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Benachin is a traditional Gambian dish that has become a worthy variety in West African cuisines. It is made up of rice, vegetables, and meat that have all been cooked together. You can also call it a Senegambian special jollof rice.
The Benachin recipe is one out of many jollof rice recipes in this world. It’s quite healthy and constantly makes a wholesome meal for lunch or dinner. The Gambia is already known for its unique dishes that whet the appetite.
Is Benachin the Same as Jollof Rice?
Benachin is a direct substitute for the almighty jollof rice. To confirm this, the origins of jollof rice can be traced back to the Senegambian region of today’s Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania, which was ruled by the Wolof or Jolof Empire in the 14th century and included parts of today’s Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania.
Jollof, often known as jollof rice, is a West African rice dish. Long-grain rice, tomatoes, onions, spices, vegetables, and meat are often cooked together in the same pot, however, the ingredients and preparation methods vary by location.
The cuisine is based on a traditional thieboudienne dish, which includes rice, fish, seafood, and vegetables.
How to Prepare Benachin
There are different established styles of preparing this dish, especially as it concerns the use of vegetables in garnishing the food.
The choice of vegetables is one thing that individuals and professional cooks have a monopoly over when it comes to cooking. This means that you can use as many vegetables as you want in cooking it.
What is Benachin Made of?
Fresh fish, Vegetable oil, Water, Fresh tomato, Onions, Cabbage, Carrots, Bay leaves, Rice, Tomatoes paste
Benachin Cooking Steps
Here are a few steps on how to create the rich Gambian jollof-rice look-alike, check them out below.
Benachin Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ lb chicken (cut into pieces)
- ½ lb boneless beef (diced)
- 3 cups of rice
- 4 onions (peeled and diced)
- 2 large tomatoes (chopped)
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 hot peppers (minced)
- 3 tsp tomato puree
- 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
- 2 bell peppers (sliced)
- 1 large eggplant (chopped)
- ½ small cabbage (chopped)
- 6 cups of water
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper
- Vinegar
Instructions
- Put the chicken and beef pieces into a bowl.
- Season the meats with salt, black pepper, garlic and a dash of vinegar, then leave undisturbed for 30 minutes.
- Heat a large pot, add the vegetable oil and fry the chicken until golden brown on all sides.
- When the chicken is done, remove and set aside, then brown the beef in the same pot.
- Add the onions to the beef and cook until brown.
- Add the tomatoes and the tomato puree together with the minced hot pepper.
- Stir these ingredients together and cook for 15minutes.
- Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Add the chicken to the pot.
- Add the chopped cabbage, chopped eggplant and the bay leaves to the pot.
- Sprinkle salt to taste.
- Use a large spoon to dish out the vegetables and chicken pieces, then set these aside.
- Rinse the raw rice in cold water, then add to the pot. Add the sliced bell peppers and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and let the ingredients simmer.
- When the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender, turn off the heat and place in a serving dish. Arrange the chicken and vegetables on top of the rice and beef. Serve hot
