Affiong learned to cook, growing up in Nigeria. Here, she shares her recipe for jollof rice with her daughter, Ediomi. Jollof rice is a traditional west African staple, that is made differently in every household. But Affiong has perfected her technique so it is always rich with flavor and the dish never sticky or mushy. Enjoy!
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Nigerian Jollof Rice
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
Jollof rice is a staple rice dish that is common all over West Africa. It can be made with a variety of different proteins, but the basic ingredients for jollof rice are tomatoes, onion, salt, and red pepper. Affiong Utuk prepares her jollof rice with some of the usual ingredients but she also uses tomato paste, chicken bouillon and lots of crushed red pepper that gives her version of the dish a spicy kick. She serves protein dishes on the side, to accommodate the various dietary needs of her four children.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (720 ml) long-grain parboiled rice
- 9 cups (2.16 L) water
- 8 to 9 bouillon cubes (vegetable, chicken or beef)
- 2 to 3 tbsp (30-45 ml) crushed red pepper
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil (for cooking)
- 6-oz can of tomato paste with roasted garlic
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 bell peppers, diced
Instructions
- Place rice and water in a large pot.
- Add bouillon and crushed red pepper.
- Boil on high heat for 20 to 25 minutes, or until rice is al dente. Let cool.
- In another large pot, heat oil. Then add tomato paste, and move it around continuously so it doesn’t burn. Sauté until tomato paste is caramelized.
- Add onions and peppers, and cook until onions are soft.
- Add rice to the tomato paste mixture, and gently fold the two together until it is uniformly mixed.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: West African
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this recipe boil the rice first and then mix it with the tomato base?
Affiong’s technique cooks the parboiled rice separately until al dente, then folds it into the caramelized tomato-paste mixture. This two-pot method is what ensures the rice never becomes sticky or mushy — it absorbs the tomato flavor without overcooking in the sauce.
Why use parboiled long-grain rice rather than regular white rice?
Parboiled rice holds its structure better during the folding step, staying firm and separate rather than clumping — critical to achieving jollof rice’s characteristic fluffy, distinct grains. The recipe specifies 3 cups of long-grain parboiled rice.
Why do you caramelize the tomato paste before adding the other ingredients?
Step 4 instructs you to move the tomato paste around continuously to prevent burning, sauteing until caramelized. This cooks out the raw, acidic edge of the paste and develops a deeper, sweeter tomato flavor that forms the base of the dish.
i can cook jollof rice and is very delicious
Wow that looks simple and easy. Looks like it took less than 15 minutes to make. Mine takes any about an hour and a half. Anyway it looks delicious. Here is my Jollof rice recipe
Yes!