African Chermoula & Curry Spiced Rice with Chicken and Prawns

This is a African inspired recipe I made up myself! It contains lots of fresh ingredients straight from the garden as well as my favourite spice mix....

Chermoula!

What you need:

• 1 kg chicken thigh fillets - skin off - diced
• 12 uncooked tiger prawns - peeled
• 4 garlic cloves - crushed and roughly chopped
• 1 knob of ginger - finely grated 
• 1 cup of chives - finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of crushed chilli 
• 2 tablespoons of chermoula spice mix - see tips below to make your own or purchase on-line
• 1 cup of fresh coriander - roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
• 1/4 cup of peanut oil
• the juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1 tablespoon of curry powder ( I prefer Keen's Traditional Curry Powder - see tips)
• 2 Cups rice - cooked al dente 
• Salt and pepper to season

1. In a large saucepan add 2 cups of rice to salted boiling water and cook to al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large bowl place the garlic, ginger, chives, chilli, chermoula, coriander, sesame oil, peanut oil and lemon juice. Combine together
3. Add the chicken and prawns. Coat with marinade and refrigerate for 3 hours (if your running short of time - go straight to cooking)
4. Place the chicken in a large non-stick pan and cook on a medium heat with the lid on (to keep in the juices) for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
5. Add the prawns along with all the remaining marinade in the bowl and cook for a further 3 minutes (lid off)
6. Place the cooked rice into the pan and add the curry powder. Stir through, ensuring all ingredients are evenly coated.
7. Season with salt and pepper
8. Drizzle with lemon juice to serve.

Tips: 

* If it seems a little dry after adding the rice, add some water to loosen it up

* If you do not wish to have both prawns and chicken, omit whichever to your liking

* Keen's Traditional Curry Powder http://mccormick.com.au/products/mustards-and-curries/keens-curry/keens-curry.aspx

Chermoula

Chermoula is a complex blend and exotic mix of fragrant herbs and spices commonly used to spice up chicken, beef and seafood dishes. 

To make your own chermoula check out:

Poh Ling Yeow's (from Poh's Kitchen) chermoula recipe at: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/pohskitchen/stories/s2871358.htm

or

SBS Food

http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipe/15330/Chermoula_marinade

To purchase dried chermoula can can visit:

Herbie's Spices at:

 http://www.herbies.com.au/?gclid=CMiTq6_KpLcCFWZcpgodQRgAZg 

or 

Henry Langdon at:

http://www.henrylangdon.com/home.php

Enjoy :-)