Name: Nigerian Jollof Rice
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Nigerian Recipes
Ingredients: 1 tbsp minced ginger; 1 tbsp Jamaican curry powder; 1 tsp dried crayfish; 10 garlic cloves; 3 Maggi beef bouillon cubes; 2 medium plum tomatoes,; 1 red bell pepper; 1 red onion, roughly chopped; 1 habanero, stemmed; 3 tbsp red palm oil; 3 cups purée; 4 cups basmati rice; 2 tsp kosher salt; 6 cups water

RatingDifficultyIntermediate

Yields6 Servings

Prep Time15 minsCook Time45 minsTotal Time1 hr

Jollof rice is a common dish which Nigerians (Nigerian Jollof Rice ) love very much. Although it has practically become a national dish, people of different tribes and communities have their own variations on the recipe. But let me say this first — Jollof rice is an African meal. It's not something that originated in Nigeria or anywhere else in West Africa!

You'll find that most recipes for Jollof Rice calls for spices and not just any spices — but most importantly, it will require Chicken/Beef/Lamb meat with bones as well as other ingredients such as onion/spinach/thyme leaves, tomatoes, garlic (always use garlic), etc…

1 tbsp minced ginger

1 tbsp Jamaican curry powder

1 tsp dried crayfish

10 garlic cloves

3 Maggi beef bouillon cubes

2 medium plum tomatoes, cored and diced

1 red bell pepper—stemmed, cored and roughly chopped

1 red onion, roughly chopped

1 habanero, stemmed

3 tbsp red palm oil

3 cups purée

4 cups basmati rice

2 tsp kosher salt

6 cups water

Create a flavorful purée in your blender with ginger, curry powder, dried crayfish, garlic, bouillon cubes as the base. Add tomatoes and red pepper for sweetness then spice it up with a chopped red onion and habanero! Blend until everything is smooth perfection.

In a medium saucepan, warm up the palm oil over steady heat. Add in your purée and bring it to life with a simmering boil - let this concoction slowly cook until most of the liquid evaporates, revealing an irresistibly sweet sauce coming through after around 20 minutes.

To give the rice a flavor boost, mix in salt and let it absorb into the purée for 5 minutes. Next, pour water over top then bring to a rapid boil before reducing heat to low simmer. Finally finish off by cooking with lid on until all liquid is fully absorbed - about 20-25 minutes will do! Enjoy your tasty creation of Nigerian Jollof Rice!

Take your dish off the stove, gently stir it with a fork and plate up - dinner's ready!

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