Jollof Rice
Westafrika
30 Minutes
Jollof Rice, or also called Benachin, is a classic rice dish from West Africa and is certainly reminiscent of paella or risotto. By adding tomatoes, this rice is colored red and is also called „red rice“.
To prepare the Jollof Rice recipe you only need a large pan and some time.
Jollof Rice, or also called Benachin, is a classic rice dish from West Africa and is certainly reminiscent of paella or risotto. By adding tomatoes, this rice is colored red and is also called „red rice“.
To prepare the Jollof Rice recipe you only need a large pan and some time.
Jollof Rice Recipe from Nigeria and West Africa
At the moment I’m a little more interested in African cuisine and a few days ago I felt like trying the Nigerian Suya skewers myself. But I was still missing a suitable side dish. On my restaurant tour through Düsseldorf, I visited a Ghanaian restaurant and ate Jollof rice, so this was a good option for me to try this African rice dish for myself.
Benachin, or Jollof, as the rice dish is called in English, is a common dish in West Africa and is very flexible. It is usually based on rice, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and cassava, which is another name for manioc. Since I didn’t have the latter at hand, I slightly modified the dish, with a very tasty result. Have fun cooking it.
Ingredients for the Jollof Rice
- 250 grams long grain rice
- 3 ripe tomatoes
- 3 carrots
- 2 onions
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 sweet potato
- 2-3 tsp paprika powder
- 2 teaspoons thyme
- 1 chili pepper
- 250 ml vegetable broth
- 2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
- oil, salt and pepper
Preparation of the Jollof Rice
The preparation of Jollof rice is really very simple and does not require any particular skill. Actually, the preparation works the same way as with a paella or risotto.
1. Wash the rice and peel the vegetables and cut them into small cubes.
2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat and fry the onions, garlic, peppers, chilies, carrots and diced sweet potatoes. Then stir in the tomato paste.
3. After about 5 minutes, add the raw rice and fry it briefly in the pan. The rice becomes slightly transparent.
4. Now stir in the tomato pieces and the vegetable stock and let everything simmer at low heat until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is done. You may have to add some more water. Shortly before the end of the cooking time add the spices and taste everything together again.
Benachin / Jollof Rice – My Conclusion
Voila, ready is the West African rice dish. It is easy to cook and tastes wonderful as a side dish, for example with Nigerian suya skewers. Admittedly, Jollof rice is perhaps not as special as one might imagine a West African meal to be, but the good doesn’t always have to be fancy.
What do you think of Jollof rice? Have you ever eaten it? And what is your opinion about African food? Leave me your ideas and opinions in the comments.
By the way: If you’re looking for more delicacies from our neighboring continent, take a look at my African recipes.
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Hey, we are Pragya and Henrik, the creative minds behind Fernweh Koch. As passionate travelers with a big appetite, we discover the world, always looking for great destinations and delicious food. If you want more information and impressions, please follow us on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. Just click on the respective picture below. You can also find Fernweh-Koch at Bloglovin and Flipboard.
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