Mouth Watering Jollof rice with succulent chicken stew.

Jollof Rice one of West Africa’s favorite dishes!

Jollof Rice is one of the most popular dishes across West Africa. It is also known in some regions as Benachin meaning “one pot”. It originates from Wolof tribe in Senegal however; every country across the West African region has its own way of preparing this tasty dish. The main ingredients are rice, tomatoes, tomato paste, onions and spices.

In Sierra Leone where I come from, Jollof is cooked for most festive occasions and ceremonies.  Across the region we actually have arguments about who has the best version. I’d like to think us Sierra Leoneans do however, some might beg to differ.
To create our own authenticity, we add mix vegetables to the rice and prepare a stew with assorted meat and use lots of onions to go with the rice. I hope you get to try this recipe. 

Aprons on!

Servings for 4

Jollof Rice one of West Africa’s favorite dishes!

Ingredients 

1. 3 cups of Rice
2. Pack of 6 chicken thighs and drumsticks
3. 2 tin of chopped tomatoes
4. 6 medium sized onions
5. 3 bell peppers (green, red and yellow)
6. 2 scotch bonnet peppers
7. Spring onions
8. Seasoning
9. Vegetable oil
10. Tomato puree
11. Frozen mixed vegetables

Chicken Stew

1. Cut, wash and season the chicken thighs and drumsticks.
2. Boil the chicken for about 10 minutes. This can be pan fried as well then put aside.
3. Chop onions, peppers and spring onions. Divide the chopped vegetable into half. Half for the stew and the other half for the rice.
4. Blend one onion with 2 scotch peppers with juice from the chopped tin tomatoes.
5. Pour oil into hot sauce pan and heat to cooking temperature.
6. Once oil is heated, fry chopped onions, peppers, spring onions and a tin of chopped tomato for about 20 mins
7. Add bits of the blended pepper and onions into the stew whilst the above is cooking.
8. Add seasoning and salt to taste and squeeze about a table spoonful of tomato puree to give the stew colour.
9. Add boiled or pan fried chicken to the pot with fried stew and turn the heat low.
10. Leave stew to cook for a further 10 minutes or until all the water from the stew has evaporated.

Juicy Jollof

Jollof Rice 

1.      Fry the other half of the chopped onions, bell peppers, chopped tomato and the remaining blended pepper and onions in heated oil for about 10 minutes.

2.      Wash rice and add with 2 handful for frozen mixed vegetables to the stew and mix thoroughly together

3.      Add 2 table spoonful of tomato purée to give the rice the tomato red colour.

4.      Add 500 ml of water or enough water just to cover the rice and bring to boil on a medium low heat.

5.      Let the rice boil for 10 minutes and check if it has cooked through. If not, sprinkle a handful of water and turn the heat down to very low and let the rice cook for a further 10 minutes or until rice is perfectly cooked.

 Voila! Dish is done!