Filed Under
Related Recipes
Hold on a sec while we send share the page...
African Jollof Rice
By
DK
on Oct 02, 2009
I am always on the lookout for rice recipes - and if it is simple enough, it makes my life much easier. Also it helps for packing lunch box. Talking about which - I have to say that while it is indeed a god saver to have a husband who has some international taste in food ( having eaten in countless restaurants for many years) since you get some free tips on different recipes all over the world - it also comes with unwanted package. You know you are always going to be judged with some restaurant standard tastes. So when I try to create some 'had-this-dish-in-so-and-so-restaurant' recipe (of course without knowing how it should taste in the first place, I most often end up with 'uhh-nice-but-well-that-one-was-different'. Ask 'what's different?' and pat comes the most unhelpful answer 'mm-dunno-something-missing'! Great! Now I know!!!!!!!!!!!
Few recipes work bang on - like Focaccia, Kimchi, Bee Bim Bap and Ratatouille which worked bang on with him the very first time I made it (and which I had never tasted before then). On those cases when I actually have them later in the restaurants, it amazes me sometimes how close many of my such tries come so close :) In this list is this Jollof rice. He has had the vegetarian version of this dish. It is similar to Indian Tomato rice only with some protein (meat, fish etc) added to it. I used Seitan to replace the meat (which is entirely optional). One can use only vegetables alone. The variety of vegetables depends on you.
African Jollof is also called as ''Benachin'' which means 'One Pot' in the Wolof Language. It is a popular dish especially in Nigeria and Ghana and enjoys quite a handful of variations. The basic components seem to be the same which has ingredients like Tomatoes, tomato paste, rice and onions. The kind of meat or vegetables is entirely up to you along with spices. Here is my version with more vegetables and vegetarian protein - seitan.
African Jollof is also called as ''Benachin'' which means 'One Pot' in the Wolof Language. It is a popular dish especially in Nigeria and Ghana and enjoys quite a handful of variations. The basic components seem to be the same which has ingredients like Tomatoes, tomato paste, rice and onions. The kind of meat or vegetables is entirely up to you along with spices. Here is my version with more vegetables and vegetarian protein - seitan.
Basic Information
Prep Time: Under 15 min
Cook Time: Under 30 min
Serves: 2 people
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice (long grained or medium variety)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
- 1 onion
- 2-3 cloves of garlic (as per taste)
- 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
- 1-2 green chillies ( or as per taste)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 large tomatoes,chopped finely
- 1 carrot,cubed
- 1 pkt Seitan, cut into small chunks ( about 2 cups - Skip it make this recipe gluten free
- 1/2 cup each of chopped beans and peas (I used frozen hence added last. If using fresh cook it along with the rice)
- salt to taste
- cilantro or parsley to garnish
Method
1
Add 1/4 tsp groundnut oil, add the cumin seeds and when they splutter add onions along with ginger,garlic and chillies
2
Add the chopped carrots next and saute for a minute with little salt.
3
Add the tomato paste, tomatoes along with curry powder. Cook until tomatoes get slightly soft. Add the rice next. Saute for another 2 minutes or so.
4
Add 3 cups of vegetable stock/water, required salt,close the lid and cook until 90% cooked
5
Add the frozen peas and beans along with Seitan. Since I used to precooked variety, it just needed warming up and not cooking per se. Hence added them last along with frozen vegetables. If using fresh add it along with rice.
6
Stir it until well combined, add nutmeg and cook for another 5-6 minutes or so for the flavors to get together. Add lots of garnish and serve hot.
I served with some vegetable chips and some raita. Any raita will go well with this dish.
Be the first to showcase this recipe!
Your Name
Did you make this recipe?
Please click below to share your experiences while you were making this recipe. Thanks for your input!
22 Responses to “African Jollof Rice”
Leave a Reply
I love to hear from you! I read each and every comment, and will get back ASAP.
In the off chance I am lost in my own world, please don't hesitate to
contact me.
Did you make this recipe?
I would LOVE to showcase it! Please click below to share your experiences while you were making this recipe, Thanks for your input!
Have a favorite recipe?
- Know a family recipe your mom used to make? Or maybe a go to recipe that works everytime? Share it with your fellow foodies!
what are the allergies in jollof rice and also the nutrition content in plain jollof rice…
I recently ate with a Nigerian Family. The hostess served Jollof rice w chicken and yes we had dodo. Loved the rice and the dodo. Plan on making the rice tonight. She used red peppers that she pureed and made a sauce with. So Yummy.
I agree with the first 1 I am African and we dont put ginger or nutmeg in our rice
Thanks for the feedback. I am glad to get more insight into the cuisines. Do lemme know other do’s and don’t for this rice and I might do another version –DK
im nigerian and have eaten jollof rice many times and thats not really how u make it number one most nigerians dont even eat garlic and wat is seitan also i have never heard of any body ever putting ginger or nutmeg in it either but as u you said i varies through different cultures but wat my family usaully does is we just put tomatoe sauce maggi,curry ,rosemerry,thyme,onion powder,and salt and just wait till the tomoto sauce condenses and the rice is cooked .
Thanks for your input. It always helps to have people from the original place to give recipes cos otherwise the authenticity does get diluted in other regions. All the versions I saw did have these ingredients along with meat. Seitan is my inclusion to replace the Meat with Vegetarian Protein. Seitan is wheat protein.
I do agree with the first post that curry powder doesn’t go with jollof rice. It sort of changes the original taste. There are stock cubes by Maggi that we used and apart from that, there are the local chillis (African variety, super hot) that goes into the puree and the puree is sauteed in oil before adding the rice. Anyhow, what tastes good is worth the cooking and this recipe is yet another most welcome proof of the pudding! Keep it up.
I first want to say this. Jollof Rice comes from the Wolof People of Senegal,West Africa and the spices used to not go into traditional Jollof Rice. I know because my wife is Senegalese and I have learned a lot about West African cuisine through her and her family.
Curry Powder, nutmeg, ginger and cumin DO NOT I repeat DO NOT go into Jollof rice. Those spices gave it a more East Indian feel. However this dish was still awesome none-the-less. When I made it I knew by the ingredients it wasn’t traditional. However it sure was good. I will make this again and again! It’s simple and quite tasty. My wife said it may not be the same but even she, with her hard to please self found this very delicious! In fact, we are going to make some this weekend.
I love one-dish meals. This is perfect as it has carbs, lots of veggies and also protein. I am a Filipino who loves to experiment in the kitchen. I prepare a similar rice recipe I call ‘fried rice’ whereby I use everything that has been classified as ‘leftovers’. I use a lot od garlic, turmeric powder, curry leaves (from my own plants), frozen mixed veggies and any meat ‘leftovers’. The result is a fusion of filipino/chinese/indian cuisine. LOL.
Your version sounds mouth watering…Your fusion is going to be on my menu soon
— DK
Hello there. Its my first time visiting this site. I am soo into cooking..and i love this recipe. I have done it so many times but each time a bit different (i add a little more each time). I love experimenting on food ofcoz. Can you please share with us Xmas Recipes plz??
-Jully-
Hi Jully, thank you so much for your comment
I have already showcased Xmas recipes on my home page and will do a consolidated post in a day or 2. In the meanwhile you can see the recipes here http://chefinyou.com/recipes/festivalsholidays/festivals/christmas/ or you can refer to this post http://chefinyou.com/2009/12/vegetarian-christmas-menu/
Wow,very new to me dearie.Colourful but one dbt -what are the items in currypowder?Can I use kitchenking or anything else?I too love rice recipes
aaah! You just asked me a million dollar question! Curry powder has so many variations in different regions that it is difficult to exactly pinpoint the exact ingredients. But I know that there are some essentials to make THE curry powder which are fenugreek,cumin,coriander seeds,turmeric,red chillies. The rest of the ingredients usually accompanying these may vary. Use whatever masala you have – anything goes for this recipe. Increase or decrease the qty of the masala depending on your taste buds
More rice recipes coming your way at Chef In You!!! 
— DK
looking very rainbowing colours in rice ………thanks DK
You might not believe me when I say I have eaten this a lot, but I have. My mom’s colleagues used to make veg. version for us.
This is usually served with “dodo” which is pan-fried/ deep-fried sweet plantain slices.
Nice pictures! They look so delicious!
Wow, looks very colourful, My 2 year old loves rice so this a good one to try.
I love that you put seitan in this!
Right looks bright and vibrant with those veggies!
And yes, this is my most trustworthy dish to make in an emergency with loads of vegetables. Apart from lunchboxes, we also have it at major mealtimes, sometimes with raita but mostly with a dollop of plain yogurt on the side. Very filling and comforting and quick to make too
DK!!!! Would you believe it? Except the curry powder and the nutmeg, this is ”exactly” what I make at least a couple of times during the week (read DH’s lunchbox). Right , next time, i can tell thewm it s called Jollof;the name’s bound to be a hit with R and A
And yes, I sometimes add chicken too.
We all know you are a born connoisseur! The question is when are you going to stop being surprised at that
. Yeah – I love using original names – Makes me feel like I just made an amazing dish (instead of something like tomato rice with few additional vegetables!!!!!!;)) I am sure it will a hit with the D Jr. and Suni Jr 
— DK
Pretty picture. Looks really delicious!
Yep! Lots like tomato rice:). Your clicks are so so so very good:)
Looks delicious DK. Jazzed up tomato rice. Its so interesting to learn that there are so many similarities between different food cultures.
Beautiful rice, must say this is indeed new to me, i would just love to have that whole plate, rice is my fav
Delicious rice, very new to me…Eye pleasing colour DK..