Jollof Rice: The West African Dish Everyone’s Talking About

Jollof rice is a flavorful and aromatic dish that is popular in west Africa , Particular in Ghana and Nigeria.

In this article I am going to give a simple recipe to try

But let’s begin with the ingredients first

_2 cups long grain rice

_1 onion finely chopped

_2 cloves of garlic, minced

_1 red bell pepper , diced

_1 can of diced tomatoes or you could use 4 fresh tomatoes, blended

_2 tablespoons tomato paste

_1 teaspoon thyme “for aromatic flavor”

_1 teaspoon curry powder

_2 bay leaves

_ salt and pepper to taste

So if you want your jollof rice to look more attractive and to add some protein , you could use chicken, beef , or shrimp.

Let’s get practical with these ingredients shall we ,

1. Rinse the rice in cold water and set aside

2. In a large pot , heat some oil and saute the onions, garlic, curry powder, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine

3. Add the blended tomatoes, tomato paste , thyme, curry powder , bay leaves, salt and pepper . Stir to combine .

4. If using protein, add it to the pot and cook it until it’s almost done .

5. Add the rice to the pot and stir to coat it with the tomato mixture .

6. Add enough water to cover the rice , about 1 inch above the rice level

7. Cover the pot and simmer on low heat until the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed, about 20-25 minutes

8. Once cooked , fluff the rice with a fork and serve hot with your favorite sides

Feel free to adjust the recipe to your taste preferences and experiment with different ingredients. Enjoy your jollof rice adventure.