MyWeku

Chi Chi’s Jollof Rice

Jollof rice is a very popularly eaten rice dish in West Africa. It is rice cooked in a spicy tomato sauce and is usually served with meats and sometimes a side dish of fried plantains, or moi moi and a basic side salad.

INGREDIENTS500g of easy cook pre fluffed rice
2 onions
400g of tined plum tomatoes
1 or 2 scotch bonnet chillies
100ml of peanut or vegetable oil
4 maggi cubes
2 tsp of curry powder (optional)
4 cloves of garlic (optional)
1 inch of ginger (optional)

COOKING UTENSILS
A large pot that can hold 5 litres of fluid
A knife and chopping board
A liquidizer
A wooden cooking spoon
A large mixing bowl

1) Peel and slice your 2 large onions, and chop your garlic.

2) In your blender, add your tomatoes with your 1 chilli as well as your chopped ginger and liquidize them all together in your blender.

3) Pour 100 ml of oil in a pot and place it on a medium heat.

4) Once your oil has heated up in the pan, add your sliced onions to the hot oil and simmer for 3 minutes before adding your chopped garlic for another 2 minutes. It should start to soften by now and starting to turn a little golden brown

5) Add your liquidized tomatoes, ginger and chilli to your frying onions and, add the maggie cubes and curry powder to your sauce and simmer for 15 minutes on a medium heat. You will need to stir it every five minutes as it may start to thicken as the moisture content of the sauce dries up over the 15 minutes that it cooks.

6) Wash your rice, drain it and add it to your reduced simmering tomato sauce. Thoroughly mix the washed rice into your thick sauce and add enough boiling water to cover the surface of the rice with 1 inch of water. Taste and add more salt if you need it.

7) Now cover your pot and let it cook till most of the water has dried out, approximately 15 – 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to a low medium heat and once all the liquid has dried out, your rice should be ready. If it is still a little hard, add a bit more water and let it cook for a few minutes more. Once cooked, use a wooden spoon to mix your rice a little letting the air get into the rice to allow it to swell and fluff up a little more. It is now ready to serve with fried chicken or plantain and a side salad. Enjoy.

For more on Chi Chi’s  journey exploring, discovering and learning about African cuisine visit her website at Africancooking.co.uk