Jollof Rice
This West African inspired dish has rich flavors of tomato glaze, onion, spices and smokiness. I have read there are hundreds of different regional ways of making jollof rice. The creamy texture is created through a blend of roasted red peppers. I’ve added cashews for crunch. I’ve also added chickpeas for protein. Finally, fried plantains are an excellent touch to complete the dish. This is a must try for holidays or big parties when sharing with family and friends.
I encourage you to share your experience in the comments below if you tried this recipe or made it differently. If you took a photo, please share with me on my instagram account ‘zesty_zahra’ and I will share your stories there. I am always happy to learn about people’s food choices and preferences!
Jollof Rice
Ingredients
- 14 oz Fire Roasted Tomatoes diced
- 12 oz Fire Roasted Red Peppers if using jar, drain water then finely chop
- 1 small Red Onion finely chopped
- 5 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Ginger minced
- 6 oz Okra cut each in 3-4 pieces
- ½ cup Chickpeas boiled or canned
- 2 cups Water
- 1 cup Rice basmati
- 1 tbsp Curry Powder
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- ¼ tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes or to taste
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ cup Cashews
- 2 tbsp Oil
Garnish
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 2 Plantains ripe
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1 pinch Smoked Paprika
Instructions
- Sauté tomatoes, red pepper, onion, garlic and ginger for 12 minutes in a pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle some water if the mixture sticks to the pan.
- Reduce heat to low-medium, add okra and chickpeas. Mix well and cover with a lid for 5 minutes.
- Increase heat back to medium. Add water, rice, curry powder, smoked paprika, thyme, turmeric, red pepper flakes, salt, cashews and oil. Mix well.
- Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover with a lid and let simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until water is absorbed. Stir occasionally.
Garnish
- Cut off both ends of the plantains and peel the rest. Slice in half lengthwise. Cut in half if plantains are too big or long.
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, add oil and plantains. Fry all sides until golden brown, about 4 to 6 minutes.
- Remove from the pan, sprinkle salt and smoked paprika on top and let sit for 3 minutes.
- Add garnish to rice and serve hot!