Jollof rice is a traditional West African dish of long-grained rice cooked in a flavorful, spicy sauce with blended tomato, bell pepper, Scotch bonnet pepper, warm spices, and more.
Whisk together the ground coriander, ground turmeric, ground ginger, ground cayenne pepper, ground cumin, ground black pepper, ground nutmeg, ground mustard powder, and ground cloves. Set aside.
For the Sauce
Add the onion, red bell pepper, tomato puree, Roma tomato, garlic powder, thyme, Scotch bonnet, chicken bouillon granules, chicken broth, and Nigerian curry powder to a blender; blend until smooth. You should have about 3 cups of sauce.
Heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed skillet.
Add the sauce to the skillet and bring it to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. The sauce should reduce by about 1/3, leaving you with 2 cups of liquid. If you have more, discard the extras or save it as a dip for crusty bread.
To Cook the Rice
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. If your oven has a convection setting, use it.
Melt the butter in a large oven-safe pot or pan set over medium heat. Add the tomato paste and stir for about 2 minutes or until dark red.
Add the rice to the pan. Stir for about 2 minutes to toast the rice.
Add the previously prepared sauce and stir to combine.
Add chicken broth, bay leaves, and sea salt. Stir to combine.
Cover with a lid and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and immediately fluff the rice with a fork.
Parboiled Basmati Rice, also known as converted rice, is a partially cooked rice common in African and Asian cuisines. I almost always get mine on Amazon.
Rice to Liquid Ratio: After reducing the sauce, the amount of sauce you are left with may be more or less than the suggested 2 cups. If you have under two cups of sauce, add more chicken broth to get the proper amount of liquid. Additionally, cook the rice until it is soft and tender but not mushy. You also don't want to overcook the rice, or it will become dry and crunchy.
Add-ins: Before cooking the tomato paste, sauté chopped onions and bell peppers until tender and remove them from the pot. When ready to bake, stir the onions and peppers into the rice and bake. You can also sear some chicken pieces, beef, or pork and nestle them on top of the rice before covering and baking.
Storing: This recipe makes a pretty big batch of Jollof. Cool the rice to room temperature if you have leftovers, then transfer it to an airtight container. Cover and store the container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, heat some oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet and add the rice, stirring until heated through. If the rice is dry, add a splash of water or chicken broth.
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.