Food, Rice - June 21, 2021

Jollof Rice

Jollof - Ghana & Nigeria, West Africa

Jollof Rice is a popular dish originating in West Africa. Till this day, there remains an ongoing argument between Ghanaians and Nigerians on who makes the best Jollof Rice. Yet they aren't the only Africans to enjoy this dish, there are variations of Jollof that exist in Togo, Liberia, Seirra Leone, Cameroon and Gambia.

Ghanaian Recipe:

Ingredients

2 large yellow onions (roughly or finely) chopped
2 cans of diced tomato
1 can tomato paste
½ teaspoon mixed dried herbs
3 chicken bouillon cubes (crushed)
2 ½ cups long grain rice
1 cup frozen mixed vegetable
1 ½ cups of water
⅓ cup vegetable oil and plus 2 tablespoons
1 habanero pepper
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons of curry powder
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of ground ginger

Preparation

Make the Stew (sauce) First

Add onions and 2 tablespoons of oil to a blender and pulse until smooth. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and habanero pepper to the blender, and pulse until smooth. Transfer to a separate bowl.
Heat the remaining ⅓ cup of oil in a large pot on medium.
Once the oil is hot, add the onion puree and cook until the water has cooked out and the puree is starting to brown, usually in about 10-15 minutes.
Stir in the tomato puree and add the curry powder, garlic powder, ginger, dried herbs, and crushed cubes. Cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the stew has reduced by half and is deep red in color.
Wash Rice thoroughly in cold water to remove as much starch as possible
Add the rice, mixed vegetables, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with foil and a lid. Simmer for another 30 minutes, until the rice is cooked through and the liquid is absorbed.
Once ready, serve with your choice of fish, meat or chicken. You can also add spaghetti, pasta, boiled egg or shito for an even tastier meal.

Tips:

Make sure the sauce is hot before adding the rice to avoid making the Jollof soggy. This happens when the rice soaks up cold water
You can add meats like Lamb, Beef or Goat to create an even more delicious dish. On the other hand you can also turn this into a vegetarian meal by including garden eggs, carrots and peas.
If the rice is too dry when cooking, add a small amount of water at a time to soften it, be careful not to add too much.

Video Reference

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jollof+rice+recipe