Rather than being an authentic dish, this is a Nigerian restaurant version of jollof rice. It’s been simplified, but that makes it an excellent dish to cook quickly at home. This dish can on the table in about an hour, rather than the couple of hours for more traditional jollof rice. This dish is also vegetarian, and uses smoked paprika for the smoky taste so it is suitable for everyone. Use as a different style of accompaniment for your Sunday roast.
Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time 45 minutes/Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
400ml (1 2/3 cups) passata
3 tbsp tomato purée
2 fresh red Scotch bonnet chillies
2 onions, chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeds removed and coarsely chopped
8 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
50ml (1/5 cup) olive oil
150g (5½oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
800ml (2 1/2 cups) chicken stock or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
500g (1lb 2oz) long-grain rice, rinsed (Jasmine gives the best flavour)
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 ripe plantains, peeled and sliced into thick rounds
small handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
This recipe, like most restaurant-style recipes begins with a spice paste. To make this, simply combine the passata, tomato purée, chillies, onions, peppers, garlic, rosemary, thyme, ground coriander and paprika in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. You can freeze this until needed, so it’s worth making 2 or 3 batches at a go.
To prepare the jollof rice, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and the blended sauce (thaw beforehand if frozen). Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the stock, bay leaves, rice, 1½ teaspoons salt and a generous pinch of black pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the mixture 10–12 minutes, stirring frequently during this time to prevent the rice from sticking, until the rice is almost cooked through. Turn off the heat, cover with a lid and leave to steam for 15 minutes without removing the lid (the water will be absorbed and the rice will finish cooking).
Meanwhile, heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the plantain for a few minutes on each side until golden and tender.
Spoon the jollof rice onto warmed plates and add the plantain on the side. Garnish with the chopped coriander and serve with either a green salad or your choice of meat or fish.
