JOLLOF Rice, also called Jollof, is a classic dish that is popular in West African countries, especially in Nigeria. It is made with rice, tomatoes, onions, tomato paste, bell pepper, scotch bonnet pepper, salt, seasoning and spices. Jollof used to be a celebration dish popularly called "party rice," but it has now become a staple in many households.
Over the years, there has been a lot of rivalry between different African countries as regards who has the best Jollof recipe. Without a doubt, I take a stand that Nigeria takes the lead while others follow. In fact, no country comes close to Nigeria when we talk about Jollof. Today I have come up with 5 easy steps in making Nigerian Jollof.
What do you need?
Tomatoes, bell pepper and scotch bonnet pepper (smoothly blended)
2 medium-sized onions (neatly sliced)
¼ cup of groundnut oil
1 sachet of Jollof paste mix/ tomato paste
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups of chicken stock
2 teaspoons curry powder and thyme
2 knorr stock cubes
Spices
3 cups of parboiled rice
5 bay leaves
Carrot
2 teaspoons margarine
Water
How to make Nigerian Jollof
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Place a medium-sized pot over a burning gas cooker and add the groundnut oil. Allow it to heat for 3 minutes, add 2 tsp of margarine, the sliced onions and fry until soft. Then proceed to add tomato paste or Jollof paste mix and fry for 2-3 minutes.
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Add the curry powder, thyme and ½ cube of Knorr, stir properly and add the smoothly blended tomato and pepper. This should be covered and allowed to fry for about 10-15 minutes.
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After 15 minutes, add chicken stock, salt, ½ cube of Knorr, ginger and garlic spice. Cover the pot and allow the mix to boil properly.
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Next is to add your parboiled rice to the mix, stir properly, add little water, bay leaf and cover the pot. Allow the rice to cook on medium-low heat until soft.
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Add carrot, green peas, sliced onions stir with a wooden stick and allow the rice to burn just a tiny bit. LOL, I guess burning the Jollof is the secret magic of a sumptuous Nigerian Jollof.
Extra tip: Serve with grilled chicken, salad, plantain and orange juice.
