Jollof is a classic West African rice dish cooked in a rich tomato and chilli sauce. This Nigerian-style Jollof Rice is spicy, smoky, and packed with bold flavour. Made with long grain rice, blended capsicum, tomatoes and Scotch bonnets, it’s perfect as a side for grilled meat or as a meal on its own.
Category
Dinner
Servings
4
Prep time
10 minutes
Cook time
1 minute
Jollof is a classic West African rice dish cooked in a rich tomato and chilli sauce. This Nigerian-style Jollof Rice is spicy, smoky, and packed with bold flavour. Made with long grain rice, blended capsicum, tomatoes and Scotch bonnets, it’s perfect as a side for grilled meat or as a meal on its own.
Ingredients
-
4 tomatoes
-
3 red capsicum
-
2 red onions
-
5 cloves garlic
-
1 thumbsize piece fresh ginger
-
2 Scotch bonnet chillies
-
100ml peanut oil (or other neutral oil)
-
Sea salt, to season
-
3 tbsp tomato paste
-
500g long grain rice
-
1 tsp curry powder
-
1 tsp dried thyme
-
2 fresh bay leaves
-
1 tsp smoked paprika
-
500ml chicken stock
-
160ml (⅔ cup) water
Directions
Prep the sauce base
Roughly chop the tomatoes, capsicum and 1 of the onions. Smash the garlic cloves, peel and chop the ginger, then halve the chillies and discard the stems.
Transfer it all to a blender and process until smooth.
Cook the sauce
Slice the remaining onion thinly. Heat the oil in a heavy based saucepan over medium heat.
Add the onion, season with some salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the tomato paste and cook for further 2 minutes.
Carefully pour in the mixture from the blender and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally for 35-40 minutes, until the mixture thickens and the oil splits.
Cook the rice
Wash the rice in a bowl of cold water, then drain well. Add to the saucepan, then stir in the curry powder, thyme, bay leaves, paprika and season generously with salt.
Pour in the chicken stock and water and bring to a simmer.
Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 35 minutes, or until the water has absorbed and the rice is tender.
Serve as a side dish with some grilled meat or vegetables.
Recipe notes
Cook support
Stir the sauce regularly whilst it is reducing, to avoid any catching and burning on the base.
Sourcing
Different countries use different rice for their versions….Senegal versions use broken Jasmine rice, Nigerieans may use par-boiled rice, while Ghanaians use long grain Jasmine rice. We opted for a long grain Jasmine.
Substitutions
You can use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock to keep this dish vegetarian if you prefer.
Storage
Store any leftover rice in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 5 days and reheat completely in the microwave.
Serving ideas
This serves as a great side dish for grilled or roasted chicken, alongside some fried plantain chips, or some grilled fish and salad.
