Pelau

Name: Pelau
Ingredients: 3 -4 lbs chicken or 3 -4 lbs beef, pieces; 2 -3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (garlic powder does not work for this recipe because it burns and turns bitter); 1 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste as ingredients like worcestershire sauce, and Maggi cube contain salt.); 2 tablespoons oil; 3 tablespoons brown sugar; 2 cups long-grain rice (not instant); 1 1/2 cups cooked pigeon peas; 1/2 cup sweet pepper; 3 cups water, and; 1 1 chicken stock or 1 beef stock; 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (DO NOT use tabasco sauce. Any hot or mild Caribbean pepper sauce is fine., optional) (optional) or 1/2 chopped seeded scotch bonnet pepper (DO NOT use tabasco sauce. Any hot or mild Caribbean pepper sauce is fine.) (optional); 1 tablespoon golden ray cooking margarine (optional); 1 cup coconut milk (optional) or 1 cup water; 1 tablespoon Angostura bitters; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; green seasoning marinade; 4 bunches fresh chives; 4 bunches fresh spanish thyme; 4 bunches fresh French thyme; 1 bunch fresh culantro (substitute 2 bunches cilantro); 10 pimento pepper (seeded); 4 stalks west indian celery & leaves (local celery is different from American variety)

22 ingredients

12 steps

Ingredients

3 -4 lbs chicken or 3 -4 lbs beef, pieces
2 -3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (garlic powder does not work for this recipe because it burns and turns bitter)
1 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste as ingredients like worcestershire sauce, and Maggi cube contain salt.)
2 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cups long-grain rice (not instant)
1 1/2 cups cooked pigeon peas
1/2 cup sweet pepper
3 cups water, and
1 1 chicken stock or 1 beef stock
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (DO NOT use tabasco sauce. Any hot or mild Caribbean pepper sauce is fine., optional) (optional) or 1/2 chopped seeded scotch bonnet pepper (DO NOT use tabasco sauce. Any hot or mild Caribbean pepper sauce is fine.) (optional)
1 tablespoon golden ray cooking margarine (optional)
1 cup coconut milk (optional) or 1 cup water
1 tablespoon Angostura bitters
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
green seasoning marinade
4 bunches fresh chives
4 bunches fresh spanish thyme
4 bunches fresh French thyme
1 bunch fresh culantro (substitute 2 bunches cilantro)
10 pimento pepper (seeded)
4 stalks west indian celery & leaves (local celery is different from American variety)

Directions

1

Prepare Green seasoning marinade:
2

Put all the seasoning ingredients into your blender or food processor and process dry or with a minimum amount of water. Store in the fridge, in a glass jar, for up 2-3 days or longer if you add water and some vinegar Sorry I can't offer definite measurements. I usually just eyeball this.
3

Trinidadians use this all purpose mix to season just about any kind of meat. It keeps well in the fridge and we will generally make a fresh batch of this once a week.
4

Season chicken with Angustora bitters, 5 tablespoons of green seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1/2 hour or longer if you have the time.
5

Heat oil and golden ray in a heavy pot, add sugar and garlic and let caramelize. Stir once or twice so that the garlic doesn't burn.
6

The sugar will go from the colour of peanut butter to a bubbling, dark, reddish brown. When the outer edges start to turn an even darker brown , add all the chicken to the pot.
7

Do not stir. Let the water generated by the addtion of the chicken dry out some and give chicken a chance to caramelize. Turn chicken and let rest again for the other side to caramelize. Reapeat this process, turning chicken occasionally so that it browns on all sides. If the sauce at this point looks a little bit gooey you are on the right track. You may need to add a few tablespoons of water during this process if it seems that the sauce is drying out too quickly but keep it at this thickened stage until the chicken is brown. If your sauce is too thin and watery the chicken will not caramelize.
8

TIP: It takes a while for the sugar to get to the dark colour you are looking for. Do not walk away while browning the sugar. Once brown you'd be surprised how quickly it goes to black leaving you with a bitter charred mess that dries hard and ruins your pot and your spoon:=)No this never happened to me before LOL.
9

Don't rush this stage. Let the liquid dry out, turning chicken occasionally so that it browns on all sides. If water is added too soon the brown colour will wash right off. The chicken will be too pale.
10

When chicken is nice and brown about 10 mins, add rice and turn often until well mixed. Add, sweet peppers, peas, coconut milk and broth or Maggi cube and water. Taste at this point and add more salt if needed.
11

Bring to a boil. Cover pot. Lower heat and simmer until rice is cooked and all the water is evaporated. (25-30mins).
12

Add more water if rice is still hard and cook for a few more minutes.