Nigeria – Jollof Rice

by Verdzekov Bernard

Like I said in the previous article on a Ghanaian cuisine jollof rice, many people have different ways on preparing meals. A meal like rice that is eating by so many all over the world, they must have their ways the prepare them. I have experienced the preparation of fried rice in a friend’s house. What they did was, they boiled the rice first, then dried it right after on a clean sheet with sun light. After it was dry, they brought it back to the pot to continue cooking process. You may think is awful, but that is the truth and it was delicious though. Lol.

I am still writing on jollof rice, but this times, jollof rice prepared by the Nigerians. Sometimes, there is this competition on social media that, Nigerian Jollof rice is better than Cameroon Jollof rice. All I know is, all are delicious meals. They all taste well, particularly if it is prepared by some one experienced. To prepare this cuisine, follow guide below;

Ingredients

• Parboiled rice
• Tomatoes (desired quantity depending on the quantity of rice you will prepare)
• One large red bell pepper
• Onions
• Thyme 
• Bay leaves 
• Chicken stock
• Dry fish (optional) 
• Maggi 
• Salt to taste
• Canned tin tomato
• One sachet of curry powder 
• Smoked Pepper

Process

• Using tomatoes here, you will have to fry it. And if you are to fry, there is no need for you to bother boiling. Just chop the tomatoes using a knife into tiny slices and keep aside.
• Chop your red bell pepper. keep aside. 
• Chop your tomatoes and keep aside.
• Prep your chicken, keeling, plucking and cutting into eatable slices, fry with enough ginger and onions. Make it spicy and makes sure you keep the stock. 
• Using a deep pot, that is the main cooking pot, pour in your vegetable oil. Allow it to hit up for about 2min, fry your onions first. Pour in your tomatoes and fry too. Do this for about 3mins. Stir all through to avoid the tomatoes from sticking to the pot. 
• After frying the raw tomatoes and onions, add in your tin tomatoes. This is processed tomatoes that has been processed and put in tins for ready use. This tin tomato helps to add more spicy color to the jollof rice. Fry for about 2min stirring well. 
• Add chicken stock and stir well. 
• Add salt and maggi to taste. Stir well.
• Add curry powder and stir. When the source is thick and ready like, cut some of the source and keep aside. Maybe in a bowl or another pot.
• Add your washed rice and stir well
• Add thyme and bay leave, stir well. Close the pot and leave it for about 15min. Make sure the rice doesn’t get to dry. Add some water if necessary.
• When rice is almost ready, add into the pot the source you deducted and spoked pepper, stir well.
• Don’t bother if you realize some of the rice is burned at the bottom. Stir lifting even some of the burned part from beneath. Close pot and allow rice to fully get ready. 
• Serve.

Enjoy….