Kyinkaafa (also known as Kwankwan) is a Ghanaian dish made with the native West African rice, Oryza glaberrima. For this reciepe, the brown form of the rice is used and not the white rice (which has the bran and germ removed).
Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 30 minutes/Serves 4
Ingredients:
250g (2 cups) African rice, washed and soaked
10 dried fish (dried herring), broken into pieces and bones removed
1 habanero chilli, minced
1 tbsp hot chilli powder
oil, for frying
400g (14 oz) tin passata (tomato sauce)
1 large onion
1 Maggi cube
Method:
Add 6 tbsp oil to a non-stick frying pan. When the oil is hot, add a tablespoon of the chopped onion and fry for 2 minutes until soft. Stir in the minced habanero and the chilli powder, cooking whilst stirring for 1 minute.
Stir in half the passata, bring to a simmer and cook for a couple of minutes. Now add the remainder of the passata, cover your pan and cook for 5 minutes, by which point the mixture should be nice and thick. Add the dried herring and stir well to combine. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, so the fish softens.
Drain the rice and add to the tomato mixture. Season to taste with salt and add in the Maggi cube. Stir well to combine. Cook, over medium heat, stirring, for 5 minutes then add 250ml (1 cup) water, stirring well to combine. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes then cover the pot and cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir well then cover the pan first with a sheet of foil and a lid. Steam your rice for about 5 minutes more until the rice is tender and the mixture is almost dry.
Serve your kyinkaafa with plain boiled rice, plain boiled black-eyed beans and hot pepper sauce.
