Main
Nigerian-style jollof rice
- Preparation time
- 1 h 10
- Servings
- serves 6
Ingredients
- Rice — to buy500 g
- Tomato — to buy4
- Onion — to buy2
- Bell pepper — to buy1
- Chili pepper — to buy1
- Palm oil — to buy4 tbsp
- Tomato paste — to buy2 tbsp
- Stock — to buy500 ml
- Feuille de laurier — to buy2 leaves
- Salt — to buy1 tsp
Preparation
Blend the tomatoes, half the onion, the bell pepper and one chilli until smooth: this is the base that will flavour the whole pot of rice.
Heat the palm oil in a large pot and cook the rest of the sliced onion for 5 minutes until translucent.
Add the tomato paste and cook for 3-4 minutes stirring, until it loses its raw acidity and darkens slightly: this step keeps the jollof from tasting sour.
Pour in the blended tomato mixture, add the stock, bay leaves and salt, bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes so the sauce reduces and concentrates.
Add the rinsed rice, mix well to coat it in sauce, cover and cook over very low heat for 25-30 minutes without lifting the lid, until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is tender.
Let it rest off the heat, lid still on, for 10 minutes: the trapped steam finishes cooking the top layer of grains.
Fluff with a fork and serve piping hot, with grilled chicken or vegetables.