Local rice my way

Rice is a staple in my Country Nigeria, this should encourage versatility in preparing it . One of the tasty recipes I try when im tired of Jollof, fried,coconut rice ,thai rice....name it....is Local Rice.
I guess what makes it local is the use of palm oil,locust beans,dry fish, crayfish,basil (Efirin),ewa oloyin(Honey beans). It really does have different versions.

I make use of any local fresh ingredient I have at home.

• Uncooked Rice
• Palm oil
• Iru (locust bean)
• Ewa Oloyin(honey beans) or black eyed beans
• Dry Fish (washed and de-boned)
• Onions(sliced)
• Freshly ground pepper (boiled)-you can do without it if you have dry pepper
• Basil leaves (Efirin)
• Beef Stock
• stock/bouillon cubes

1. Soak the already washed dry fish in hot water, rinse the basil leaves and shred, set aside.
2. I often start off with cooking the beans in one pot. I parboil the rice in another pot. Wash the excess starch off the rice and put some water and return it to the cooker. Add the palm oil, you want to make sure it cooks properly, there's a funny taste uncooked palm oil has so its best to add it early enough.
3. Add the ground pepper paste at this stage if you're not using dry pepper
4. Check on your beans (if you're adding beans, you don't want it to be overcooked, each grain needs to be whole) the effect of the Ewa Oloyin (Honey beans) in local rice is yummy as opposed to any other specie of beans because of its subtle sweetness. I used black eye beans because that's what I had in the pantry but its not my 'go-to' beans.
5. Add beef stock and stock cubes before the rice cooks, and some freshly sliced onions, the locust beans, dry fish and efirin.
6. Lower the heat and allow the rice grains to cook through just as if you're cooking steamed white rice or jollof rice.

I served it with whole dry fish made in peppersoup style

Bon Apetit!