliced spring onions
3/4 cup finely diced zucchini
1 heaped tablespoon green curry paste
1 heaped tablespoon garlic
1/2 teaspoon freshly chopped ginger
1 onion finely chopped
1 serving spoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 single knorr chicken cube
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp sliced spring onions
4 cups previously parboiled or boiled basmati rice

How To
Start by frying the onions, curry paste, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and knorr cube for about a minute. Add the turmeric powder and the rice. Include half of the vegetable and stir continuously till everything is well mixed and the rice has coloured evenly.

Add the cleaned shrimps and make a well in the centre place the shrimp there cover with rice and cover the pot. Turn the heat to low and leave to steam for about 5 minutes. After that, the shrimps should be just pink but not too dry. Stir the rice around again to distribute the shrimps and add the rest of the vegetables check for seasoning and serve hot!

Too many thanks to Adebayo Rotilu for always coming through. Follow him on Instagram @twelve05photos @twelve05impressions and on Facebook Twelve05 Photography he does weddings, products and of course food!

Thank you for stopping by today!

Alla Prochain!

Ciao!

Fried rice tip: Add more of the shrimps if you like. You can use chicken if allergic or don’t like shrimp. To make it special, mix shrimp with chicken and possibly beef for the ultimate indulgence.

Using previously boiled cold-day-old rice is one of the best ways of reconstituting old white rice in the fridge. It’s a very Thai thing to do as well – that’s how they make their fried rice. Plus I find with basmati, it’s even easier that way to cook the fired rice as opposed to waiting for it to cool down and still at risk of getting mushy when stir fried.

Photo Credit: Debayo Rotilu for Twelve 05 Photography Gbubemi Fregene for Chef Fregz | Omaka Orubu  – Set Assistant & Food Writing | Seun Kowosi – Set assistant.