Here is another Cameroonian twist on Jollof rice that’s made with njanga, smoked, dried and salted river prawns (shrimp) that in most of West Africa are called crayfish (they’re not actually crayfish, which are freshwater lobsters). The dish is also called Crayfish Rice or Palm Oil Jollof Rice or Palm Oil Rice and is rice cooked with crayfish and palm oil.
10/50/6
Ingredients:
50g (3/4 cup) crayfish (smoked, salted and dried freshwater prawns)
5-7 garlic cloves, peeled
200ml (3/4 cup) red palm oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
350g (3 cups) jasmine rice (or other long-grain rice), washed
1.25l (5 cups) water
1 tsp salt
3 tsp chicken bouillon powder (or 3 small Maggi seasoning cubes, crumbled or 1 large Maggi crevette (crayfish Maggi)) ▢ 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1 smoked and dried fish, broken into pieces and with bones removed (Substitute with dried fish if not available)
1 habanero chilli
Method:
Place the crayfish in a blender and pulse to chop finely (be careful not to render to a powder, which will be fluffy and hard to handle). Separately blend the garlic into a paste.
Place a non-stick pot over high heat and add the palm oil. When the oil is hot add the onion and stir-fry for about 2 minutes until soft and translucent.
Add in the chopped tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes or until the tomatoes break down. Stir in the blended garlic and fry for 1 minute before adding the crayfish pieces. Continue stirring for 30 seconds.
Now stir in the washed rice ensuring that the rice is coated in the red oil. Add the 1.25l (5 cups) water, 1 tsp salt, 3 tsp chicken bouillon powder and the 1/2 tsp white pepper. Stir to combine then add the smoked fish pieces and the whole habanero chillies.
Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and cook the rice gently for 40 minutes until almost dry. Turn off the heat at this point and allow the rice to steam for 5 minutes.
Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.
