Have you been wondering “how to prepare jollof rice”? There have been many debates over the origin of jollof rice, with both Nigeria and Ghana claiming to be the authentic owners of the dish. However, it’s believed that jollof rice originated from the Wolof people of Senegal and Gambia.
It’s a popular delicacy believed to have been around since the 19th century. “Jollof”, a staple of West African cuisine, is derived from the Wolof language in Senegal, means “one pot.”
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It’s also popular in Caribbean countries such as Jamaica. Jollof rice is sometimes referred to as “rice and peas.” It’s a versatile dish that is adaptable to many cultural tastes. Nigerian jollof rice is prepared with goat meat, while in Senegal, it’s commonly prepared with fish.
Below, I take you through a step-by-step process on how to prepare jollof rice.
How Do You Prepare Jollof Rice?
As established, jollof rice originates from the Senegambia region of West Africa, particularly Senegal. They refer to this meal as thieboudienne or ceebu jen.
The most important aspect of jollof rice is the stew or tomato sauce, which is prepared using: Fresh tomatoes
- Red onions
- Tomato paste
- Spices
- Vegetable oil
- Red bell pepper
Let’s look at the list of ingredients below.
Ingredients
The best jollof rice is prepared using a mixture of rice, oil, onions, vegetables, tomatoes, and different types of pepper. If you want a mild taste, go for the red bell pepper. If you want spicy jollof rice, use the habanero pepper or the scotch bonnet pepper. You can also use a variety of spices, depending on the type of protein you choose to cook with.
You can add cloves, rosemary, or curry when using meat or chicken. Other ingredients include chicken spice, salt to taste, and dried aromatic herbs such as bay leaves, thyme, or mixed herbs.
For example, when cooking for a family of 5, you’ll need approximately:
- 20 pieces of fresh tomatoes
- 3 pieces of large onions
- Cloves of garlic
- Fresh pepper
- 750 to 800g of chicken or beef
- ½ tablespoon of whole cloves
- Cooking Oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Some fresh ginger
- Tomato puree (tomato paste)
- 1 seasoning cube/bouillon cube (or salt to taste)
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 2 cups long-grain rice (local or Thai jasmine rice)
- 2 cups broth
- ½ cup mixed carrots, green beans and peas (optional).
Remember to wash these ingredients.
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Step-By-Step Process of Making Ghanaian Jollof Rice
As a Ghanaian, I’ll provide detailed documentation on how to prepare Ghanaian jollof rice. And then, provide a summary of how to prepare Nigerian jollof rice. Remember, the process is almost identical but there are subtle but important differences.
Jollof is typically cooked with a blend of spices like garlic, ginger, and cumin and served with a variety of proteins, such as chicken, beef, or fish.
The most important aspect of jollof rice is the stew or tomato sauce. Then comes rice, such as local rice or long-grain rice like Thai jasmine or Basmati rice.
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- First, blend two onions, ginger, garlic, fresh peppers, and cloves. Then use a portion to season your beef or chicken.
- Add seasoning cube/bouillon cube (or salt to taste) and 1 teaspoon thyme to the chicken or beef and put to boil.
- Blend the fresh tomatoes and slice the remaining onion.
- Heat the oil and then add sliced onions. Stir for two minutes and then add the blended ginger, onion, fresh pepper, garlic and cloves. Stir for a minute. To the mixture, add tomato paste and stir properly and allow to cook for a few minutes.
- Add fresh tomatoes and leave to boil.
- Check on the beef, or chicken and stir slightly, then separate each from the stock when cooked.
- Add the stock to the sauce on fire and stir.
- Preheat oil in a saucepan and fry cooked beef or chicken, turning occasionally until it’s golden brown. While at it, check on the sauce and correct the seasoning (cube/bouillon cube (or salt to taste).
- Stir to boil and then cover for a few minutes.
- When cooked, you’ll notice that the oil will gather at the top of the sauce.
- Add a cup of water. Wash and add the rice. Stir and leave to boil on low heat.
- After 10 minutes, check and stir carefully.
- Add a little or ¼ cup of water if the Jollof is hard. Cover to cook.
- After a few minutes, cover with a clean napkin right above the rice to lock in moisture and add natural cooking pressure. Close with the lid. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
- Once simmering nicely and the moisture has nearly all gone, add the peas, green beans and carrots and stir. Remember, this step is optional but it’s necessary for a balanced diet.
- The result of this recipe for Ghanaian jollof rice brings you a brightly colored red/orange rice dish with a beautiful spice. You wouldn’t imagine that boiling plain rice in the same pot as peppers, tomatoes, and herbs would create such soft, yet crisp tomato-stained grains, with so much sweetness locked inside them.
- Once ready, serve hot with your fried chicken or beef.
- You can also serve it with Shito (a pepper-based sauce), enjoyed with a healthy range of other condiments such as salads, avocado and deep-fried ripe plantains.
Nigerian Jollof Rice?
Cooks usually prepare this stew by frying onions and adding tomato paste or puree to enrich the sauce. They add tomato, garlic, pepper, and ginger to the mixture, along with some spices. Once all the ingredients are mixed, the sauce is a thick and rich red mixture. Add rice to the sauce and leave it to cook for a few minutes.
Uncle Ben’s style rice, easy cook rice, and Golden Sella Basmati rice are popular in Nigeria because of their plump and separated grain characteristics. This is rice that’s been parboiled in the husk before milling. It results in a stiffer grain that doesn’t stick together when cooked.
Then, add the protein of your choice to the dish. Frequently, fried plantains, steamed vegetables, coleslaw, and salad are served with it.
Can You Cook Jollof Rice in Europe?- The Case of Taltis Foods
Jollof rice is internationally recognised, perhaps because of the Jollof Wars between Nigeria and Ghana. Additionally, the establishment of African restaurants in Western countries has increased its popularity.
While there are several “Jollof mixtures” available, the most significant addition of this is a ready-made Jollof sauce recipe by a Cameroonian entrepreneur, Gilles Tchiana. Tchiana’s jollof rice recipe won him an investment of $600,000 from Dragon Den’s Wes Hall, increasing jollof rice’s popularity.
His recipe is important for Africans craving a taste of their local foods. Finding ingredients to prepare jollof rice overseas is difficult. With this sauce, all you need is your broth and rice, and then bingo! Your jollof rice is ready.
If you’re African in Canada, you can always go to Taltis Foods if you can’t find the ingredients or don’t have time to prepare jollof rice in the traditional way.
Now it’s clear that jollof rice originates from Senegal. Have you tasted jollof rice from various West African countries? Who cooks the best jollof rice? 😀
Preparation – Video
Sweet Adjeley is one of Ghana’s most celebrated food vloggers. With over 1M subscribers on Youtube, Sweet Adjeley has various tutorials and recipes on various dishes locally and internationally. If you haven’t subscribed to her channel yet, do so, for you’re missing a lot!
Jollof Rice
Ingredients
- 20 pieces of fresh tomatoes
- 3 pieces of large onions
- 3 Cloves of garlic
- 5 pcs Fresh pepper
- 750 to 800 g of chicken or beef
- ½ tsp of whole cloves
- ½ cup Cooking Oil
- 2 Cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger
- 1/2 cup Tomato puree tomato paste
- 1 seasoning cube/bouillon cube or salt to taste
- 1 tsp thyme
- 2 cups long-grain rice local or Thai jasmine
- 2 cups broth
- ½ cup mixed carrots green beans and peas (optional).
Instructions
- First, blend two onions, ginger, garlic, fresh peppers, and cloves. Then use a portion to season your beef or chicken
- Add seasoning cube/bouillon cube (or salt to taste) and 1 teaspoon thyme to the chicken or beef and put to boil
- Blend the fresh tomatoes and slice the remaining onion
- Heat the oil and then add sliced onions. Stir for two minutes and then add the blended ginger, onion, fresh pepper, garlic and cloves. Stir for a minute. To the mixture, add tomato paste and stir properly and allow to cook for a few minutes.
- Add fresh tomatoes and leave to boil
- Check on the beef, or chicken and stir slightly then separate each from the stock when cooked
- Add the stock to the sauce on fire and stir
- Preheat oil in a saucepan and fry cooked beef or chicken, turning occasionally until it’s golden brown. While at it, check on the sauce and correct the seasoning (cube/bouillon cube (or salt to taste)
- Stir to boil and then cover for a few minutes
- When cooked, you’ll notice that the oil will gather at the top of the sauce
- Add a cup of water. Wash and add the rice. Stir and leave to boil on low heat
- After 10 minutes, check and stir carefully
- Add a little or ¼ cup of water if the Jollof is hard. Cover to cook
- After a few minutes, cover with a clean napkin right above the rice to lock in moisture and add natural cooking pressure. Close with the lid. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
- Once simmering nicely and the moisture has nearly all gone, add the peas, green beans and carrots and stir. Remember, this step is optional but it’s necessary for a balanced diet.
- The result of this recipe for Ghanaian jollof rice brings you a brightly colored red/orange rice dish with a beautiful spice. You wouldn’t imagine that boiling plain rice in the same pot as peppers, tomatoes, and herbs would create such soft, yet crisp tomato-stained grains, with so much sweetness locked inside them.
- Once ready, serve hot with your fried chicken or beef.
- You can also serve it with Shito (a pepper-based sauce), enjoyed with a healthy range of other condiments such as salads, avocado and deep-fried ripe plantains.
Video
Nutrition
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