Mushroom and Chicken Jambalaya (A one pot meal)
A nice one pot meal/A perfect casserole dish when one has family coming over, unexpected guests or you are too tired to have several pots over the fire. A lovely wintery kind of dish that would remind one so much of home and mother or sitting by the fireside/heater enjoying good times with family or snuggling into the comforting arms of a spouse or a lover if I may say so after this beautiful meal.
I do not know if there is a vegetarian version but I guess you could replace the meat with chunky veggies.
Jambalaya in French means mixed up/jumbled and this could easily remind you of a Biriyani, Risotto or a Paella where the veggies and meat all come together in unison and burst in flavours and texture almost like a volcano on your taste buds.
Today was one such day where I am trying to keep myself awake after a couple of days of ruined sleep. Been walking around like a zombie with my eyes almost cello taped to keep the lids open (image visualisation-Tom and Jerry) I am working on that weird sleepless pattern by listening to the sound of rain, nature and everything that would bring my buddy back-"Sleep where art thou?" The white noise helped but woke up after every hour...Sheesh!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkNBaXn_fC4
As am still groggy, thought I would do this one pot meal to ease things for me. This has to be had nice and warm, if kept for later do warm it and have. Most Jambalayas have smoked sausages, chicken and prawns. As I didn't have the sausages and none in the Smoking section as well (lame joke I know) I skipped that. Remember the more meat...the merrier so for the actual version do add chunks of smoked sausages or chorizo for those of you who prefer that meat.
I did not use prawns as well as my older one is allergic to prawns hence replaced that with diced mushrooms which he loves.
I have used diced boneless chicken, You may use chicken drumsticks but once cooked, you have to remove the meat off the bones and use. Dice about a quarter kilo of chicken and put it into a large pan with a bay leaf or two, 625 ml of water, salt, sliced onions and pepper. Do add celery if you have as one does in many soups. I did not have hence skipped that as well. Let it merge well and let the flavours seep in, in such a way that you get a nice stock (This is how stock for soups are made in this case this is a chicken stock)
Do cook it under a lid. Once the chicken is cooked well, strain it and do not throw away the stock. This stock would be used later to cook the rice in. You should have half the quantity of the stock once it has reduced and the flavours have seeped into the chicken.
In the same pan in which you cooked the chicken add in a little oil and sauté a big diced onion, two capsicums or bell peppers preferably green to add to that contrast in colour. As it becomes translucent, add in a tsp. of cumin powder, half a teaspoon of chilly powder, add dried thyme, I added a tsp. of mixed herbs, more pepper and salt to taste. As it comes through, add in two chopped tomatoes and let it cook through, pour in that set aside stock and a cup of basmati rice keeping in mind how much water is there in the stock. Add the cooked chicken midway so that this rice and meat attains all the colour and spices in this flavourful stock.
Stir it well ensuring that the veggies and the meat have been incorporated.
Do open in between and check for taste and how the rice has cooked and adjust accordingly.
If using the sausages they have to be sautéed in butter in the pan initially and taken out. This will be later on added to the finished rice. All the meat must be jumbled and mixed about to give you the Jambalaya effect.
If prawns (150g) are being added, it should be added during the last leg of the cooking process as they cook very fast-do add pepper and salt accordingly. In my case I added some diced mushrooms which were cooked in a tbsp. of butter along with pepper and salt and placed as a garnish over the rice. The rice must be tender and all the liquid absorbed.
Do add fresh parsley to make the dish look presentable. I did not have, I just used a little bit of cilantro that I had at home.
To be had piping hot. Must ensure that the dish is seasoned well and is flavourful.
I do not know if there is a vegetarian version but I guess you could replace the meat with chunky veggies.
Jambalaya in French means mixed up/jumbled and this could easily remind you of a Biriyani, Risotto or a Paella where the veggies and meat all come together in unison and burst in flavours and texture almost like a volcano on your taste buds.
Today was one such day where I am trying to keep myself awake after a couple of days of ruined sleep. Been walking around like a zombie with my eyes almost cello taped to keep the lids open (image visualisation-Tom and Jerry) I am working on that weird sleepless pattern by listening to the sound of rain, nature and everything that would bring my buddy back-"Sleep where art thou?" The white noise helped but woke up after every hour...Sheesh!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkNBaXn_fC4
As am still groggy, thought I would do this one pot meal to ease things for me. This has to be had nice and warm, if kept for later do warm it and have. Most Jambalayas have smoked sausages, chicken and prawns. As I didn't have the sausages and none in the Smoking section as well (lame joke I know) I skipped that. Remember the more meat...the merrier so for the actual version do add chunks of smoked sausages or chorizo for those of you who prefer that meat.
I did not use prawns as well as my older one is allergic to prawns hence replaced that with diced mushrooms which he loves.
If using the sausages they have to be sautéed in butter in the pan initially and taken out. This will be later on added to the finished rice. All the meat must be jumbled and mixed about to give you the Jambalaya effect.
If prawns (150g) are being added, it should be added during the last leg of the cooking process as they cook very fast-do add pepper and salt accordingly. In my case I added some diced mushrooms which were cooked in a tbsp. of butter along with pepper and salt and placed as a garnish over the rice. The rice must be tender and all the liquid absorbed.
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