Easy Nigerian Jollof Rice
This flavorful, Easy Nigerian Jollof Rice is a delicious African celebratory meal. It is bursting with fresh flavor from the rich tomato sauce. Serve as dinner with chicken, beef, and plantain.
Servings: 5 people
Calories: 206kcal
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Blender
Ingredients
- 3 cups of washed long grain white rice
- 1 cans of plum tomatoes
- 2 roasted red bell peppers
- 1 large onion
- 1 scotch bonnet
- 3 knorr cubes
- 1-2 bay leaves
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon of thyme
- ¼ cup of tomato puree/paste
- 2 teaspoon curry powder optional
- 1-2 cup of chicken stock
- Water as necessary
- A splash of vegetable/sunflower oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 200C and roast red bell peppers for 20-25 minutes (optional step for extra smoky jollof rice).
- Add plum tomatoes, red bell peppers, one large onion and one scotch bonnet to blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour vegetable oil into a large or medium pot. It should cover the base of the pot. Once the oil is hot, pour in the blended mixture and cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Add salt to taste, thyme, 3 knorr cubes, curry powder, tomato paste and chicken stock to the pot. Then, stir and cook for another 15 minutes on low to medium heat (see notes).
- Add the rinsed white rice and bay leaves to the saucepan and stir. Then add 3 cups of water to cover the rice and leave to cook on low to medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Check the rice every seven minutes and add one more cup of water if necessary and gently stir to prevent burning.
- Finally, add half of a thinly sliced onion and sliced tomatoes (optional), stir and leave to cook on low heat until done. Serve this delicious Jollof rice with any side of your choice.
Video
Notes
- Stirring: Jollof rice burns when it is stirred too much during cooking on the stove. It also burns when there is not enough water. You should monitor your rice as it cooks, adding more water as necessary to keep the rice grains moist.
- Water: Adding too much water can result in soft mushy jollof rice. It’s a careful balance! With a bit of practice, you’ll get a feel for the exact right amount of water and rice to combine for the dish.
- Rice: If your rice is hard, the grains are probably undercooked. Add more water, bring to a simmer, and continue cooking until the grains are soft and chewy.
- Bay leaf: For a more robust bay leaf flavor add bay leaf to the mixed pepper sauce (step 4) instead of in the last ten minutes (step 6).
Nutrition
Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3.6g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 0.9g | Sodium: 276mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 2.4g | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 5mg