Nigerian Jollof Rice Bowl

About This Recipe

Jollof rice is West Africa's most fiercely defended dish, with Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal each claiming their version as the definitive one. The Nigerian style leans on a blended base of tomatoes, red bell pepper and scotch bonnet chile, fried down with onion and tomato paste until it darkens and concentrates, before rice is added directly to the sauce and cooked until every grain turns a deep orange-red. What separates great jollof from good jollof is the smoky note Nigerian cooks call party jollof flavor, traditionally achieved by cooking over a wood fire so the rice at the bottom of the pot catches slightly and develops a faint char, similar to Spanish socarrat. At home, this is approximated by letting the rice cook a few extra minutes on low heat once the liquid is mostly absorbed, without stirring, so a thin crust forms at the base. Served as a full bowl with fried plantain, grilled chicken or beef, and often a side of coleslaw, jollof rice bowls are built for one-plate satisfaction, the rice itself carrying enough spice, tomato depth and smokiness to stand on its own.

Ingredients

Serves 5

• 4ripe tomatoes
• 2red bell peppers
• 1scotch bonnet chile(seeds removed for less heat)
• 1onion(half for the blend, half sliced)
• 0.33 cupvegetable oil
• 3 tbsptomato paste
• 2 cupslong-grain parboiled rice(rinsed)
• 2 cupschicken stock
• 2bay leaves
• 1 tspdried thyme
• 1 tspcurry powder
• 2beef bouillon cubes(crumbled)
• 1.5 tspfine sea salt
• 2ripe plantains(sliced and fried, for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Blend the base

   Blend tomatoes, red bell peppers, scotch bonnet and half the onion until smooth. Pour into a bowl and set aside.

2. 2

   Reduce the blend

   In a separate dry pot, bring the tomato-pepper blend to a boil and simmer 10 minutes to cook off excess water, then set aside.

3. 3

   Fry the base

   Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Fry sliced onion and tomato paste for 5 minutes until darkened and fragrant, then stir in the reduced tomato-pepper blend, thyme, curry powder and bouillon.

   Frying the tomato paste until it darkens slightly, rather than adding it raw, is what gives jollof its deep, roasted flavor.

4. 4

   Simmer the sauce

   Cook the sauce over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the oil rises to the surface and separates slightly, about 15 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the rice

   Stir in rice, stock, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook 25 to 30 minutes without stirring.

6. 6

   Let it catch

   In the last few minutes, raise the heat slightly for 2 to 3 minutes to let a thin layer catch on the bottom for smoky flavor, then remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes covered.

7. 7

   Serve

   Fluff the rice, mixing in any lightly caramelized bits from the bottom. Serve in bowls topped with fried plantain and grilled chicken or beef.

Variations

• •

  Party jollof: cook the final stage in a well-seasoned cast iron or carbon steel pot over slightly higher heat to intensify the smoky bottom layer.

• •

  Vegetarian jollof: use vegetable stock and bouillon, and add mixed vegetables like carrots and green beans in the last 10 minutes.

• •

  Seafood jollof: stir in cooked shrimp or fried fish just before serving instead of chicken or beef.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a covered pan with a splash of water or stock over low heat; jollof also freezes well for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions