Jollof rice is a one pot rice dish typically made with tomatoes, onions, and spices. It is popular in West Africa and throughout the African diaspora. It si usually served as side dish.
Ingredients
Instructions
Rinse the rice in cold water until it runs almost clear, then drain well.
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Fry the onion, tomatoes, garlic, seasoning, bell pepper, and chili, if using, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the onion starts to take color and the tomatoes break down. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly.
Pour in the tomato sauce and simmer over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and the oil begins to separate at the edges.
Add the rice and stir for 3 to 5 minutes, until every grain is coated with the sauce. Pour in the liquid, add the bay leaf, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and stir once.
Cover the pot tightly, with a sheet of foil under the lid if it does not fit well, lower the heat to low, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Avoid lifting the lid more than once or twice.
Remove from the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf, fluff with a fork, and serve immediately.
Notes
Jollof rice can be made with just about any type of rice, from long grain to parboiled, but the type affects the result. Parboiled rice produces a firmer and more aromatic dish than regular long grain, and it may need a little more liquid and a few more minutes of cooking.
The tomatoes and onions are stewed until they have broken down into a thick sauce that coats the rice, and this step is where most of the flavor develops, so do not rush it.
If you do not have tomato sauce, substitute a 16 oz can of chopped tomatoes blended with a little onion and 1 more tablespoon of tomato paste. Add a pinch of sugar to offset the acidity of the tomatoes.
If the liquid is gone before the rice is tender, sprinkle in a few tablespoons of hot broth or water, cover again, and cook a few more minutes. If you like the slightly toasted layer that forms at the bottom of the pot, let the rice rest undisturbed over very low heat for the last few minutes.
Variations
Vegetables, chicken, meat, or fish can be added. For chicken, brown the pieces first and stew them in the sauce until nearly cooked before adding the rice. For vegetables, green beans, peas, and diced carrots are a classic combination.
Herbs and spices such as ginger, cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme, and cumin are often added with the garlic and bay leaf, and in some regions cooks season with curry powder.
Nigerian versions often use parboiled rice and scotch bonnet peppers, and party jollof is traditionally cooked outdoors over a wood fire, which gives it a smoky flavor and a crusty bottom layer.
Source
Jollof rice most likely originated in Senegambia, the homeland of the Wolof people, who gave the dish its name. It is generally considered a descendant of ceebu jën (thieboudienne), the Senegalese rice-and-fish dish from Saint-Louis that UNESCO added to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2021.
The modern tomato-based version is thought to date from the 19th century at the earliest, when tomatoes, curry powder, and imported broken rice became common in West African kitchens. The dish spread across the region and is also known as benachin and riz gras, among other names. Nigeria and Ghana each claim the best version in a friendly rivalry known as the "jollof wars," and World Jollof Day has been celebrated every August 22 since 2015.