Riz au Gras ('Fat Rice') is a traditional Beninese recipe for a classic one-pot dish of rice with meat in a tomato and chilli sauce. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Beninese version of: 'Fat Rice' (Riz au Gras).
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This is the Benindse equivalent of jollof rice, known as riz au gras in Francophone countries.
Ingredients:
500g rice
500g meat (either chicken portions or cubed beef/goat/lamb)
1 Maggi (or stock) cube
3 garlic cloves
2 Scotch Bonnet chillies
1/2 onion, finely chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
4 tbsp tomato purée
oil for frying
salt and black pepper, to taste
Method:
Add the chillies, garlic and onion to a pestle and mortar and pound to a paste. Add the tomatoes and pound to mix into the paste. Place the meat in a large metal casserole.
Add 125ml oil to a large pan and spoon the chilli and tomato paste into this. Use a little water to wash the mortar and add this to the pot along with the meat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
Place the pan containing the oil and chilli paste on the fire and cook for 8 minutes. Transfer the meat to this pan and stir-in the tomato purée. Add 1l water and the Maggi cube. Stir to mix then add the rice (well washed). Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Check the water, reduce to a very gentle simmer and continue cooking, covered, for a further 10 minutes (all the water should have been absorbed).