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Enjoy our Rockall Fusion Xmas Cuisine

People often ask me as an international TV chef how they can inject a soupçon of exotic foreign appeal into their Xmas spreads.

Many of us now have sophisticated culinary tastes which transcend the traditional turkey and stuffing, and it's not uncommon to see couscous or fresh egg pasta where once there would have been roast spuds and yorkshires.

At the same time, working mothers simply do not have the time to spend hours preparing elaborate multi-course Xmas dinners for their families.

So, this year why not try this authentic Ethiopian mouth-waterer? It's cheap, simple and quick to prepare and certainly fits the bill for the sort of lifestyle you live today.

Ethiopian Rice Surprise

Ingredients:

• Rice
• Water

Preparation:

Get up at dawn and walk 50 miles barefoot to the nearest supermarket. If they're out of Vietnamese wild rice, try the nearest Red Cross aid distribution centre. There are always a few grains on the ground around where the delivery trucks stand.

Walk another 30 miles to the nearest well. Fill a container with water. This is a clear colourless liquid which is commonly used for cooking.

Back in the kitchen, transfer the water to a pan. If you have not seen one before, it's a metal container in which it is safe to heat water. DO NOT attempt to boil the water in a plastic bottle or cardboard box.

Place the pan on some kind of fire. You may already be familiar with fire if your house has burnt down. If not, ask someone who has seen fire to make one for you.

Wait for the water to boil. You will be able to see steam and bubbles. If you're not sure whether the water is boiling or not, test it with your hand. If the skin comes off, it's boiling.

Put the rice in the pan and leave for 20 minutes.

Strain the rice and serve.

Et viola! - a refreshing change to poultry and vegetables. And when the kids ask what about the surprise, you can tell them: that's all there is to eat until March!

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