Jollof rice
Enjoy this Nigerian-inspired rice dish from Ayo Adeyemi, executive chef at Akoko, similar to a biryani, but with a spiced red pepper base
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 275g red peppers , deseeded
- 100g plum tomatoes , chopped
- 1scotch bonnet chilli , deseeded (use half if you prefer less heat)
- 50g onion , chopped
- 25g garlic , peeled
- 25g ginger , peeled
- 70ml olive oil
- 120g red onion , finely sliced
- 5g white peppercorns
- 3g curry powder
- 3g dried thyme
- 3curry leaves
- 30g tomato purée
- 300g chicken stock
- 3bay leaves
- 300g long grain rice , washed thoroughly
- 10g butter
- chives , finely chopped, to serve (optional)
Instructions
Step 1
To make the base, tip the red peppers, plum tomatoes, scotch bonnet and onion into a blender or food processor, and blitz until completely smooth. Pour into a wide saucepan, bring to a medium simmer and cook until you have a thick paste, around 15 mins. Set aside.Step 2
To make the rice, finely dice the garlic and ginger, then crush with the back of a knife to create a paste and set aside. Heat the oil in a wide saucepan and add the onions with 10g fine salt. Sweat the onions over a low heat for 10-15 mins until soft and translucent. Turn up the heat to medium and add the ginger-garlic paste, along with the peppercorns, curry powder, thyme and curry leaves, and cook for 5 mins.Step 3
Add the tomato purée and the ata base, stir well and cook for another 5 mins over a low heat. Pour in the chicken stock, add the bay leaves, stir well and cook for another 5-10 mins over a low heat. Finally, scatter in the rice and stir well, cover with a lid and steam for 10-15 mins over a low heat. Stir gently, add the butter, cover again and cook over a low heat for another 10 mins. Remove from the heat and leave to rest for 10 mins. Sprinkle over the chives, if you like, then serve straight from the pan.