Honestly, my go-to is jollof rice from leftovers. I know that sounds like...

Jackson Aarav
@aaravjackson9760
21 days ago

Honestly, my go-to is jollof rice from leftovers. I know that sounds like cheating, but hear me out. I make a big batch of jollof on Sunday, and during the week, if I want something that tastes like I slaved over it, I take a portion and fry it in a pan with a tablespoon of vegetable oil and a bit of extra tomato paste mixed with water. I add sliced onions, a sprinkle of curry powder, and sometimes a handful of frozen mixed vegetables. It takes maybe 10 minutes total, but that fresh frying brings back the smoky, rich flavor like it just came off the fire. The trick is to let it sit in the pan without stirring for a minute to get that crispy bottom, the "coconut" as we call it. Serve it with some fried plantain you can slice and pan-fry in 5 minutes, and maybe a quick side of scrambled eggs if you're hungry. People will swear you spent an hour on it.

Another one that surprises people is baked beans and plantain. I know it sounds basic, but if you take canned baked beans (I like the ones with a bit of cayenne), heat them up with chopped onions, a diced tomato, and a pinch of thyme, then slice a ripe plantain and fry it until golden and caramelized. Mash the plantain a little on your plate, pour the beans over it, and top with a drizzle of palm oil or olive oil. It's sweet, savory, and feels like a proper meal. Thirty minutes flat, and nobody believes it's that simple.

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@otiscaffrey4960