Wednesday, 30 January 2013

Morocco on My Mind



Ingredients:

500g of goat ribs (beef or lamb can be used)
1 cup of couscous
3 medium sized prunes, chopped
3 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves of garlic
100g of butter
half a cup of chopped carrots
4 dried chili, crushed
2 tablespoon of flour
1 teaspoon of thyme
3 cardamoms, crushed
1 teaspoon curry
one handful of pine nuts, roasted
4 tablespoon of sunflower oil
sesame seed oil
Knorr cubes
1 teaspoon of ginger powder
4 medium sized sun dried tomatoes, chopped


Directions:

Goat Ribs

In a medium sauce pan add the ribs, 2 medium onions, chopped, 1 cube of Knorr, the garlic, ginger, cardamoms, curry and thyme. Add some water just to cover the meat and mix thoroughly. Place on medium heat for 20 minutes or until cooked. Make sure the stock doesn't dry out. Then add the butter and heat for a further 5 minutes. Remove the ribs and place on a plate.

Pass the stock through a sieve to remove all the solids. Return the stock to the pan. Add the flour to make a smooth paste. Check for salt.

Return the ribs to the sauce and make sure all the meat is completely covered. Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan fry the ribs lightly or until brown and slightly crispy.

Couscous

Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan. Fry the onions, carrots, chili and tomatoes for 3 minutes and add salt to taste. Add the couscous and stir fry for a further 2 minutes. Make sure all the ingredients are mixed together thoroughly.

Add the water and continue stirring to combine everything together. Add more water if required. Add the chopped prunes and pine nuts and mix thoroughly. Check for salt  and serve with lamb.







Thursday, 24 January 2013

L'Epicerie - my very own Waitrose!

I really should be ashamed of myself. First of all I haven’t updated this blog in such a long time. I do have valid reasons though but lets not go into them, secondly I only just discovered L’Epicerie! I had heard so much about it and always wanted to visit but for some reason I never went. Today though, I rectified that!

I haven’t been eating very well or cooking due to those reasons we are not going to talk about. And I am not trying to lose weight! My meals have been quite boring of late maybe due to the pressures of the show, I don’t know. I had had enough of this phase though, the thought of another meal of Indomie and boiled egg made me shudder.  I tried to think of exciting restaurants I could go to to eat but as this  is January – broke month, I decided against it. Then L’Epicerie popped into my head. I could go and buy some ingredients to cook something exciting. After work I went there and I fell in love!

I love the way the whole place is set up. It was exciting seeing all the uncommon and weird spices, ingredients that I would normally not find in the likes Shoprite or Goodies. It reminded me of Waitrose and even the price tags matched! My cost saving tactics seemed flawed!

see through boxes for spices, even Kuka
Spice Boxes

Imported mushrooms
leeks and spring onions

various oils and vinegar
wouldn't recommend this place for everyday grocery shopping but for that special ingredient you should definitely visit!


Location: No. 21A, Idowu Martins Street, Victoria Island

Phone: +234(0)1-628-1567


Tuesday, 22 January 2013

Knorr Taste Quest



Have you heard of the new reality show that is sponsored by Unilever Nigeria? The Knorr Taste Quest? Well your very own Sasa auditioned and got selected for it! YIPEEE!!!

The show is a quest to find Nigeria's ultimate chef. The contestants would be subjected to various tasks to test their culinary skills in the hope of winning amazing prizes which include a brand new car and a million naira! I tell you it is not easy! The pressure of time, the cameras, the hot lights! It is a whole lot of fun though and I have met amazing people on the show that I hope to have a lasting relationship with.

The show is being aired on national TV and also on YouTube. We have also been mentioned on various blogs and in papers. Your Sasa is on her way to becoming a celeb *covers face*

The honest truth is that if I had really thought things through, thought about the publicity and media attention I probably wouldn't have applied. I saw a chance to cook and went for it. It was only after the 3rd audition I realized that it was going to be on TV. I thought about my parents, thought about blurting out something I shouldn't by mistake. I worried about making grammatical errors and then I freaked out. It's too late now! I better enjoy it, right? I am so glad I didn't freak out and dropped out.

Here are the different avenues where you can catch me and other contestant cooking:

AIT Network – Sundays 5.00pm – 5.30pm (starts 13th Jan)
Silverbird TV – Saturdays 8.00pm – 8.30pm (starts 19th Jan)
E-Stars TV (Startimes channel – 123) – 7.30pm – 8.00pm (starts 13th Jan)
Galaxy TV – Sundays 8.00pm – 8.30pm (starts 13th Jan)
OnTV – Sundays 6.30pm – 7.00pm (starts 13th Jan)


YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mioLNhRppBY

Featured in:


Featured in The Guardian (17-01-2013)
Ify and I

Contestants (Tolu, me, Ify & Chidi)  with show Producer 
Ify and I with Manny from Cool FM, our host