Jollof rice with roast chicken

Jollof rice is a rice dish from West Africa and is one of the most well-known African dishes globally. It is so popular that it sparked a friendly rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana in the 2010s named the “Jollof Wars” where each region competed for the title of best jollof rice. Though this version of jollof rice is neither authentic, nor traditional, it is a simple version that is more accessible for Australian cooks to sample this incredibly flavoursome rice dish.

• serves

  4-6

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  1:15 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Stream free On Demand

Spiced Rice

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

24m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

24m

G

Ingredients

• ½ cup (125 ml) vegetable oil
• 2 red onions, thinly sliced, divided
• 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp finely grated ginger
• 5 dried bay leaves
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 1 tbsp chicken stock powder
• 4 cups basmati rice, rinsed, drained
• 1 litre chicken stock
• Salt and white pepper
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 25 g butter
• Supermarket roast chicken, to serve
• Sliced cucumber, butter lettuce leaves, to serve

For the sauce base

• 2 large red capsicums, seeds and stalks removed
• 1 x 400 g tin diced tomatoes
• 1 red onion, roughly chopped
• 1 habanero, stalk removed

Resting time: 15 minutes

Instructions

1. Combine the ingredients for the sauce base in the bowl of a food processor or a high-speed blender. Blend to a smooth purée. Add a little water if needed to help break down the ingredients. Transfer the mixture to a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes, or until thickened.
   
2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 sliced onion (reserve the rest for later!), garlic, ginger and cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Stir through the bay leaves, thyme, curry powder and tomato paste, followed by the reduced sauce base, stirring well to combine.
   
3. Cook, stirring regularly for 10 minutes, until reduced further and fragrant. Add the chicken stock powder, rice and stock and stir to combine. Cover with a cartouche and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 45 – 60 minutes, until the rice is cooked.
   
4. Remove from the heat and allow to stand for a further 10 minutes, before uncovering. Add a little water and cook for longer, if needed, then season to taste with salt and white pepper. Stir through the remaining onion, cherry tomatoes and butter and cover and allow to stand for a further 5 minutes.
   
5. Serve the jollof rice with sliced cucumber, lettuce leaves and roast chicken.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Spiced Rice

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

24m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

24m

G