Chef John’s Jollof Rice

Ingredients

• 1 large ripe tomato (Cored and quartered)
• 1 large red bell pepper (Seeded and roughly chopped)
• 1 habanero pepper (Stem removed)
• 1 Fresno chili or jalapeño (Stem removed)
• 4 garlic cloves (Peeled)
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger (Minced)
• 2 cup water (For the blended sauce)
• 0.333 cup olive oil
• 1 red onion (Diced)
• 1 tsp salt (Plus more to taste)
• 0.25 cup tomato paste
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 0.25 tsp ground turmeric
• 2.25 cup basmati rice (Uncooked)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp chicken bouillon paste
• 0.25 cup green onion (Chopped; optional, for garnish)
• 0.25 cup cilantro (Chopped; optional, for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Combine the tomato, red bell pepper, habanero pepper, Fresno chili or jalapeño, garlic, ginger, and water in a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, then set the sauce aside.

2. 2

   Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and salt, and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion begins to soften.

3. 3

   Clear a space in the center of the saucepan. Add the tomato paste to the cleared space and sauté it for 2 to 3 minutes.

4. 4

   Add the smoked paprika, curry powder, cumin, dried thyme, black pepper, and turmeric. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until the spices and tomato paste are thoroughly combined and fragrant.

5. 5

   Turn off the heat. Stir in the uncooked basmati rice, coating every grain with the oil-and-tomato mixture.

6. 6

   Add the bay leaf and chicken bouillon paste to the rice mixture.

7. 7

   Turn the heat to high and stir in the blended tomato sauce. Bring the mixture to a vigorous simmer.

8. 8

   Cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Do not remove the lid or stir the rice during this time.

9. 9

   Turn off the heat after 20 minutes. Keep the saucepan covered and let the rice rest for 12 minutes without removing the lid.

10. 10

    Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork, separating the grains. Serve garnished with the chopped green onion and cilantro.

Notes

If the rice is slightly undercooked after resting, stop fluffing it. Gently pat the rice down with the back of a fork, cover the saucepan tightly again, and cook over medium-low heat for another 5 minutes before checking it again.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• side dish
• rice
• stovetop
• one-pot
• spicy
• vegetarian base
• West African