Well since there's no thread to welcome members to the food section, I'm creating this one for you all.

I recently moved to a moderately sized flat, and I've decided to start cooking on weekends. The "eating out" thing is a tad heavy on the pocket. Let me subsidize it a little abeg.

So I welcome myself here, and hope to pick up one or two skills from the experienced cooks here.

Oh, and unlike the typical naija man, I sabi cook rice and stew

Sets a table and chair. Gets a pen and paper ready.
Oya, what receipe are we starting with?
I made coconut candy this morning. I was expecting some kids but they didnt show up so i'm stuck with it as the sugar in it wont do me well.

Lol. I would have asked you to send them over, but I'm filled already as it is.

Is there a recipe for that around here? Might try it over the weekend.

lacicrips: Lol. I would have asked you to send them over, but I'm filled already as it is.

Is there a recipe for that around here? Might try it over the weekend.

do you have coconut wherever it is you are? Its just coconut, icing sugar and water.

I'm in Lagos. Lots of coconuts here.

How do I put them together? A step by step guide would be nice.

lacicrips: I'm in Lagos. Lots of coconuts here.

How do I put them together? A step by step guide would be nice.

So Lagos is the here you meant?

Recipe for our local Coconut candy:

Coconut (1 head)
Coconut Juice
Icing sugar
water
chikena.

Pierce through the eyes of the coconut to collect its juice
Break and bring out the main coconut
Grate with a grater. I usually prefer the side that cuts it in strips as against the other side that chops it.
set aside.

Set a saucepan pour in the coconut juice and a glass of water
set on heat
add 2/3 spoons of icing sugar(It could be more depending on how sweet u want it)
allow to heat. Infact allow to boil.
Add the grated coconut and stir
leave for about 5mts and stir again and leave and stir until there is no water anymore.
now keep stirring. The contents become very hard to stir because the sugar, water and nut is caramelising
Keep stirring till you achieve the brown colour you want
scoop into a flat plate and leave to cool
mold to any shape and enjoy

For me, I kept it in the freezer and it can last for a very long time.

ibeg, wash your pot as soon as you are done with very hot water else, you ceate extra job for yourself.

Thanks, but I thought it was coconut rice we were talking about, no? I used to eat those candies as a kid.

Haba. I said I made coconut candy. But I can make sweet, very sweet coconut rice too. Do you want its recipe?

Gboliwe: Haba. I said I made coconut candy. But I can make sweet, very sweet coconut rice too. Do you want its recipe?

Yes please. That's what I'd like to have tomorrow for dinner. Sorry for the troubles.

lacicrips:
Yes please. That's what I'd like to have tomorrow for dinner. Sorry for the troubles.

its no trouble at all.

Ingredients for Coconut Rice.

A head of coconut
2 milk cups of rice
2 fresh tomatoes (optional)
5 fresh pepper
sizeable Onions
A cooking spoonful of vegetable oil
salt
Knoor cube
water.

Many people like to make their coconut rice like jollof rice with tomato stew already prepared, but I dont.
I like it all fresh and coconuty smelling.

*hoping you can parboil rice.
That is the number one thing to do.
*Grate the coconut after breaking and piercing it out. Grate with the tiniest part of the grater. My friend chops her into pieces and blends. It will still give same result.

*after grating, pour into a bowl and pour in very hot water, just about the quantity you may need for cooking the rice.

*sieve through a closed or tight sieve and save that very white coconut milk (that is what it is called now)

*set the cooking spoon of veg oil to heat, when hot:

*cut the tomato, pepper and onions and fry briefly in it. When completely fried, add a very small water. Very small, just to bring it to boil.
*pour the parboiled, washed and drained rice into a pot, pour in the tomato content into it.

*Add maggi and salt.

Pour in the extracted coconut milk into it.
* turn the content very well and set on the gas on medium heat and cook.

The sweet coconut aroma will tell you when its done