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Per serving
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- 1
Blend the pepper base
Roughly chop the tomatoes, red bell peppers, and Scotch bonnets, then blend them until completely smooth. This fiery red puree is the soul of jollof, so don't rush it. If you want a milder pot, use just one Scotch bonnet (or swap in a habanero) and scrape out the seeds first.
- 2
Sweat the onion
Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook about 5 minutes, stirring, until soft and translucent.
- 3
Bloom the garlic and tomato paste
Stir in the minced garlic and the tomato paste. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens a shade and smells deep and sweet rather than raw.
- 4
Fry the base (the most important step)
Pour in the blended pepper puree. Bring it to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium and cook 20 to 30 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens, darkens to a brick-red, and you see the oil separating at the edges. This long fry is what gives real jollof its concentrated, smoky-sweet flavor, so give it the full time.
- 5
Build the cooking liquid
Add the vegetable stock, curry powder, dried thyme, crumbled bouillon cube, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and let it bubble, uncovered, for 5 minutes so the flavors come together.
- 6
Add the rice
Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear, then stir it into the pot along with the bay leaves. Stir just once to settle the grains into the sauce, then let it come to a gentle boil for 1 to 2 minutes, uncovered.
- 7
Low and slow
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot tightly, and let it cook undisturbed for 20 to 25 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Resist the urge to stir, which makes the rice gummy. If you're brave, let the bottom catch slightly for that prized smoky party-jollof layer.
- 8
Steam and fluff
Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered another 10 to 12 minutes to steam. Remove the bay leaves, fluff gently with a fork, and taste for salt. If any grains are still firm and the pot is dry, sprinkle in 2 to 4 tablespoons of stock or water, cover, and steam 5 more minutes.
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Nigerian Jollof Rice
Created by: SpiceRouteCooks
Ingredients
- 4 Roma tomatoes
- 2 red bell peppers
- 2 Scotch bonnet peppers
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 1/4 cup vegetable stock
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube
- 2 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 bay leaves
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Blend the pepper baseRoughly chop the tomatoes, red bell peppers, and Scotch bonnets, then blend them until completely smooth. This fiery red puree is the soul of jollof, so don't rush it. If you want a milder pot, use just one Scotch bonnet (or swap in a habanero) and scrape out the seeds first.
- Sweat the onionHeat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook about 5 minutes, stirring, until soft and translucent.
- Bloom the garlic and tomato pasteStir in the minced garlic and the tomato paste. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens a shade and smells deep and sweet rather than raw.
- Fry the base (the most important step)Pour in the blended pepper puree. Bring it to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium and cook 20 to 30 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens, darkens to a brick-red, and you see the oil separating at the edges. This long fry is what gives real jollof its concentrated, smoky-sweet flavor, so give it the full time.
- Build the cooking liquidAdd the vegetable stock, curry powder, dried thyme, crumbled bouillon cube, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and let it bubble, uncovered, for 5 minutes so the flavors come together.
- Add the riceRinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear, then stir it into the pot along with the bay leaves. Stir just once to settle the grains into the sauce, then let it come to a gentle boil for 1 to 2 minutes, uncovered.
- Low and slowReduce the heat to low, cover the pot tightly, and let it cook undisturbed for 20 to 25 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Resist the urge to stir, which makes the rice gummy. If you're brave, let the bottom catch slightly for that prized smoky party-jollof layer.
- Steam and fluffTurn off the heat and leave the pot covered another 10 to 12 minutes to steam. Remove the bay leaves, fluff gently with a fork, and taste for salt. If any grains are still firm and the pot is dry, sprinkle in 2 to 4 tablespoons of stock or water, cover, and steam 5 more minutes.