Jollof Rice

I was researching party recipes lately, and I’ve come to learn that African dishes differ greatly. I guess I should have know, being an Asian and all, but it didn’t really click. Maybe it’s because African cuisine is not as documented, exported, and prolific, but there’s definitely a great wide area there to explore.

I’ve learnt that you can cook anything ranging from stews, to rice dishes, to curries, to dumplings, but each tribe – you don’t even really have the same dish within a single region; the tribes are spaced so far apart – has their own take on things, and no one agrees on any one way to do something.

So when I came across Jollof Rice – a West African party dish that is also consumed by many people outside of the African continent – I knew that it would be a gateway for me into African cooking. So I’ve come up with my own – it may not be authentic, but I assure you it’s delicious.

Jollof Rice
(Serves 6)

2 cups basmati rice
2 tins (400g each) whole peeled tomatoes
1 green capsicum
1 red capsicum
1 yellow capsicum
1 medium brown onion
4 spring onions
6 small red chillies (or large ones if you don’t like it too hot)
1 cup stock
2 tbsp tomato paste
Salt and Pepper to season
Fresh parsley to serve

Using a food processor, blend tinned tomatoes, green capsicum and chillies.

Dice onions, and red and yellow capsicums. Chop up the spring onions.

Heat some oil in a deep sautée pan over medium heat.

Sautée diced vegetables with some salt till they are tender.

Add rice, stock, and processed tomato mixture into the pan. Stir to combine.

Cover and simmer over low heat till rice is cooked and tender.

Stir, and scatter over fresh chopped parsley to serve.

I really love the kick to this dish, and it’s given me a new reason to eat rice!! How can that ever be bad?