Jollof rice

Serves: 6

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Jollof Rice is probably the most famous West African dish. It’s long-grain rice spiced up with tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, garlic, and thyme, then simmered in a delicious chicken broth Centuries ago, the Wolof or Jolof people (from the Senegambian region) created the rice dish. Back in the mid-1400s, the Portuguese introduced tomatoes, and the local people put them to good use.

Ingredients

• 3 cups long-grain brown rice
• 2 plump tomatoes, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• ¼ cup oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper
• 1 teaspoon bouillon powder or cube
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• Salt, to taste

Preparation

1. Wash the rice and set it aside. Add tomato, bell pepper, half of the onion in a blender, and puree until smooth.
2. Heat your oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the remaining chopped onions, garlic, and thyme and saute for about 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent and slightly caramelized.
3. Then add tomato paste and cook for about 3 minutes. Add in pureed tomato mixture and cook while stirring for about 15-20 minutes.
4. Add washed rice, bay leaf, Scotch bonnet, bouillon powder, chicken broth, and water. Give everything a generous stir, then season with salt to taste.
5. Bring the liquids to a rolling boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Allow rice to cook until tender and fluffy (about 30-40 minutes)
6. Turn off heat, allow the rice to cool for about 10 minutes, then fluff rice using a fork.
7. Serve with grilled chicken or meat.