To celebrate this year's Africa Day, we have partnered with The Future Plate to bring you two versions of West Africa’s most celebrated dish - Jollof. With huge thanks to two of The Future Plate's chefs, Opeoluwa Odutayo and William Chilila, we have two Jollof recipes ready and waiting for you to bring the smells, tastes and joy to your own kitchen - creating memories with those closest to you.
NIGERIAN JOLLOF RICE
Prep time 25 mins | Cook time 1 hr 20 mins | 8-10 servings
INGREDIENTS
1kg Easy cook rice
2 large onions
1 can plum tomatoes
2 medium fresh tomatoes
120g Tomato paste
3 large red bell pepper
1 scotch bonnet
3 garlic cloves
15g fresh ginger
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp dried thyme
3 bay leaves
200ml vegetable oil
3 beef/vegetable stock cube
50g unsalted butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
METHOD
Wash fresh produce.
Blend the red bell peppers, tomatoes, scotch bonnet, garlic, ginger and 1 onion to a smooth paste and set aside.
Slice the second onion into rings and fresh tomatoes and set aside Add the cooking oil into a large pot, place on the hob on medium heat, add ½ the sliced onion, and let it fry until clear.
Add the blended pepper, tomato paste, stock cubes, curry powder, and bay leaves. Cover and let it fry until the oil floats to the top. This should take 15 to 20 minutes.
Wash your rice thoroughly to rid it of starch and set aside. When oil floats to the top, add the beef/veg stock. Cover and let cook for another 5 mins.
Add the washed rice. Combine thoroughly, add 50g of butter Note: Do not add any extra liquid at this point.
Cover and let it cook till the rice softens. For 15 to 20 minutes on a low heat.
Stir now and then with a WOODEN spoon, preventing clumps and not breaking the rice up. Add little bits of stock or water as you go, be careful not to add too much.
Note: Jollof rice needs steam to cook and not water, don’t be alarmed if/when the rice begins to burn, it will burn a little, this is what gives it the much-loved smokey flavour.
When the rice is soft enough, add the other half of the sliced onions and sliced tomato and stir. switch off the heat and leave to steam with the residual heat for another minute or two and your Nigerian Jollof is ready.
You can serve it with your choice of protein and fried plantain.
GHANAIAN JOLLOF RICE
Prep Time 30 mins | Cook Time 2 hours | 10 Servings
INGREDIENTS
500g Rice, Golden Stella Basmati Rice Long Grain / Jasmine Rice
1 Onion, peeled and cut in half
1 Scotch bonnet, deseeded
1 Red pepper, deseeded
3 Red tomatoes
2 Thumbs ginger, peeled
3 Cloves garlic
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 Can chopped tomatoes
1 ½ tsp curry powder
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp Onion powder
1 Medium onion, finely diced
3 Sprigs of thyme
2 Bay leaf
200ml Sunflower oil
3 Cups water, mixed with 1 vegetable stock cube
Salt and pepper, to taste
METHOD
Tip the rice in a sieve, rinse under cold water, drain and set aside. Wash fresh ingredients.
Put the red pepper, tomato, onion cut in half, garlic, ginger, and scotch in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Heat the oil in an ovenproof casserole or Dutch pan over a medium heat and start to fry diced onions till lightly brown for 10 min. Add the tomato purée and continue to fry for 5 mins, stirring often.
Add the crushed tomatoes and cook down for a further 10 mins before adding all the dry seasoning and mixing well.Simmer over a low heat until there is a layer of oil on top.
Add the blitzed pepper mixture and fry for 5 mins, before simmering for 35 mins.
Stir in the washed/drained rice and mix well. Pour in the water, stir, and cover with baking paper followed by a lid. Cook for 45 mins on low heat, until the rice is tender.
Check the rice every 20 mins and stir with a fork. If the rice is under cooked, add half cup of water and continue cooking.
After 45 mins allow the rice to rest for 10-15 mins to steam off the heat.
Once rice is rested adjust seasoning, serve with fried Plantains, sliced fresh red onions and tomato.
Enjoy Chale.
The Jollof rice dishes are pictured with the EPIN RERE plates (coming soon - subscribe for updates), IJO tablecloth, ODODO enamel tumblers, and AYO Game.
