I took my recipe from here a website called "what's for eats". On the Website they write the following....
"Jollof rice probably originated from rice dishes eaten by the Wolof people of Senegal and Gambia, but its popularity has spread to most of West Africa, especially Nigeria and Ghana. Based on rice, tomatoes and usually meat or fish, it is believed by some to be the origin of Cajun jambalaya."
You can read all the comments for yourself on that site but I will summarise for easy access; there isn't much of a consensus on where the dish originated. Though many people will see similarities in Indian Rice dishes such as Biryani and that the recipe, whether it is Nigerian, Namibian, Ghanaian, Senegalese, Gambian, Liberian, or from Cameroon, has so many variations and additions (for special occasions) that is up to you to add and remove elements to your taste, effectively originating your own dish.
Thinking about Biryani, I think it may improve the dish to get the oven involved instead of trying to cook it entirely on the hob. If you have ever cooked "Rice & Peas" or coconut rice you will know it is important to get the water measurements correct, rinse the rice VERY WELL in cold water first and keep the lid CLOSED throughout cooking (no extraneous stirring!) and, lastly, to time things just right. If you discipline yourself you will be rewarded with fluffy, beautifully flavoured rice.
An often discussed alternative is (once you have your seasoning sorted) to pressure cook the dish. Personally I use a microwave rice steamer the kind that clips shut and barely lets out any moisture. I zap it for about 15minutes usually depending on your usual rice cooking times, of course all different rice cooks in different amounts of time. Some people use par-boiled rice for their jollof, to prevent sticking, I would recommend that for a hob-top version but it isn't relevant for pressure cooking or microwaving.
Thinking about Biryani, I think it may improve the dish to get the oven involved instead of trying to cook it entirely on the hob. If you have ever cooked "Rice & Peas" or coconut rice you will know it is important to get the water measurements correct, rinse the rice VERY WELL in cold water first and keep the lid CLOSED throughout cooking (no extraneous stirring!) and, lastly, to time things just right. If you discipline yourself you will be rewarded with fluffy, beautifully flavoured rice.
An often discussed alternative is (once you have your seasoning sorted) to pressure cook the dish. Personally I use a microwave rice steamer the kind that clips shut and barely lets out any moisture. I zap it for about 15minutes usually depending on your usual rice cooking times, of course all different rice cooks in different amounts of time. Some people use par-boiled rice for their jollof, to prevent sticking, I would recommend that for a hob-top version but it isn't relevant for pressure cooking or microwaving.
NB - Do NOT use an electric rice cooker, that doesn't work (trust me I know from experience) second NB - your microwave will be in need of a good rub down after this dish has cooked.
ENJOY!
ENJOY!
4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
- Chicken, cut into pieces -- 1 1/2 pounds
- Water or stock -- 5 cups
- Oil -- 1/4 cup
- Onions, chopped -- 2
- Red or green bell pepper, chopped -- 1
- Fresh Chilli (or splash of Sriracha) -- Optional!
- Garlic is an optional but controversial addition -- 2-3 cloves
- Tomato paste -- 1/4 cups
- Carrots, peeled and chopped -- 2
- Fresh Thyme
- Green beans -- 1 cup
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Tomato "Stew" (I use this recipe, but add some fresh Thyme, which is a bit West-Indian)
- Long-grain rice -- 3 cups
Method
- Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large pot. Working in batches, add the chicken and brown on all sides. Remove the chicken to another large pot and add the water or stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
- While the chicken simmers, pour all but 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil out of the first pot. Heat the oil over medium flame, add the onions and peppers and sauté until the onions are wilted and translucent, 4 or 5 minutes.
- Stir the rice into the onions and peppers and heat through for another 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste to coat the rice and give it a reddish hue. Add the tomato "stew".
- Pour in the simmering liquid from the chicken into the rice pot (put the chicken pieces to one side) and add the carrots, green beans (and whatever veg is around). Season well with salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover tightly and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Put the chicken pieces in a hot oven to crisp up whilst the rice cooks
- Remove from heat, let rest another 10 minutes. Remove to a serving platter and serve with dodo, sliced hard-boiled eggs and a side salad, this dish is commonly served with coleslaw and it really works well, (with either an oil or mayo dressing).
Whats4Eats Jollof Rice Variations
- "There are many variations of jollof rice. Feel free to improvise using what you meats and vegetables you have on hand. Try beef, ham, shrimp, fish, goat or pork. For vegetables, add peas, potatoes, eggplant or mushrooms
- Beef Jollof Rice: Substitute cubed stewing beef for the chicken. After browning the beef, simmer in liquid for 45 minutes before adding to the sautéed rice mixture.
- Vegetarian Jollof Rice: Simply eliminate the meat and stir hot water or vegetable stock into the sautéed rice mixture.
- Optional spices that can be used to flavor the dish are cinnamon, curry powder or cayenne. Some minced chile peppers can be sautéed with the onions to add extra bite."
