Liberian Jollof Rice
Liberia
Editor
Abuja, Nigeria ·
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Abuja, Nigeria ·
Jollof rice belongs to the whole of West Africa, and every country that claims it claims it as its own. The Liberian version sits inside that family without being anyone's copy. It is a tomato rice, built on long grain parboiled grains, sweetened by onion and sweet pepper, sharpened with garlic and ginger, and carrying a smokiness that Liberian cooks treat as the mark of a pot done properly. Rice is the centre of the Liberian diet rather than an accompaniment to it, and a one pot rice that can be built around whatever protein a household has, or around no protein at all, earns its place in an everyday kitchen as readily as at a gathering. It feeds a room from a single vessel, which is part of why it survives. Across West Africa the jollof pot is argued over with genuine feeling, and the loudest of those arguments runs between Nigeria and Ghana. Liberia is rarely named in that particular fight. That says less about the quality of the Liberian pot than about who is holding the microphone.
Jollof rice traces to the Senegambian rice tradition of the Wolof, and moved east and south along the West African coast through trade and migration, acquiring a distinct national form in each country that took it up. Liberia's variation belongs to that eastward spread.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, garlic and ginger. Fry until the onion is translucent and the vegetables have softened.
Add the tomato sauce and stir well. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in the smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, thyme, curry powder, salt and black pepper. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Add the parboiled rice and stir until every grain is coated in the tomato and spice mixture.
Pour in the broth and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the rice is cooked and the liquid absorbed. Add the cooked protein at this stage if using.
Fluff the rice gently with a fork, cover again and leave to steam for a few minutes before serving.
Personal notes from Laila YetundeBe the first to rate this recipe
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2 reviews
My jollof turns out mushy every time. What am I doing wrong?
Almost always too much liquid, and stirring. Rice keeps absorbing after you take it off the heat, so the pot should look slightly underdone when you stop, not perfect. Use a little less stock than you think, keep the lid on, and leave it alone once the rice is in. Every stir breaks grains and releases starch, which is what makes it claggy. If it has already gone soft, spread it on a tray to let the steam escape rather than trying to cook it drier.