Last year was fun (to an extent yes), we did get to try a number of elaborate and budget-friendly meals. This year’s starting on a good note with an Insider Kitchen Series! This comprises of a list of meals specially curated for your taste buds.
Here’s the first two meals on our list to try your hands on this year. Plus, anyone can pull these off. They’re easy and budget-friendly so regardless of the “student related” situations you can treat yourself to fancy meals! By the way, happy new year everyone! (and no, it’s not too late to say that)
First on the list is the CHICKEN VEGGIE SAUCE AND FRIES. Found this recipe on the internet and tried it, you should too.
Here’s a step by step procedure on how to make it.
You’ll need potatoes (Irish or Sweet potatoes work well), Chicken, Onions, Fresh Pepper, Mixed vegetables (carrots, green peas..) whatever you like really, spices, and seasoning.
Step 1
Peel potatoes, and fry till crispy
Clean your chicken and cut into bits
Step 2
Place into a pot and parboil with salt and seasoning
Remove after about 7 minutes and place in another pot (discard the water used in parboiling it)
Step 3
Add a cup of water to the chicken
Add minced onions and minced fresh peppers
Add Spices of Choice ( I recommend thyme, curry)
Cook for about 5 minutes
Step 4
Add vegetables of your choice (Carrots make a great addition)
Cook for another 5 to 7minutes
Stir and cook for 1 min
Serve with your crispy fried potato chips and something chilled.
How does spaghetti and beef stew sound? Yeah, that’s next on our list!
For this you’ll need a pack of spaghetti, fresh tomatoes, ata rodo, onions, ugwu leaves, vegetable oil, beef, spices and seasoning.
Step 1
Place spaghetti into a pot of boiling water
Sprinkle in salt
Allow to boil for about 10 minutes
Step 2
Wash and grate or slice tomatoes and peppers
Dice or slice onions and place aside
Wash beef and boil with spices for five to ten minutes
Step 3
Sieve out excess water in the spaghetti and leave to drain.
Wash and slice ugwu (or any other vegetable of your choice) into tiny pieces.
Step 4
Place onions in a pan of vegetable oil and allow to fry for a minute.
Pour in the mixture of tomatoes and peppers and stir slowly.
Step 5
Add beef
Add spices and seasoning
Stir for awhile until halfway dry
Sprinkle in the already sliced ugwu leaves
Last step!
Serve and enjoy
And there you have it, easy to make, not entirely stress free 😂 but less time consuming and very tasty.
We’d love for you to share your thoughts on the meals. You could even make suggestions for the next series, and who knows it just might get featured.
Until next time!

Bello Olabisi, known to most individuals as Dorian is a literature student. She’s a dark poet with a weird sense of humor, a spoken word artist, a nature photographer, a freelance writer, an active volunteer and a lover of stuffed toys.