Jollof rice is a popular one-pot rice and tomato dish in West African cuisine. All countries, regions, and even families have different ways of making the dish. This is a foolproof recipe for cooking Jollof rice, West Africa’s most popular dish.
This recipe comes from Agatha Achindu, who says she is as qualified as anyone else to speak on Jollof Rice, as her mother was Nigerian and her father was Cameroonian. This is her very favorite Jollof Rice, her mother's Coconut Jollof Rice with carrots and green beans. As she explains, this isn't just your everyday rice dish - this is Party Jollof Rice.
In Agatha's recipe, once everything is chopped and prepared, the dish comes together with just 29 minutes of total cooking time, from the first onion to the final steam. (Add a 10-minute rest at the end too!). This recipe is one of the easiest to make.
About Agatha Achindu
Agatha was born and raised in a seaside town of Cameroon, where fresh fish was roasted by the shore daily. Together, Agatha’s forward-thinking parents instilled in her a belief in her own potential and the power of education and her community taught her all that food could be: a time of happiness, connection, health, and healing.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
When it comes to the art of cooking Jollof Rice, you will always work with two cornerstone ingredients: Tomatoes and Rice.
- Tomatoes: Agatha's recipe uses fresh, chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. If you don't have either, substitute the total amount with canned, crushed tomatoes or tomato puree.
- Type of Rice: Agatha calls for basmati rice. A long grain rice choice is a bit more delicate than the traditional option of parboiled rice. Careful not to overcook the rice.
Several things make this Jollof Rice different than any others. Here are the ingredients that give the distinctive taste of Agatha's Coconut Jollof Rice from Cameroon.
- Coconut flavoring is achieved through coconut oil and coconut milk. If you don't have coconut milk on hand, replace with equal amounts of meat stock (chicken or beef) or even water (but add a little more salt).
- Fresh ginger gives a zing to this tomato stew and, along with the scallions, perfectly complement the coconut.
- Garlic really complements the other flavors in this one.
- Basil is the perfect sweet complement to the coconut, shrimp, and ginger. Many recommend white pepper. Start with a teaspoon and add with the tomatoes. Cook and add more to taste.
In addition to the special flavors added to Agatha's Party Jollof rice, she uses ingredients common to almost all versions:
- Chicken broth (chicken stock): Feel free to substitute with beef, vegetable, or seafood stock.
- Seasoning cubes: Agatha recommends Better than Bouillon or coconut aminos.
- Sea salt
- Bay leaves: Add these from the very beginning, with the onions and leeks, so the flavor infuses everything along the way.
- Onion: Agatha calls for red onion, leeks, and scallions. Each of these adds something special, but if you're lacking any of them, go with regular yellow onions.
- Cooking oil: Agatha calls for coconut oil, but you can use vegetable oil. A few drops of liquid smoke can enhance the smoky taste that some find essential in their Jollof Rice.
Cameroonian Jollof Rice - Best Jollof Rice Recipe Ever - Precious Kitchen - Ep 46
Keys to the Best Jollof Rice Recipe
The rice MUST be cooked correctly, with every grain separate and not mushy. Here are a few tips to achieve this:
- Soak the basmati rice in cold water to remove excess starch and any dust or impurities.
- Tightly cover the lid so no steam can escape.
- You can freeze the Jollof Rice, as long as it is adequately cooked and there is no excess liquid. If your Jollof Rice is stew-like, it will get extra runny and the rice will be mushy when defrosted.
Recipe: Cameroonian Veggie Jollof
Rice cooked in a spicy flavor packed tomato base sauce, loaded with lots of vegetables. This is how my mama taught me to make Cameroonian Jollof Rice. It is guaranteed to give you a great-tasting and awesome-looking rice when you try it.
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Ingredients:
- Rice
- Tomato sauce
- Canola oil
- Diced onions
- Parsley
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Habanero
- Carrots
- Peppers
Instructions:
- Empty can of tomato sauce into a medium to large skillet. Add 1/4 cup of water and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cook for about 5 minutes then add canola oil and diced onions. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Blend tomato, parsley, onions, garlic , ginger and habanero with a little water. Add into skillet , cover and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Season with salt to taste ( you should season a little over ). Add carrots and peppers and a cup and a half of water.
- Rinse rice with lukewarm water and add into skillet. Stir, cover and reduce hear.
Another Cameroonian Jollof Rice Recipe
Here's another recipe for Cameroonian Jollof Rice, emphasizing the separate cooking of rice and sauce, a unique method passed down through generations.
First, choose the right rice. Parboiled rice (also called “Uncle Ben’s” is ideal. It hardly crumbles and turns into “potopoto” (something mushy). It looks finer than other kinds of rice and will not easily get sticky. Not every rice will make a good ingredient for Jollof.
Secondly, don’t cook your spices with the rice right from the beginning.
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Ingredients:
- Parboiled rice
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Basil
- Celery
- Parsley
- Habanero pepper (optional)
- Meat (beef)
- Onions
- Pureed tomatoes
- Tomato sauce
- White pepper (optional)
- Beef stock
- Seasoning cubes (Maggi)
- Green onions
- Carrots
- Green beans
- Green pepper
Instructions:
- Combine the garlic, ginger, basil, celery, parsley, and habanero pepper (if using) in a blender. Add half a cup of water and blend into a puree.
- Place meat in a small pot. Add 1-2 cups of water. Add in a quarter teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of chopped onions and 1 tablespoon of the blended spices. Let it cook for 10 minutes. Then strain meat from the stock and set stock aside for use later.
- Cut the meat into little bits (a quarter inch thick each). Sprinkle a pinch of salt on the chopped beef then add half a teaspoon of the blended spice puree. Mix well and let it rest for later use.
- Place three cups of water into a pot. Add in 1 teaspoon of salt (plus curry powder if using) and bring to a boil. Wash rice and add to boiling water. Let it cook on medium heat until the water is all gone. Let the rice rest for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork.
- In a large pot pour in a quarter of the oil. Let the oil heat up for about 3 minutes on high heat. Add in the seasoned meat from step 2. Let the meat brown for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove meat from the oil and set aside.
- Add in the rest of the oil and let it heat up for 3 minutes. Add the onions. Let them saute for 2 minutes until translucent. Then add in pureed tomatoes and let it cook while you stir from time to time until it starts sticking to the bottom of the pot - about 10 minutes.
- Add in tomato sauce and mix well. Let it cook together with the tomato puree while you stir from time to time for about 10 minutes. They are ready when the tomato sauce separates from the oil and no longer tastes sour.
- Add in your blended spice mix and white pepper (if using). Mix well and let it cook for about 3 minutes.
- Add in the beef stock and seasoning cubes (Maggi) and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Add in green onions and stir. Let it cook for a minute.
- Then add the chopped vegetables - carrots, green beans and green pepper. Mix well.
- Add in boiled rice and beef. Mix everything on low heat until well incorporated. Be careful not to break or mash the rice. Turn off the heat.
Food Safety
This recipe contains shrimp, which should be handled with extra care. Shrimp should be cooked until they turn pink and opaque.
Using a fork, fluff in the basil. Delicious Coconut Jollof Rice with Shrimp from Cameroon. This one is extra special - The perfect Party Jollof Rice.
Nutritional Information (Estimated)
Please note that nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.
Heating Up Leftover Jollof Rice
To heat up leftover Jollof rice, you could either place it in a pot and heat on medium heat or alternately place it in an oven safe bowl and heat it up in the oven.
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