1 habanero pepper, or Scotch Bonnet pepper, stemmed
1 dried bay leaf
¼ cup vegetable oil (60 mL)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 Maggi seasoning cubes
Jollof Risotto
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup arborio rice (200 g)
½ cup dry white wine (120 mL)
3 cups chicken stock (720 mL), hot
kosher salt, to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Suya-Spiced Prawns
1 lb large prawns (455 g), peeled and deveined, tails left on
3 teaspoons suya spice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
kosher salt, to taste
1 fried sweet plantain, for serving
How to Make It
1. Step
Make the stew: In a blender, combine the tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, and habanero. Blend until smooth.
2. Step
Pour the tomato purée into a medium pot set over medium-high heat. Add the bay leaf. Bring to boil and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the water has cooked off and the sauce is reduced by about half.
3. Step
Add the vegetable oil and fry the sauce for 10-15 minutes more.
4. Step
Add the thyme and curry powder, then crumble in the Maggi cubes. Cook for another 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and set aside.
5. Step
Make the risotto: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3–5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook until the tomato paste is deep brick-red in color, about 5 minutes.
6. Step
Add the rice and sauté until well-coated with the tomato oil. Deglaze the pan with the wine and reduce until the pan is almost dry.
7. Step
Add a ladleful of hot stock to the rice. Stir the rice until the stock is absorbed and the pan is almost dry. Continue adding stock, a ladleful at a time, until the rice is tender, but still firm. It should be moist and creamy, but not runny.
8. Step
Add the stew and stir to incorporate. Remove the risotto from the heat, then season with salt and stir in the butter until melted and well-incorporated. Remove the risotto from the heat.
9. Step
Make the shrimp: In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with the suya spice until well coated.
10. Step
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and prawns and cook, flipping once, until the prawns are pink and opaque, 4–5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle the shrimp with the parsley.
11. Step
Divide the risotto between 2 warm serving plates. Top with the shrimp and serve with fried plantains alongside.
