Foodies inspire Xmas sparkle with Tolly Boy Rice

The festive season is around the corner, and just like you, Tolly Boy Rice is all set for the Christmas season. This year, we spoke to five prominent food enthusiasts to get a sneak peek into their Christmas menus and for tips to making your Christmas meal truly stand out.

As expected Jollof rice was on top of the list of many of our foodies. Patti Sloley, who runs a successful pop-up restaurant and writes a popular blog called Patti’s Menu said: “Christmas holds so many wonderful memories for me, growing up in West Africa; the incredible sound of church bells and mum dressing us all up in our Sunday best. The emphasis wasn't so much on presents but more on lots of delicious food to feed the family.

“Each Christmas, I cook up a mix of both traditional and western dishes and Jollof rice always features on the menu.  Another must-have is big pot of Nkaakra (a traditional light and spicy broth-like soup) bubbling away, the aroma brings back fond memories of Christmas growing up and mum’s cooking.”

Patti makes her own version of the classic Jollof Rice, adapted from her mum’s recipe and her top tip is adding in cuts of lamb for its fragrance and flavour. She describes Jollof rice as “One of the best rice dishes – ever! Often a centrepiece at parties, I can’t imagine a celebration without Jollof!”

However, Patti isn’t the only one, Bintu Hardy - a busy mum of two who shares her passion for food in her popular food blog ‘Recipes from a Pantry’ said: “The word Christmas means one thing to me: Jollof rice and stew. Tie in more with the Christmas festivities, I use turkey instead of chicken, and sneak a few cranberries into the stew.”

Adding to the festive inspiration Kezia Eniang - the food enthusiast behind Kezia’s KookBook spoke about her favourite rice meals during Christmas. She shares: “One of my favourite recipes for the Christmas time aside from our beloved Jollof rice is the delicious and aromatic seafood coconut rice. It's rice simmered in coconut milk, flavoured with delicious herbs and spices with the addition of shrimps and vegetables. Simply delightful and always a crowd pleaser!”

In case you are looking for other rice meals to incorporate into your Christmas table this year, Chef Malcolm Riley from The African Chef who shares his rice dish for the festive season said: “I enjoy Christmas, when all the food is in the oven and I watch the kids open their presents! Christmas for us is about sharing and good food with my added spicy twists. This year, I’m planning sweet potato and coconut rice, with grated zest of lemon, finished with coriander and served with authentic African spicy jerk pork.”

For some, it may be Jollof, for others fried rice, but no matter how you make it for Thelma Egbe - the brain behind Thelmz Kitchen, rice is an important part of her African roots. She said: “Christmas is the only holiday where I get to have all my family members eating from the same dining table. Being Nigerians we cannot celebrate any festive period without a rice dish, once you are born you have a life time contract with rice! Though Jollof Rice is the most well-known dish, different countries have theirs made differently. My favourite Christmas dish is Nigerian style fried rice, a delicious, colourful and very inviting dish. Food is very important to my African heritage as it gives me sense of belonging.”

Understanding how important rice is, in making that festive spirit more wholesome, Tolly Boy said: "We have been a part of the British Africans culinary journey for decades, and whether it be Jollof Rice, fried rice or rice with stew, we are always there to make Christmas more sumptuous and wholesome. No matter what you choose to cook, from simple steamed rice to accompany spicy stews to expertly crafted baked rice dishes, Tolly Boy Rice will cook perfectly each and every time. Satisfied families mean happy mums and happy tums, young or old."

* Further information about these food enthusiasts are available:

- Chef Malcolm Riley from - The African Chef

- Patti - Patti’s Menu @PattiSloley

- Bintu Hardy - Recipes from a Pantry  Twitter: @recipespantry 

- Kezia Eniang –Kezia’s KookBook Twitter: @keziaeniang

- Thelma Egbe –Thelmz Kitchen Twitter: @Thelmzkitchen_

Christmas Sweet Potato Curry with Tolly Boy American Long Grain Rice

By Malcolm Riley

Ingredients: (Serves 5-6)

For the curry:

  • 300g to 500g leftover turkey
  • 3 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
  • 2 large onions
  • 1 lime
  • 1 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 tsp ginger paste
  • 2 tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 800g chopped tinned tomatoes
  • 400g coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp curry powder (your favourite blend)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Black pepper
  • Garnish with a handful of fresh coriander and desiccated coconut.

Method and prep time (30mins)

  • Gently heat the sunflower and coconut oil together in a pan and add the onions. Fry until translucent.
  • Add the garlic, ginger, chilli flakes and curry powder to the pan. Fry for one to two minutes.
  • Season with pepper and one tsp of salt.
  • Next, add the bay leaves, coconut milk, tomatoes and diced sweet potatoes and season with another teaspoon of salt.
  • Add the sugar and squeeze of lime and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
  • Finally, mix in around 300 to 500g of cooked leftover turkey and stir into the pan. Place the lid on and leave to stand for five minutes before serving with Tolly Boy American Long Grain Rice.  

Jollof Rice with Tolly Boy Easy Cook Rice

By Thelma

Ingredients:

  • 400g Tolly Boy Easy Cook Rice
  • 600g stock or water
  • 100g spring onions
  • Half of each colour bell pepper
  • 1 Onion chopped
  • 530g mixed vegetable (carrots, green beans, peas and sweetcorn)
  • 200g king prawns cooked
  • 375g cooked chicken breast
  • 400g cooked shredded pork
  • 385g cooked beef
  • 1teaspoon curry powder
  • 4 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • ½ teaspoon thyme
  • ½ teaspoon blended scotch bonnet or dry chili powder
  • Bouillon cubes
  • Salt to taste

Instructions:

  • Soak Tolly Boy Easy Cook rice in hot water for about 10-12 minutes, wash with warm water to remove excess starch and set aside.
  • Put a clean pot on fire, pour in stock or water, add curry, thyme, pepper, some chopped onions, Bouillon cubes and salt to taste. Allow to boil for some minutes then stir in the Tolly Boy Easy Cook rice. Cook on low medium heat till its soft enough.
  • In another pan, pour in vegetable oil and heat up, add onions and allow to fry, add in all the meats and prawns, add seasoning cubes and stir together.
  • Add vegetables and keep spring onions for last. Allow vegetables to cook, when ready mix together with your cooked rice, this can be done in batches by getting a clean large pot, scoop in 2 cooking spoons of Tolly Boy Easy Cook rice and 1 cooking spoon of vegetables, mix together and continue till everything is done. Be careful not to forget vegetables on heat for too long.
  • Serve Tolly Boy Easy Cook rice with any choice of meat.