Jollof Rice

May 18

Written By Zoe Adjonyoh

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 large onions, finely chopped
Olive oil or groundnut oil
6-8 bone-in chicken portions (thighs or drumsticks)
2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 Tbsp. thyme leaves
1 large bay leaf
5–6 guinea peppers, crushed
1 Scotch Bonnet chili, deseeded and diced
2 Tbsp. Jollof Dry Spice Mix
1 tsp. sea salt
4 Tbsp. groundnut oil or sunflower oil
1 tsp. hot chili powder
1 tsp. curry powder
18 fl oz Jollof Sauce
10 1/2 oz basmati or other long-grain white rice
Chopped parsley or coriander, to garnish
Shito (Hot Pepper Sauce) or Green Kpakpo Shito Salsa, to serve

Method

First make the broth. Sweat half the chopped onion in a little oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a low heat, add the chicken, the garlic, thyme, bay leaf, guinea peppers, Scotch Bonnet, 1 tablespoon jollof dry spice mix and sea salt and stir well. Pour in enough water just to cover the ingredients and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the chicken is tender.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F, Gas Mark 4. Remove the chicken from the pan, place on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil or groundnut oil. Bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes.

Drain the fragrant broth into a jug and reserve for adding to the rice.

To make the jollof, heat the 4 tablespoons of groundnut or sunflower oil in the same pan you used to make the broth, add the remaining chopped onion and sauté over a medium heat for a few minutes until soft. Stir in the remaining jollof dry spice mix, the chilli powder and curry powder and add 350ml (12fl oz) of the jollof sauce, reserving the rest for adding at the next stage. Then stir the broth into the pan.

Wash the rice thoroughly in cold water to remove as much starch as possible—I wash it in at least 3 changes of water until the water runs clear—then drain and stir it into the jollof sauce/broth mixture so that it's evenly coated. Ladle in the reserved jollof sauce without stirring, then reduce the heat, cover the pan with foil to keep in the steam and add the lid. Cook for 15–20 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Stir through with a fork to fluff up the rice.

By this stage, your chicken in the oven should be perfectly crisp! Serve the rice with the chicken pieces on top, scattered with the chopped herbs to garnish, with shito or kpakpo shito salsa on the side.

Tips: If the sauce isn't hot enough before adding the rice, the rice will soak up the cold water and become soggy.

If you find that the rice is too dry halfway through cooking, top up with additional water, adding a small quantity at a time as needed.

You can make this an even meatier dish by adding lamb, beef or goat, but you can also turn it into a delicious vegetarian dish by adding garden eggs (African aubergines), carrots and peas or other mixed vegetables and excluding the ground crayfish or prawn/shrimp powder from the jollof dry spice mix.