Nigerian Jollof Rice
Jollof Rice is a staple in West African Cuisine; a Chili spiced Tomato based Rice with Onions, Ginger and Red Peppers. The aromatics and veggies are pureed and cooked into the Rice so as far as the kids are concerned, it’s Orange Rice for the win. My parents were born in Nigeria and raised between Nigeria and Lebanon, and the recipes my mother continued to cook are some of my most cherished.
The Habanero Pepper is left whole in the cooking process; the heat doesn’t transfer into the Rice, but the flavor does. Serve kids without the Habanero, but lucky adults can squash the pepper into their Jollof; a little goes a long way. The heat from this dish pairs well with a dollop of Greek Yoghurt although not traditionally eaten this way.
Organic Ingredients, serves 4
3 Breasts Chicken, chopped into bite size pieces
1 Heaped Tsp. each of the following Ground Spices: Paprika, Cumin, Hot Paprika or Aleppo Pepper
1/2 Tsp. White Pepper
1 Heaped Tsp. Celtic Sea Salt
3 Cups Chicken Stock, I’m using Better Than Buillon, 2 tablespoons mixed into 3 cups boiling Water
Approx. 2 Thumbs worth fresh Ginger, peeled (see ingredients photo below for amount)
1 Red Pepper, deseeded and chopped roughly (to be processed)
5 Cloves Garlic, peeled
1 Red Onion, finely diced
1 Tbsp. Ghee or 2 Tbsps. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 x 520gram Jar Crushed Tomatoes
2 Habenero or Scotch Bonnet Peppers, left whole
2 Cups Rice, Basmati or Long Grain, washed
Method
Blitz Red Pepper, Ginger and Garlic in a food processor with a few tablespoons of the Chicken Stock until smooth.
Bring Ghee to medium heat in a saucepan. Add diced Onion and saute for about 5 minutes or until Onions are translucent and starting to brown. Raise heat to high and add in Chicken, Spices and Salt. Saute for a few minutes, mixing until the chicken is mostly white on the outside. Add in blitzed Red Pepper, Garlic and Ginger as well as your Crushed Tomatoes and Chicken Stock. Bring to a boil. Once bubbling, cover and reduce heat to low and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Clean up and wash your Rice.
Uncover your Sauce and slowly stir washed Rice into it, raising heat to high again. Once bubbling, unstick any Rice Grains from the bottom of your pot with a wooden spoon. Leave to bubble for a minute or two while slowly stirring. Cover and reduce heat to low. Leave to cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover the Rice and remove the two Habeneros out of the pot and set aside (you don’t want to crush them by accident). Stir the Jollof Rice a few times and serve immediately.
Don’t cover your pot while the Rice is still hot/warm as you don’t want it to continue to cook in it’s steam and get mushy.
Jollof Rice ingredients, minus Rice
Onions sautéing in Ghee
Sautéed Chicken with Onions and Spices, ready for liquids to be added
Crushed Tomatoes, Red Pepper, Ginger & Garlic, and Chicken Stock added to the mix. This will be left to cook for 20 minutes.
Washed Rice added to the mix. This will be left to cook for 20 minutes.
Once Rice has cooked for 20 minutes in Sauce uncover. Remove Habanero’s carefully and set aside before mixing and serving.
Rice is cooked perfectly, long grains kept in tact.
Serve immediately. It’s my favorite when its first cooked and there’s still a little liquid remaining around the Rice.
Grown ups may want to smash some of the Habanero into their Jollof Rice. A little goes a long way.
The perfect forkful.