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Photo:Annie Probst, Jason Donnelly
Annie Probst, Jason Donnelly
Active Time:30 minsTotal Time:1 hr 25 minsServings:12Jump to Nutrition Facts
Active Time:30 minsTotal Time:1 hr 25 minsServings:12
Active Time:30 mins
Active Time:
30 mins
Total Time:1 hr 25 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 25 mins
Servings:12
Servings:
12
Jump to Nutrition Facts
Jump to recipe
My earliest memories of jollof rice were from holiday parties at my childhood home in Reisterstown, Maryland. My mother was a pediatrician and my father was a civil engineer who worked in Nigeria for most of the year, so we saved Nigerian dishes like jollof rice for special occasions like holidays. On one notable Thanksgiving, for instance, I remember gazing dreamily at the table laid out with all the delicious food. My mom had roasted a turkey, and our extended family had brought lasagna, grilled veggies, barbecued meats, rich and velvety mashed potatoes, a ceramic dish filled to the brim witheforiro (a Nigerian spinach and palm oil stew), plus a perfectly golden brown apple pie,puff puffs(handmade Nigerian doughnut holes) and ice cream for dessert. As everybody settled around the table, my mom entered the room with the final dish—her jollof rice, served in a large crystal dish and garnished with slices of tomato and onion.
My fascination with jollof rice grew as it became a bestselling dish at the restaurant. How could I give people the best jollof rice possible, given what was locally available to me in San Francisco? I started with the inspiration of both of my grandmother’s and mother’s recipes, experimenting with different spice combinations, different types of rice and playing around with the liquid-to-rice ratio. Eventually, at the end of 2019, my recipe for Seven Spice Jollof Rice was born, fusing flavors from Nigeria, Cameroon, Senegal and India (my tandoori masala touch) to bring this celebrated rice dish to a global audience.
By the end of 2020, I had sold over 10,000 plates of this dish and taught 300 virtual and in-person cooking classes that showed people how to make my unique take on jollof rice at home. My connection to jollof rice was so strong at that point that most of my dreams involved eating it, cooking it and packing up boxes for delivery!
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)IngredientsObe Ata Sauce2medium tomatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces1small red bell pepper, cut into 2-inch pieces½large red onion, cut into 2-inch pieces2cloves garlic½habanero or Scotch bonnet pepper, stemmed and seeded, if desiredRice1large red onion2tablespoonscanola oil or other neutral oil2clovesgarlic, minced2bay leaves1tablespoonhot curry powder, such as tandoori masala or madras1tablespoonground ginger1tablespoondried thyme½teaspoonground Cameroon pepper (see Note) or chipotle chile powder½teaspooncayenne pepper1(6 ounce) cantomato paste1cupunsalted chickenorvegetable broth½teaspoonsalt2cupsparboiled enriched long-grain rice1largetomato, sliced
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)
Ingredients
Obe Ata Sauce
2medium tomatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces
1small red bell pepper, cut into 2-inch pieces
½large red onion, cut into 2-inch pieces
2cloves garlic
½habanero or Scotch bonnet pepper, stemmed and seeded, if desired
Rice
1large red onion
2tablespoonscanola oil or other neutral oil
2clovesgarlic, minced
2bay leaves
1tablespoonhot curry powder, such as tandoori masala or madras
1tablespoonground ginger
1tablespoondried thyme
½teaspoonground Cameroon pepper (see Note) or chipotle chile powder
½teaspooncayenne pepper
1(6 ounce) cantomato paste
1cupunsalted chickenorvegetable broth
½teaspoonsalt
2cupsparboiled enriched long-grain rice
1largetomato, sliced
Directions
To make sauce:Place tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, garlic and chile pepper in a large saucepan. Fill the pan halfway with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes. Drain. Transfer the vegetables to a blender and process until mostly smooth.
To make rice:Halve onion crosswise. Dice half and cut the other half into rings. Set the rings aside for Step 5.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, garlic and bay leaves. Cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add curry powder, ginger, thyme, Cameroon pepper (or chipotle powder) and cayenne; stir until well-combined. Stir in tomato paste; cover and cook until the tomato paste has darkened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the obe ata sauce and cook, covered, for 5 minutes.
Add broth and salt; stir well to combine. Increase heat to medium, cover and cook until the sauce comes to a rolling boil, about 3 minutes. Stir in rice and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover the pot with foil, then the lid. Cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir the rice. Top with onion rings and tomato slices. Cover and let steam for 5 minutes more. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
Tips
Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, May 2023
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Nutrition Facts(per serving)193Calories3gFat37gCarbs5gProtein
Nutrition Facts(per serving)
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.
