Jollof Rice Recipe

 

Jollof rice is a West African rice dish made with hot chili peppers, tomatoes, African curry powder, and a variety of herbs and spices to achieve fluffy, spicy rice that is fit for any occasion. It's one of the most popular African recipes outside of Africa, and it is often served in African homes.

It is considered a recipe of West Africa, though you will find variations of ingredients and cooking preparations from region to region and from cook to cook.

There's even a local rivalry about which version is better, Nigerian jollof rice or Ghanaian jollof rice. This version is truer to the Nigerian style, though both are delicious. As long as they're spicy!

Jollof Rice Ingredients

• Roma tomatoes - I prefer roughly chopped fresh tomatoes, but canned tomatoes work great here, too.
• Red Bell Peppers - You can use other colors (green, orange, yellow) or other milder peppers.
• Scotch Bonnet Peppers or Habanero Peppers - Optional, for a spicy version. You can use other hot peppers, or omit them for a milder version of the recipe. Use local peppers available to you.
• Vegetable Oil - A neutral oil is best, though coconut oil is great here for extra flavor.
• Onion and Garlic
• Tomato Paste
• Chicken Stock - Bouillon cubes are commonly used as well.
• Seasonings - I use curry powder, dried thyme, salt and black pepper, and bay leaves.
• Rice - I use white rice and prefer long grain rice, though you can use others to your preference. Basmati rice is great, but you may need to use less stock for medium-grain rice. Parboiled rice can save a bit of cooking time.

How to Make Jollof Rice

Make the tomato-pepper puree. Blend the tomatoes, bell peppers, and scotch bonnet peppers together in a blender or food processor until smooth. Set aside.

Cook the onion and garlic. Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir. Cook 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

Simmer the puree. Add the tomato-pepper puree and stir. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes to let the flavors develop. The sauce will reduce and deepen in color.

Add stock and seasonings. Add chicken stock, curry powder, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes.

Add the rice. Add rice and bay leaves and mix well. Reduce the heat and cover the pot. Simmer on low until the liquid is absorbed and the Jollof rice is cooked to your liking, about 20 - 30 minutes. You may need a bit longer.

Add water or chicken stock if needed for more moisture. It should be light and fluffy (unless you prefer wetter rice).

Prep for serving. Remove from the heat and remove the lid. Let it sit for 5 minutes and fluff the rice with a fork or wooden spoon, as desired. Serve it up!!

Boom! Done! Jollof rice is ready to serve! It looks and smells wonderful, doesn't it? I love this recipe. It's a great side dish that I think you are going to love.

Recipe Tips & Notes

• The Peppers. Jollof is traditionally made with local peppers. You'll find bell peppers for substance and either local Scotch Bonnet peppers or habanero peppers for a nice level of heat, though hot peppers are optional if you'd prefer a milder dish. Try out this recipe with African bird's eye peppers, which have a good level of heat, or use more commonly found peppers, like the jalapeno or serrano.
• Other Ingredients. You can easily vary up your jollof rice recipe with other ingredients to your preference. Some commonly used ingredients include ginger, nutmeg, other herbs and spices, veggies like potatoes, carrots, or other steamed vegetables, plantains, and different stocks.
• Serve it for Dinner. Easily make this jollof rice recipe a full meal by adding in cooked chicken, pork, fish, and other seafood or your favorite combination of proteins. I love this dish with chopped chicken as sort of an African version of chicken fried rice.
• Crispy Rice. A special treat with jollof is the "crispy rice" on the bottom of the pot, very similar to “pegao” in Puerto Rican arroz con pollo or “socarrat” in Spanish paella. People love that stuff!

Cookbook Recommendation

• Flavors of Africa: Discover Authentic Family Recipes from All Over the Continent, by Evi Aki

Storage & Leftovers

Once it's totally cooled to room temperature, you can store leftover jollof rice in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

For the best results, reheat in a pan over medium-low heat and stir often until warmed through.

Jollof Rice Recipe

This jollof rice recipe is a popular African dish of rice simmered with spicy tomato sauce with Scotch bonnets and lots of wonderful seasonings, the perfect party dish!

 Course: Side Dish

 Cuisine: African

 Keywords: habanero, rice, scotch bonnet, spicy

 Prep Time: 10  minutes

 Cook Time: 45  minutes

Ingredients

• 4 Roma tomatoes chopped (canned tomatoes are good, too)
• 2 red bell peppers chopped (other peppers a great here)
• 1-2 Scotch bonnet peppers chopped (to your heat preference – other hot peppers can be used)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil, coconut oil is great, too
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2-1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons curry powder or more to taste - optional, for extra flavor
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 cups white rice rinsed
• 2 bay leaves

Instructions

1.                  Blend the tomatoes, bell peppers, and scotch bonnet peppers together in a blender or food processor until smooth. Set aside.

2.                  Heat the oil in a large pot to medium-high heat and add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes to soften.

3.                  Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir. Cook 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

4.                  Add the tomato-pepper puree and stir. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes to let the flavors develop. The sauce will reduce and deepen in color.

5.                  Add chicken stock, curry powder, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes.

6.                  Add the rice and bay leaves, and mix well. Reduce the heat and cover the pot. Allow it to simmer on low until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked to your preference, which should take about 20 minutes. You may need to cook it for a bit longer. If necessary, add more water or chicken stock to achieve the desired moisture level. The rice should be light and fluffy, unless you prefer it to be moister.

7.                  Remove from the heat and remove the lid. Let it sit for 5 minutes and fluff the rice with a fork or wooden spoon, as desired.

8.                  Serve!

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Nutrition Information

Calories: 211kcal   Carbohydrates: 45g   Protein: 5g   Fat: 1g   Saturated Fat: 1g   Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g   Monounsaturated Fat: 1g   Cholesterol: 1mg   Sodium: 112mg   Potassium: 341mg   Fiber: 2g   Sugar: 4g   Vitamin A: 1336IU   Vitamin C: 47mg   Calcium: 33mg   Iron: 1mg

Jollof Rice Recipe (Nigerian Rice)

Research original recipe from Chili Pepper Madness: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/