{"id":15113,"date":"2023-04-04T13:49:22","date_gmt":"2023-04-04T13:49:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tilda.com\/?p=15113"},"modified":"2023-04-04T13:49:23","modified_gmt":"2023-04-04T13:49:23","slug":"original-flavas-rice-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tilda.com\/blog\/campaigns\/original-flavas-rice-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Original Flava’s Rice Story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Food is a pivotal part of us\u2019: meet the brothers who went from home cooks to tastemakers!<\/b><\/h2>\n

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Flavour and colour are at the heart of Craig and Shaun McAnuff\u2019s dishes. And an ingredient they love to use is rice. They tell Chris Mandle how they make the grain sing.<\/strong><\/p>\n

-By Chris Mandle<\/strong><\/p>\n

Brothers Craig and Shaun McAnuff have become YouTube stars and cookbook authors thanks to their contagious love of Caribbean food. Hundreds of thousands of viewers have watched them rustle up rice and peas or saltfish and ackee, their food bringing to mind long, hot days under a blazing sun. Above all, they make it look so easy that you know you could do it yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n

The brothers conjure up dishes full of rich aromas and enticing colours, the kind to be shared around a big table with family and friends. And amid all this colour and flavour, there is one constant \u2013 a bowl of rice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFood is a pivotal part of us coming together as a family on Sunday after church,\u201d says Shaun, who grew up with his brother in Thornton Heath, south London. \u201cEach of us brings a dish to share\u00a0<\/span>with everyone else. And there\u2019s always rice on the table.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Long-grain, jasmine and brown are popular, but basmati features most prominently. \u201cThere\u2019s something about its fluffy texture and slightly sweeter taste,\u201d says Shaun. \u201cA bowlful, lightly seasoned and served with lots of butter is perfect.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The brothers share happy childhood memories of watching their nan prepare buttered rice in her kitchen. \u201cShe made the most buttery, creamy rice. It was so warm and comforting, it holds a special place in my heart,\u201d says Craig. Nowadays, he likes to season his rice with simple aromatics, including black pepper and fresh thyme, plus a sprinkle of all-purpose seasoning \u201cfor warm, subtle notes, and a little kick\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

The brothers turned their love of Caribbean food into a business when they launched Original Flava in 2016. They started by creating recipe videos and this led to their first book, Original Flava: Caribbean Recipes From Home. While in Jamaica for research, they saw a street chef cooking a vat of rice, and stripping thyme leaves from their stalks to add to the simmering pot. \u201cThey lent an impressive herbal aroma without overpowering it, and enhanced the qualities of the grain,\u201d says Craig.<\/span><\/p>\n

For the brothers, aromatics are the quickest way to make a pot of rice into something complex and deeply flavourful. \u201cWhole cloves of garlic, a bay leaf, or a scotch bonnet pepper … put the pepper in just before the rice is ready,\u201d says Shaun. \u201cToo early, and it might burst, and that would be a disaster. You just want a little chilli heat at the end. You get a nice hit of spice, and an infusion of flavour, And it\u2019s easy to fish out because it\u2019s so vivid among the grains.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Their journey from home cooks to foodie tastemakers has seen them pick up tips from culinary stars along the way. \u201cWe did some work with Ainsley Harriott, who was cooking a curry with cardamom pods. Then he put one in the rice too,\u201d says Shaun. The fragrant spice gave a warm, peppery note to the rice, which paired beautifully with the curry.<\/span><\/p>\n

When it comes to choosing which rice to use in a dish, the pair say personal preference is key. Case in point is jollof, a west African rice dish cooked in a tomato, pepper, and hot chilli sauce. \u201cGhanains often use long-grain rice, but Nigerians tend to use basmati more,\u201d says Shaun.<\/span><\/p>\n

And when their nan made rice and peas, which traditionally uses long-grain, she would often go for brown rice instead. This switch added extra nuttiness, while also enhancing the dish\u2019s colour. \u201cBrown rice does take longer to cook, but it has a stronger \u2018bite\u2019 to it than white,\u201d says Craig. \u201cYou have to be patient, but the reward speaks for itself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Both name Tilda as their go-to choice for rice due to its quality and variety. \u201cIf you love cooking from scratch, Tilda does a great selection \u2013 long-grain, jasmine, basmati, the list goes on,\u201d says Craig. \u201cBut if you\u2019re not so confident, Tilda\u2019s microwave packets are great too. And there are loads to chose from.\u201d If you\u2019re pushed for time, the packs are ready to eat in two minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Basmati\u2019s aromatic properties have led to it being called \u201cthe champagne of rice\u201d. But not all basmatis are equal. Tilda selects only top quality grains and then works to bring out the best in them. The grains are stored for months so they develop a deep, rich flavour, and broken ones are weeded out, ensuring dishes are free of excess starch and stickiness.<\/span><\/p>\n

Craig says that whatever rice you cook, the key is to wash it in cold water two or three times first. \u201cIt gets rid of the starch, and makes a massive difference in getting the rice really fluffy.\u201d Whether you are creating a showstopping main (such as Original Flava\u2019s spicy turmeric rice and salmon one-pot) or a \u201cbottom of the fridge\u201d dish (the duo\u2019s vegetable fried rice), what\u2019s not to like?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRice is a comfort food and so versatile. The thing to remember is to go with your gut when choosing the variety that\u2019s right for your dish,\u201d says Shaun. \u201cKnowing you have that flexibility can be so freeing, you don\u2019t need to make it complicated.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tilda has been the go-to choice for rice aficionados for more than 50 years. The rice you choose can really elevate your plate, so Tilda ensures that only the best quality grains go into its products. For more information, visit\u00a0<\/span><\/i>tilda.com<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

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Recipes for you<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Caribbean Rice & Peas<\/p>\n

Jerk Chicken<\/p>\n

For a taste of the Caribbean, try chicken marinaded in flavoursome jerk spice and paired with our limited edition Rice and Peas Steamed Basmati.\n\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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Coconut, Chilli & Lemongrass Basmati Rice<\/p>\n

Ackee and Callaloo Fried Rice<\/p>\n

Inspired by the flavours of Jamaica.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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Pure Basmati Rice<\/p>\n

African Vegetable Pilau<\/p>\n

Delicious fragrant vegetable pilau rice that\u2019s perfect every time!<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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Golden Sella Basmati Rice<\/p>\n

Seafood Jollof<\/p>\n

Jollof rice with a twist!<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t

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Photography credit:
\n– By Pal Hansen\/The Guardian<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Craig and Shaun McAnuff, also known as Original Flavour, are two brothers from South London who inspire us with their love for Caribbean Cooking. They told us about their passion for food and how rice plays a big part in their culinary journey.<\/p>\n

This article was originally published on theguardian.com as part of the Tilda and Guardian Labs ‘It’s the rice that makes it’ campaign.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":15067,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15113","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-campaigns"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nOriginal Flava's Rice Story - Tilda Rice UK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Craig and Shaun McAnuff, also known as Original Flavour, are two brothers from South London who inspire us with their love for Caribbean Cooking. 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