Nigerian Christmas dinner

GMTV viewer Funke Koleosho gives us her tips on spicing up your turkey this Christmas

Roasted Turkey Strips seasoned with delicate suya spices

1. 500g of turkey breast
2. Salt
3. 2 tablespoon groundnut oil
4. 1 small red onion
5. 2-3 tablespoons of suya mix (depending on chilli content)
6. 2 medium salad tomatoes, wash and slice
7. Iceberg lettuce, slice
8. 2-3 tablespoons of groundnut paste (or peanut butter)
9. 1 sprig of fresh thyme
10. 2 seasoning cubes
11. Small piece of ginger, grate

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Marinating time: 120 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes 1 Thinly slice turkey into strips. Rinse and place pieces in a large mixing bowl. Add the suya mix, thyme and crumbled seasoning cubes. Add the groundnut oil, grated ginger and groundnut paste. Work spices into the turkey and allow to marinate for at least 2 hours.
Place turkey strips on a baking dish or pan and cook in a heated oven (190 gas mark 5) for about 20 minutes, turning meat pieces occasionally.
Serve with lettuce, onions and tomatoes.

Fried Plantains with mixed sweet peppers

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
1Deep fry the plantain piece, drain and set aside. Briskly fry peppers and onion pieces, drain.
2 In a colander, place the fried plantain, peppers and onion. Add some seasoning salt if desired and toss to evenly distribute. Serve.
 • 1 (just) ripe plantain,  peel & dice
• 1 seasoning cube
• ¼ green pepper, dice
• ¼ yellow pepper, dice
• ¼ red pepper, dice
• Pinch of freshly chopped  thyme
• Salt
• ¼ red onion, dice

Traditional Nigerian Jollof rice

1. 3 cups (about 700g) easy cook long grain rice. Wash & drain
2. 4 large tomatoes or 1 can of plum tomatoes
3. 1 tablespoon tomato puree (optional)
4. 1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme
5. 1-2 teaspoon freshly milled or ground nutmeg
6. 2-3 cups chicken stock
7. 1 medium size onion
8. 2 seasoning cubes
9. 1 scotch bonnet (yellow). Remove stalk & seeds (optional)
10. 1 large sweet red pepper. Remove stalk & seeds
11. 2 serving spoons of butter or margarine or vegetable oil
12. freshly chopped chives
13. A small piece of ginger
14. Salt

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

 1. Blend the tomatoes, sweet pepper, and onion together. In a large pot, add the blend, and the finely chopped scotch bonnet if using, thyme, nutmeg and chicken stock. Also add some water about 2 cups. Bring to the boil. Pound or grind ginger. Add to the boiling mix.
2. Stir slowly, add tomato puree (if using) and let boil for about 5 minutes under high heat. Turn heat down, slowly introduce rice and stir. Add salt to taste. Add some hot water enough to cook the rice, cover pot first with a sheet of foil paper and then with the pot lid. Simmer until rice is cooked.
3 Open pot and check if rice is cooked. Add more hot water if required. Then gently stir rice avoiding scraping the bottom of the pot. Avoid overcooking rice. Crush and sprinkle seasoning cube, stir and taste for salt. Add two serving spoons of butter and mix well. Add the chopped chives and mix.
4 Serve hot with roasted turkey strips.