Nigerian Jollof Rice - Mom's Way - The Storied Recipe Podcast

The thing about this specific recipe is that it is simply the combination of ingredients recited to me by my mom. What is also  true is that it is subject to being tweaked over time to get it just right. Mom’s Jollof is different from Dad’s Jollof which is different from Aunty’s Jollof. It will turn out different for everyone but I can assure you that the process of learning how to make this correctly is a beautiful one.

Sharing this recipe with Becky for The Storied Recipe Podcast meant that I had to take yet another swing at making it correctly. I have yet to master Mom’s version of Jollof Rice, but I know only Mom can make it her way without any written instructions and it will be perfect. While writing this down to share it with you, I knew I had to try to be as accurate as possible while knowing full well that this was just from decades of memory. Most of what is made at home is just that, from memory. There are very few written recipes for traditional Nigerian food at home. Therefore this recipe contains approximations in timing and measurements,  but I am confident that it will work out fine for you. 

Have fun with this one. At times it’ll seem like there’s too much water in the rice or not enough pepper or the stew isn’t quite reduced properly. And yet in time it will all come together, and you will find your own style. After all that is what recipes are all about.

Head over to The Storied Recipe Podcast to hear me share more about Jollof Rice. You can also listen in using the following links: The Storied Recipe on Apple Podcast and The Storied Recipe on Spotify.

Serves:~ 6- 8

Time: ~ 2hr 20min

Stew/Sauce Ingredients

2 cans of Whole tomatoes

1 can crushed tomatoes

2 large Yellows Onions  

5 cloves of Garlic 

1 ½ tbsp on Italian Seasoning

2 Habanero peppers or 1 Scotch Bonnet (use only if you can tolerate spicy foods)

2 ½ cup of Canola Oil

Salt to taste

Directions 

Using a blender, grind whole tomatoes with 1 yellow onion, peppers and garlic.

Roughly chop the remaining onion. 

In a large saucepan set to medium, heat the oil and place the chopped onions into the pot. Sautee for about 5 minutes.

Place the blended tomato mixture into the saucepan and add 1 can of crushed tomatoes and stir.

Allow to cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

After 15 minutes, add salt and Italian seasoning. 

Allow the sauce to cook for another 45 minutes to a 1 hour; or until the sauce is thickened and the tomato is fully cooked. Taste test to ensure the sauce does not taste  sour and there is enough salt.

Jollof Rice Ingredients 

4 cups of Parboiled White Rice

5 medium sized Fresh Tomatoes

1 large Onion

1 Chicken Maggi Cube

1 ½ teaspoon of Italian Seasoning

5 Bay Leaves

Salt to taste

Directions

In a large pot, bring 7 cups of water to a boil then add the rice. 

Stir and cook for 5-8 minutes.

Using a sifter pour out the rice over the sink, sift and rinse with cold water to remove excess starch. Rinse until water runs relatively clear.

Roughly chop fresh tomatoes and onions. 

Add 3 cups of water into the pot then add the chopped tomatoes,  onions, Italian season and Maggi Cube. 

Bring to a boil.

Add the rinsed rice and some salt.

Cook at medium heat until the water is almost gone ( at a low point).

Add  approximately 2/3rd cup  of the cooked sauce to the rice. Stir and combine thoroughly then set the heat to low.

Dampen a clean tea towel large enough to cover the pot.

Place the lid over the towel to steam the rice. 

Allow to steam for 10 - 15 minutes then stir. 

Check  to see if the rice has softened and if there is enough sauce and salt to your desired appearance and taste. If not, add more sauce and sprinkle some water into the rice.

Cover again with a towel and lid and allow to simmer for another 10 - 15 minutes 

Check to see if rice is cooked to desired texture.

Serve hot and pair with stewed chicken, beef, fish or fried plantain.

Enjoy!

Side Notes: Parboiled Rice generally takes less time to cook and is firmer than regular white rice when cooked. When using regular white rice, you can simply rinse the rice with warm water until the water runs relatively clear before making the Jollof. You can adjust the recipe as needed for specific serving size. The sauce/stew  gives Jollof rice its unique flavour and color. It is important to taste test it during the cooking process to ensure there is enough salt. Adding salt after the fact will not improve the taste.