← Nouns Cooking · West & East African

Ingredients

• 3 red peppers, deseeded and chopped
• 3 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, stem removed; use half for less heat
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 3 cm piece Ginger, peeled
• 125 ml Vegetable oil
• 1 Onion, thinly sliced
• 70 g tomato purée (about 4 tbsp)
• 1 tbsp Curry powder
• 2 tsp Dried thyme
• 2 Bay leaves
• ½ tsp White pepper
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 750 ml hot chicken stock
• 600 g long-grain parboiled rice, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp Butter (optional)
• 1 tomato and onion slices, to finish, sliced (optional)

Method

1. Blend the pepper-base ingredients with 4 tbsp water until smooth.
2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat and fry the sliced onion for 3 min until soft. Add the tomato purée and fry for 5 min, stirring, until it darkens to a deep brick red.
3. Pour in the blended peppers, add the curry powder, thyme, bay leaves and white pepper, and cook uncovered for 20–25 min, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened and the oil rises to the top. This frying is the secret of good jollof.
4. Add the hot stock and salt and bring to the boil. Stir in the rice so it is just covered by the liquid.
5. Cover the pot with foil and then the lid to trap the steam. Cook on the lowest heat for 25–30 min, without stirring, until the rice is tender. If it is still hard but dry, sprinkle over a few spoonfuls of stock and cover again.
6. For the smoky "party" flavour, turn the heat up for the last 2–3 min to lightly toast the bottom (do not let it burn). Stir in the butter and the tomato and onion slices, if using, cover and rest for 5 min before serving.

Tips

• Use vegetable stock and skip the butter for a vegan jollof. Check stock cubes for wheat if you need it gluten-free.
• Cool leftover rice quickly, refrigerate within an hour and reheat only once until piping hot.
• Wear gloves to cut or blend scotch bonnets, keep your hands away from your eyes and wash the board, knife and blender well afterwards.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Chef Lola's Kitchen BBC Good Food 196 flavors