Ochro Rice with Salted Fish and Stewed Chicken

A favourite of many here in the Caribbean, this dish fuses together comforting aspects of rice, coconut milk, salted fish and a melody of spices and aromatics. A must have on a Sunday when home enjoying some free time with the family. 

Chef Jason

Ochro & Salted Fish Rice Cookup, coconut stew chicken, purple cabbage and fruit slaw.

Ingredients Needed

For The Ochro Rice

·         3 Tbs of Vegetable Oil

·         1 Tbsp of Minced Garlic

·         3 Tbsp of Minced Onions

·         1 Tbsp of Minced Pimento Peppers

·         3 Tbsp of Chopped Celery

·         3 Tbsp of Chopped Chives

·         2 Tsp of Fresh Thyme

·         10 Ochroes ( Sliced thinly )

·         ¼ Cup of Small Diced Pumpkin

·         ½ Cup of Diced Carrots

·         1 ½  Cups of Par Boiled Rice

·         ¾ Cup Of Flaked Salted Fish ( Boiled )

·         1 ½  Cups of Coconut Cream

·         3 Cups of Vegetable Stock

·         ½ Cup of Whole Kernel Corn

·         ½  Tsp of Paprika Powder

·         ¼ Tsp of Chili Powder

·         2 Tsps of Turmeric Powder ( Saffron )

·         ½ Cup of Frozen Green Peas

·         Salt and Black Pepper to Taste

For the Coconut Geera Stew Chicken

Ingredients Needed

·         2 Lbs of Deboned Thigh Meat ( Cubes )

·         1 Tbsp of Salt

·         1 Tbsp of Black Pepper

·         1 ½  Tbsp of Chief Brand Geera Powder ( Cumin )

·         1 Pimento Minced

·         2 Leaves of Chadon Beni Minced

·         2 Tbsp of Chopped Chives

·         2 Tbsp Of Vegetable Oil

·         2 ½ Tbsp of Brown Sugar

·         1/3 Cup of Heavy Cream

·         2 Tbsps of Coconut Powder

·         Salt and Black Pepper to taste.

For the Purple Cabbage and Fruit Slaw

Ingredients Needed

·         1 ½ Cups of Shredded Purple Cabbage

·         ¾ Cup of Shredded Carrots

·         3 Tbsp of Dried Papaya or Cranberries

·         2 Tbsps of Slivered Almonds

·         3 Tbsp of Mayonnaise

·         ½ Tsp of Pepper Sauce or Cayenne Powder

Methods

For the Ochro Salted Fish Rice

Place a medium Sauce pan over high heat. Add the Vegetable Oil followed by your aromatics; garlic, onions, pimentos, celery and chives. Sauté for 2 Minutes until fragrant. Add the thyme leaves followed by the ochroes. Stir to combine. Add the diced carrots and rice. Cook and stir contents until rice begins to stick to the pan. Immediately add the salted fish and the heavy cream, coconut powder followed by the stock and turmeric. Stir ensuring to scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any caramelized bits. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, stirring from time to time to ensure the rice doesn’t stick and if so just add a little water. It should resemble that of a rice pilaf. When rice is nearly cooked, add the corn, paprika and chili powder. Reduce heat and frozen peas and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper after tasting. Once you like the flavor remove from heat and set aside. Rice will have a slightly sticky consistency from the ochroes

For the Coconut Geera Stew Chicken

In a medium bowl, add the chicken cubes with the salt and black pepper. Season using your hands to rub all over the chicken. Add the geera powder and continue rubbing onto chicken pieces. Add the pimento, chives and Chadon beni in and mix. Set aside.

Place a medium Sauce pan over high heat. Add the oil and sprinkle the brown sugar over the hot oil. Allow sugar to caramelize and develop a deep brown burnt color. When sugar has reached t the point of black jack brown and slightly smoking, add the chicken pieces. Stir carefully in the pot ensuring to coat the burnt sugar all over the pieces. Cover; reduce heat to medium and let cook for 5 minutes. After remove pot cover, chicken would have sprung some water, add the coconut cream to the pot and sir once more. Cover and let cook for an additional 7 minutes. Then remove cover and cook for three minutes more. At this point, chicken would have been cooked and the stewed coconut sauce would have developed a semi thick consistency and sheen. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Remove from heat and serve.

For the Slaw

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl, and toss until the mayonnaise is evenly distributed throughout. Serve atop the rice and chicken