JERK CHICKEN AND RICE AND PEAS RECIPES

Steps:

• To make the jerk marinade, combine the spring onions, ginger, garlic, onion, scotch bonnet chillies, dried thyme, lime juice, soy sauce, vegetable oil, brown sugar and ground allspice in a food processor along with 1 tsp salt, and blend to a purée. If you’re having trouble getting it to blend, just keep turning off the blender, stirring the mixture, and trying again. Eventually it will start to blend up – don’t be tempted to add water, as you want a thick paste.
• Taste the jerk mixture for seasoning – it should taste pretty salty, but not unpleasantly, puckering salty. You can now throw in more chillies if it’s not spicy enough for you. If it tastes too salty and sour, try adding in a bit more brown sugar until the mixture tastes well balanced.
• Make a few slashes in 12 chicken thighs and pour the marinade over the meat, rubbing it into all the crevices. Cover and leave to marinate overnight in the fridge.
• If you want to barbecue your chicken, get the coals burning 1 hr or so before you’re ready to cook. Authentic jerked meats are not exactly grilled as we think of grilling, but sort of smoke-grilled. To get a more authentic jerk experience, add some wood chips to your barbecue, and cook your chicken over slow, indirect heat for 30 mins.
• To cook in the oven, heat to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the chicken pieces in a roasting tin with the halved lime and cook for 45 mins until tender and cooked through.
• While the chicken is cooking, prepare the rice & peas. Rinse the basmati rice in plenty of cold water, then tip it into a large saucepan. Add the coconut milk, spring onions, thyme sprigs, garlic and ground allspice.
• Season with salt, add 300ml cold water and set over a high heat. Once the rice begins to boil, turn it down to a medium heat, cover and cook for 10 mins. Add the kidney beans to the rice, then cover with a lid. Leave off the heat for 5 mins until all the liquid is absorbed.
• Squeeze the roasted lime over the chicken and serve with the rice & peas, and some hot sauce if you like it really spicy.

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add rice and stir to coat. Add coconut milk and water; bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 40 to 50 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat with cooking spray. Mix thyme, garlic powder, allspice, cayenne, cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Grill the chicken, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 165 degrees F, about 12 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and let rest.
• When the rice is done, stir in peas, cilantro, lime juice and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt with a fork. Cover and let stand for 3 minutes.
• Serve the chicken with the rice and more cilantro and lime wedges, if desired.