In The Kitchen With Zeeba: Isqa Rice.

This past Easter weekend has been loooooong and lonely without being with my family. Growing up and life’s things can humble a person beyond I tell yah. However, some good came out of the weekend, well Axola a buddy of mines helped me khumbul’ekhaya I got to cook, I was missing my Mom and her cooking Isqa rice particularly.

Isga Rice is Rice cooked together with potatoes *direct translation*

I called Mom, to ask her for Isqa rice recipe. She said Mnta-nam the easiest way is to:

– Chop potatoes (not too small of pieces).

– Put them in a pot to boil.

– Rinse rice on the side, wait for your potatoes to boil then dunk in your rice.

– Then lower the heat.

– Allow all to cook in as one… you can put in any desired flavourants.

– When done, you’re good to go.

Then I called my one other friend Thuli to ask her about how she makes Isqa rice. Hers went something like this:

– Fry onions.

– Throw in your potatoes, with water.

– Chop cabbage to small pieces, put in your pot.

– Allow all to boil in, then put in your rice.

– Lower the heat and season until well cooked.

You see essentially you use one pot for Isqa rice but I went about making it my way. This is how:

I boiled diced up potatoes on one pot while boiling rice on the other. (Short cut tendencies)

Once the potatoes were close to being well cooked I tipped them in the rice pot… it’s bigger and capable to accommodate both.

Sprinkled a bit of salt. Closed the pot, allowed to cook as a unit.

I asked myself what kind of relish Am I going to eat the Isqa rice with:

I took out i-sausage from the freezer, defrosted one strip/line because moss I was making food for one.

I like to buy sausage in this bulk, its cheaper with 3 stripes, you can cook them all at once depending on the number of people you’re serving. Perfect for small family braais too.

Chopped my peppers, niyandazi me nge-robot (red, green and yellow peppers).

Ginger with garlic… I remember back in the day people had this perception that garlic eaters/lovers are HIV positive people under-G. Funny right.

Fresh Parsely and Coriander for that inviting aroma.

Diced tomatoes.

Put your sausage on the pan, fry until both sides are brown. When both sides are Smokey brown take out another sauce pan or rinse the one you were using… or put in the tub