Jollof Rice
Smoky, tomato-red rice cooked in a deeply savory pepper base
- Serves
- 6
- Hands-on
- Total
- Level
- Some skill
Jollof is the celebration rice of West Africa, with a friendly rivalry over whose is best. This version follows the Nigerian style: long-grain rice cooked slowly in a blended base of tomatoes, red peppers and Scotch bonnet that has been fried until sweet and concentrated, letting the bottom catch slightly for a smoky edge.
Ingredients
Pepper base
- 1 canplum tomatoes (14 oz)400 g
- 2red peppersseeded and roughly chopped
- 1onionlarge, roughly chopped
- 1Scotch bonnet chiliseeded for less heat; or 1 habanero
- 3 clovesgarlic
- 20 gfresh ginger (1 in piece)
Rice
- 90 mlneutral oil (6 tbsp)
- 1onionmedium, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsptomato paste
- 2 tspcurry powdera mild West African or Caribbean-style blend
- 1 tspdried thyme
- 2bay leaves
- 500 glong-grain parboiled rice (2½ cups)or basmati
- 750 mlChicken Stock (3 cups)or store-bought; vegetable stock also works
- 10 gfine sea salt (1¾ tsp)plus more to taste
- 30 gunsalted butter (2 tbsp)
- 1tomatosliced, for the top (optional)
- Diet
- Gluten-free
- Allergens
- milk, celery
- Origin
- West Africa
Method
- Blend the pepper base ingredients until very smooth.
- Rinse the rice in several changes of water until it runs almost clear, then drain well.
- Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Fry the sliced onion until soft and starting to brown, 6–8 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and fry, stirring, until it darkens to brick red, 3 minutes.
- Pour in the blended base with the curry powder, thyme and bay. Fry at a steady simmer, stirring often, until reduced by about half, thick and darker, and the oil rises to the surface, 20–25 minutes. This is the flavor; do not rush it.
- Add the stock and salt and bring to a boil. Taste: it should be well seasoned. Stir in the rice so it is evenly submerged.
- Cover with a layer of foil or baking paper under the lid to trap the steam. Cook on the lowest heat for 30 minutes, without stirring.
- Uncover. The rice should be almost tender. Lay the butter and tomato slices on top, re-cover and cook 5–10 minutes more, until the rice is tender and the liquid gone. If you like the smoky 'party' edge, turn the heat up for the last 3 minutes until you smell toasting from the bottom.
- Rest 5 minutes, then fold gently from the bottom with a fork, so the slightly toasted base mixes through. Remove the bay leaves.
Why it works
Frying the blended base until it splits from the oil drives off water and caramelizes the sugars in the tomatoes and peppers, which is where jollof's depth comes from. The rice cooks mostly in steam under a tight seal, so the grains stay separate instead of breaking up. The slight scorching on the base adds the smoky note people prize in party jollof.
Common mistakes
- Under-frying the pepper base: raw tomato tastes sharp and thin.
- Too much liquid: jollof should be separate grains, not porridge. Add a splash of water only if the rice is still hard and dry.
- Stirring while it cooks: it breaks the grains.
Variations
- With chicken
- Serve with roast or grilled chicken thighs, such as Piri-Piri Chicken, and fried plantain.
Make ahead and storage
Keeps 3 days in the fridge (cool within 1 hour) and freezes well for 3 months. Reheat with a splash of water, covered.
Notes
Parboiled (converted) rice is forgiving and stays separate. Some curry powders contain mustard or celery; check the label. Many stock cubes contain celery and gluten; check labels. With vegetable stock and oil instead of butter, the dish is vegan.
