Name: Nigerian Jollof Rice
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: نيجيرية
Ingredients: 3 cups long-grain basmati rice; 6 ripe tomatoes; 3 red bell peppers; 2 hot peppers (scotch bonnet, or to taste); 2 onions, one for the sauce, one sliced; 1/3 cup vegetable oil; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tsp curry powder; 1 tsp dried thyme; 2 bay leaves; 2 chicken stock cubes; Salt, to taste; 3 cups chicken stock or water

A celebrated West African rice dish: rice cooked in a rich, spiced tomato and pepper sauce with a signature smoky flavour, a staple at Nigerian celebrations.

خطوات التحضير

Blend the tomatoes, red bell peppers, hot pepper and one onion in a blender until smooth.

Heat the oil in a large pot and sauté the sliced onion until softened.

Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes until its sharp acidity mellows.

Pour in the blended tomato-pepper mixture and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until it reduces and the colour concentrates.

Add the curry powder, thyme, bay leaves, stock cubes and salt, and stir well.

Wash and drain the rice, then add it to the sauce and stir until fully coated.

Pour in the stock or water so it sits about 1 cm above the rice.

Cover the pot tightly and cook over very low heat for 25-30 minutes without opening the lid often, until the rice is cooked and has absorbed all the liquid.

In the last 2 minutes, raise the heat slightly to form a light smoky layer at the bottom without burning it.

Gently fold the rice from bottom to top and serve hot.

نصيحة

Use good-quality, low-moisture basmati rice to avoid clumping grains. Avoid opening the lid too often during the slow cooking stage, as it releases the steam needed to cook the rice evenly.

Jollof rice is one of West Africa's most famous dishes, with several countries such as Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal claiming its origin and the best version, in what is jokingly called the «Jollof wars». The dish is believed to have originated among the Wolof people in the Senegambia region, later spreading and evolving across the region, with the Nigerian version becoming one of the most famous and widely known internationally.

Nigerian jollof rice is distinguished by its rich red sauce made from tomatoes, hot red peppers and onions, in which the rice is cooked directly to absorb all its flavours. The secret to achieving the dish's signature smoky flavour (locally known as «party rice» smokiness) lies in letting the rice touch the bottom of the pot briefly near the end of cooking so it picks up a light smoky aroma without burning. The dish is usually served with grilled chicken or beef and fried plantain at most Nigerian celebrations and gatherings.