Seeking Flavorful Rice? Jollof Is the Answer

You’ve likely had jollof rice — as recipe developer and author Kiano Moju writes in her new book, Africali, “Jollof is the most famous West African dish.” But sampling jollof just once or twice doesn’t even cover a fraction of what’s available: “Originally hailing from Senegambia, each West African nation has its interpretation of the dish.” But these various renditions all have something in common (besides being delicious): “The foundation of the dish is rice cooked in a tomato-based stew.”

Moju’s jollof recipe is specifically tailored to her own background and personal tastes: “A signature of Nigerian jollof is the addition of red peppers. Nigerian party jollof typically has a smoky finish, but I prefer the stew flavors to shine through, so this recipe is finished in the oven.”

Before launching into cooking, Moju reminds you to consider how you’ll eat the rice. “For many people,” she writes, “jollof is arguably a main dish, but I prefer to serve it alongside a roasted or stewed protein.” Whatever route you choose, we suspect you’re going to have a fabulous time.

Jollof Rice Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 2 medium red bell peppers
• 2 small to medium red onions
• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon Garlic Ginger Paste
• 1 fresh very hot chili pepper, such as habanero or Scotch bonnet
• ⅓ cup oil (50:50 avocado oil and palm oil, or all avocado oil)
• Few sprigs fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 2½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 teaspoons Curry Powder
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• Fine sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and place the rack on the bottom shelf.
2. In a fine mesh strainer or a large bowl, wash the rice under cold water until the water runs nearly clear. This step may need to be repeated two or more times until the water is mostly clear.
3. Roughly chop the bell peppers and onions. Add the tomatoes with their liquid to a blender, then add the bell peppers, onions, garlic ginger paste, and chili pepper (remove the seeds for a milder flavor) and puree until smooth. 
4. Pour the stew base into a braising pot with a fitted lid. Cook uncovered over medium heat, occasionally stirring, until the water has cooked off, 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Add the oil and “fry” the sauce until it has thickened and slightly darkened in color, 5 to 10 minutes. The stew is ready when the tomatoes have sweetened and the stew is no longer runny.
6. Pick off the leaves from the thyme sprig and discard the stems. Stir in the thyme leaves, chicken stock, curry powder, and paprika. Bring to a simmer and season with salt to taste. Stir in the washed rice, seal tightly with foil, cover with the pot lid, and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to steam for 10 minutes. Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork before serving.

Tip: If you don’t have foil, use parchment paper. Sealing the pot this way is essential for properly steaming the rice.

Excerpted from AfriCali. Copyright © 2024, Kiano Moju. Photography Copyright © 2023 by Kristin Teig. Reproduced with permission from Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, LLC. All rights reserved.