Jollof Rice
A beloved West African one-pot rice dish simmered in a richly spiced tomato and pepper sauce. This Nigerian-style version builds deep smoky flavor with a crispy rice bottom called party jollof.
Ingredients
- 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
- 4 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero), stemmed
- 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3 cups gluten-free chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
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1
Combine 4 roughly chopped plum tomatoes, 1 roughly chopped red bell pepper, 1 stemmed Scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero), and half the yellow onion in a blender. Blend until smooth to make the tomato-pepper base.
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2
Heat 1/3 cup vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the remaining diced 1 large yellow onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until softened and starting to turn golden.
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3
Add 1/4 cup tomato paste to the pot and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until it darkens slightly. Pour in the blended tomato-pepper base and cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes until the sauce reduces and deepens in color.
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4
Add 1 tsp curry powder, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Stir well to combine.
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5
Add 2 cups rinsed long-grain white rice to the pot and stir to coat every grain in the tomato sauce.
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6
Pour in 3 cups gluten-free chicken stock (or vegetable stock) and add 2 bay leaves. Stir once, then bring to a boil.
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7
Once boiling, reduce heat to the lowest setting and cover tightly with foil first, then the pot lid. Cook for 25-30 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid is fully absorbed. For the traditional smoky bottom, uncover for the last 3 minutes and raise heat briefly to medium.
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8
Remove the bay leaves, fluff the rice with a fork, and serve hot.