One often hears that Jollof Rice (or Jolof Rice, Djolof Rice) is a Nigerian dish; indeed it is often made by Nigerians. However, it has its origins among the Wolof people of Senegal and Gambia who make a rice and fish dish they call Ceebu Jën. Since Nigeria has the largest population of any African country, it’s safe to say that most of the people who make and eat Jollof Rice are probably Nigerian.

There are many variations of Jollof Rice. The most common basic ingredients are: rice, tomatoes and tomato paste, onion, salt, and red pepper. Beyond that, nearly any kind of meat, fish, vegetable, or spice can be added.

Jollof Rice Recipe

Prep Time20 minsCook Time1 hrTotal Time1 hr 20 minsYields6 Servings

Ingredients

 oil for frying
 2 lbs chicken (and/or a pound or two of stew meat), chopped into bite-sized pieces
 2 onions, finely chopped
 black pepper, cayenne pepper or red pepper, salt (to taste)
 Flavorings: chile pepper, chopped; garlic; thyme; bay leaf; ginger; cinnamon; curry powder
 2 cups chicken broth or chicken stock, or beef broth or beef stock (or Maggi® cubes and water)
 2 tomatoes, chopped
 1 lb Vegetables: sweet green pepper (or bell pepper), chopped; string beans or green beans; green peas; carrots, chopped; cabbage, chopped
 4 cups rice
 ¾ cup tomato paste
 ¼ lb cooked ham, or shrimp or prawns (optional)
 ¼ cup dried shrimp or dried prawns (optional)
 Garnishes: fresh parsley, chopped cilantro, chopped lettuce, sliced hard-boiled egg

Instructions

1

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Stir-fry the chicken (or beef) in the oil until it is browned on all sides. Remove the meat from the oil and set aside. Add the onions, the salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and one or two of the flavoring add-ins (if desired) to the skillet and fry the mixture until the onions begin to become tender. Remove the onion mixture from the skillet and set aside with the meat.

2

In a dutch oven or large covered cooking pot, bring the broth and two cups of water to a simmer. Place the meat and onion mixture into the dutch oven and cover.

3

In the same skillet used for the meat and onions, stir-fry the tomatoes and one or two of the vegetable add-ins. Continue frying the mixture until the vegetables are partly cooked, then add them to the meat, onions, and broth in the dutch oven.

4

Again in the same skillet, combine the rice and the tomato paste. Over low heat, stir until the rice is evenly coated with the tomato paste. The rice should end up a pink-orange color. Add the rice to the dutch oven and stir gently.

5

Cover the dutch oven and cook the mixture over a low heat until the rice is done and the vegetables are tender (maybe 30 minutes). Stir gently occasionally and check to see that the bottom of the pot does not become completely dry. Add warm water or broth (1/4 cup at a time) as necessary to help rice cook. Adjust seasoning as needed. If desired, add one of the meat add-ins while the dish is cooking. (Shrimp cook very quickly and should not be over-cooked or they will become tough; ham can be added at any time.)

6

Serve with one or two of the garnishes.

Ingredients

 oil for frying
 2 lbs chicken (and/or a pound or two of stew meat), chopped into bite-sized pieces
 2 onions, finely chopped
 black pepper, cayenne pepper or red pepper, salt (to taste)
 Flavorings: chile pepper, chopped; garlic; thyme; bay leaf; ginger; cinnamon; curry powder
 2 cups chicken broth or chicken stock, or beef broth or beef stock (or Maggi® cubes and water)
 2 tomatoes, chopped
 1 lb Vegetables: sweet green pepper (or bell pepper), chopped; string beans or green beans; green peas; carrots, chopped; cabbage, chopped
 4 cups rice
 ¾ cup tomato paste
 ¼ lb cooked ham, or shrimp or prawns (optional)
 ¼ cup dried shrimp or dried prawns (optional)
 Garnishes: fresh parsley, chopped cilantro, chopped lettuce, sliced hard-boiled egg

Directions

1

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Stir-fry the chicken (or beef) in the oil until it is browned on all sides. Remove the meat from the oil and set aside. Add the onions, the salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and one or two of the flavoring add-ins (if desired) to the skillet and fry the mixture until the onions begin to become tender. Remove the onion mixture from the skillet and set aside with the meat.

2

In a dutch oven or large covered cooking pot, bring the broth and two cups of water to a simmer. Place the meat and onion mixture into the dutch oven and cover.

3

In the same skillet used for the meat and onions, stir-fry the tomatoes and one or two of the vegetable add-ins. Continue frying the mixture until the vegetables are partly cooked, then add them to the meat, onions, and broth in the dutch oven.

4

Again in the same skillet, combine the rice and the tomato paste. Over low heat, stir until the rice is evenly coated with the tomato paste. The rice should end up a pink-orange color. Add the rice to the dutch oven and stir gently.

5

Cover the dutch oven and cook the mixture over a low heat until the rice is done and the vegetables are tender (maybe 30 minutes). Stir gently occasionally and check to see that the bottom of the pot does not become completely dry. Add warm water or broth (1/4 cup at a time) as necessary to help rice cook. Adjust seasoning as needed. If desired, add one of the meat add-ins while the dish is cooking. (Shrimp cook very quickly and should not be over-cooked or they will become tough; ham can be added at any time.)

6

Serve with one or two of the garnishes.

Jollof Rice
IngredientsDirections

Curry in Western Africa?

Does it seem strange to see curry powder in a recipe from Western Africa? Curry dishes are common in Eastern Africa, where there is a large Indian and West Asian population and a long history of trade across the Indian Ocean. Curry came to Western Africa, particularly Nigeria, during the age of British colonialism. British colonial officials who worked in India often acquired a taste for curry that they took with them when they were transferred to Africa.

Jollof Rice, Red Rice, Spanish Rice

The basic Jollof Rice recipe (with bacon or ham in place of chicken) is identical to, and probably the origin of, a dish called “Red Rice” in the Southeastern United States (and usually called “Spanish Rice” in the rest of the country). To make “Red Rice”: fry a quarter pound of chopped bacon or ham in a skillet; remove the meat (you might want to remove some, but not all, of the fat) and use the fat and drippings remaining in the skillet to stir-fry a chopped onion (and maybe some chopped celery); reduce the heat, add a cup or two of rice and stir until the rice is evenly coated; stir in a chopped tomato, water (two cups for each cup of rice), and spices; bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until the rice is nearly tender–about twenty minutes; stir in a spoonful of tomato paste and top with the bacon or ham, cover and simmer on very low heat until the rice is done, or transfer the skillet to a warm oven.