Now for one of our favourite, Ochro rice. Hi there! It’s been a while but I am still around. The semester is coming to a close soon so you know how the work has really piled up and yuh boy is just busy with assignments. But this too shall pass and things will be back up to speed by the next few weeks. In the mean time, I am still trying to get the recipes posted when I can.
Behind the scenes, I’ve been busy still photographing recipes and getting them ready for the site. So look out for some wonderful recipes in the weeks to come. I’m already getting prepared for December and the Christmas recipes so you have that to look forward to also. As always, I’m open to requests and comments so keep the requests and comments coming. I really enjoy reading your comments and email.
A Smoked Bone Flavoured Ochro Rice
A while a back you may remember I did a post on split peas rice and mentioned the varieties of mixed rice there are with each one being named after the main ingredient used. Today, I have for you Ochro Rice, with the main ingredient being ochro (okra), mixed together with all the wonderful ingredients and meats. This time we decided to use smoked bone as our meat ,which also gives the pot a distinct smoked ham flavour. Again you can use any type of meat so don’t be discouraged if you see me using any meat you don’t eat. This is a very simple pot to cook, but so tasty. So enjoy ochro rice; another versatile one pot meal.
Ochro Rice Recipe
Ochro rice with smoked bone and a side of purple cabbage cole slaw.
Ochro Rice
Ingredients:
2 cups rice
saltfish, pigtail or smoked bones (meat is optional)
12 ochroes, sliced
2 – 3 medium-sized tomatoes. chopped
1/2 cup pumpkin, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 sprigs chive, chopped
2 sprigs celery, chopped
1 sprig thyme, chopped
3 cups water
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp. oil
pepper to taste
salt to taste
Direction:
If you are using saltfish boil and remove the bones before adding it to the pot.
If you are using pig tail or smoked bone boil or pressure cook it until it is tender before adding to the pot.
Saute the onion and garlic then add the tomatoes and ochroes.
Add the vegetables, the seasonings, meat, water and coconut milk.
Cover the pot and allow to simmer. Cook over a medium flame.
When the ochro and the vegetables are a bit tender (in about 20 minutes) add the rice.
Stir the rice to make sure it is well mixed in with the vegetables and the liquid.
Add some more water, turn the ingredients in the pot and cover to simmer.
Every now and then turn the rice to ensure it does not stick.
Lower the flame and allow the liquid to evaporate.
Remove from flame when all of the liquid is absorb and rice is tender.
Serve.
This meal really tasted delicious with the cole slaw and the smoked bone flavour was out of this world…As I said before, this is a very versatile dish and with the different choices of meats and vegetables you could mix and match and have so many variations. And I have not even touched the surface when it comes to the variations.
Traditionally though, the meat we use are pig tail and salt fish. Smoked bone, I believe, is relatively new but it is just as tasty so it is safe to say that the meat is us usually some type of cured meat be it smoked, pickled or salted. The vegetables could be any of your choice but when it comes to which one names the dish we usually have bhaji or spinach rice or ochro rice. And then we have the split peas rice as well.
So based on that, we could have bhaji rice without meat or with saltfish or pigtail or smoked bone. Then we could have ochro rice vegetarian style or with pigtail or smoked bone. And split peas rice with …..you get the picture. And these variations are just for the traditional ingredients . Could you imagine if other ingredients are added how this dish would be? No wonder we call them all just mixed rice! :^)
Anyway, I have to go now but I will see you soon. Bye!
Ochro Rice
Ingredients
- 12 ochros sliced
- 2 – 3 medium-sized tomatoes. chopped
- 1/2 cup pumpkin chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 sprigs chive chopped
- 2 sprigs celery chopped
- 1 sprig thyme chopped
- 2 tbsp. oil
- Saltfish pigtail or smoked bones (meat is optional)
- 2 cups rice
- 2 sprig chive
- 1 sprig celery
- Pepper to taste
- Salt to taste optional
Instructions
- If you are using saltfish boil and remove the bones before adding it to the pot. If you are using pig tail or smoked bone boil pressure cook it until it is tender before adding to the pot.
- Saute the onion and garlic then add the tomatoes and ochros. Add the vegetables, the seasonings, meat, water and coconut milk. Cover the pot and allow to simmer. Cook over a medium flame.
- Add the rice. Stir the rice to make sure it is well mixed in with the vegetables and the liquid.
- Remove from flame when all of the liquid is absorb and rice is tender. Serve.