How to make jollof rice: the steps that make the difference

Jollof rice looks simple: rice, tomatoes, peppers, a pot. But the gap between an ordinary pot and a great one comes down to a few steps done with patience. Here is how to make it at home, the way the Koki recipe does it.

What jollof rice is

Jollof rice is a famous West African rice dish cooked in a rich tomato and pepper base, which gives it its signature red colour. In the Koki app it is filed under Nigeria, where it is the centrepiece of any celebration. It is spicy, festive and a street food too, so it is as much at home at a celebration as on a busy weekday.

The Koki recipe serves 4 people. Count about 20 minutes of preparation and 55 minutes of cooking. It is rated medium difficulty: nothing complicated, but two steps need your full attention.

👉 Get the full jollof rice recipe

The ingredients

For 4 people, the Koki recipe uses:

• 400 g long-grain parboiled rice;
• 4 plum tomatoes and 2 red bell peppers;
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper;
• 2 yellow onions and 4 garlic cloves;
• 2 tablespoons of fresh ginger;
• 3 tablespoons of tomato paste;
• 500 ml chicken stock;
• 80 ml vegetable oil;
• 2 Maggi or bouillon cubes;
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 2 bay leaves and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika;
• 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons of butter if you like.

Long-grain parboiled rice is the best choice, because it holds its shape and does not turn mushy. Basmati also works, but it needs less liquid. Some cooks like to add palm oil, and vegetable oil can stand in for it.

Step 1: rinse the rice

Rinse the rice under warm water until the water runs clear, then drain it well and set it aside. This washes off the loose starch that would otherwise make the grains stick together.

Step 2: blend the base

Blend the tomatoes, red bell peppers, scotch bonnet, one of the onions, the garlic and the ginger until smooth. Dice the second onion. This blend is the heart of the dish, and it is where the colour and most of the flavour come from.

Step 3: fry the tomato paste

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Fry the diced onion for about 5 minutes until golden. Then stir in the tomato paste and cook it for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring all the time, until it darkens to a brick-red colour. Frying the paste like this takes away its raw, sharp taste.

Step 4: cook the base down (don't rush this)

Pour in the blended tomato and pepper mixture and let it cook uncovered over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring every few minutes. It is ready when the sauce is thick and fragrant and the oil floats to the top.

This is the step that makes or breaks your jollof. If you rush it, the rice will taste of raw tomato. Wait until the oil separates from the sauce and the raw tomato taste is gone. It is worth every minute.

Step 5: season and add the stock

Add the bouillon cubes, thyme, bay leaves and smoked paprika, stir well, then pour in the chicken stock. Bring it to the boil, taste, and adjust the salt.

Step 6: add the rice and cover with foil

Add the drained rice and stir so every grain is coated in sauce. The liquid should only just cover the rice.

Now the trick that makes all the difference: lay a sheet of aluminium foil directly on the surface of the rice, then put the lid on. The foil traps the steam without making the rice wet, and that is the secret to fluffy jollof that doesn't stick.

Step 7: cook gently, then get that party flavour

Cook on low to medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes without lifting the lid. After 25 minutes, check that the rice is cooked and the liquid absorbed.

For the smoky "party jollof" effect, remove the foil and turn the heat up to medium for 3 to 4 minutes, until you hear a gentle crackle from the bottom of the pot. Turn off the heat, cover, and leave it for 5 more minutes. Fluff it with a fork and serve.

What good jollof looks like

You are aiming for deep orange-red, glossy grains that are fluffy and separate, not clumped or wet. The smell should be smoky, tomato-forward and richly spiced. And if there is a thin, toasty crust at the bottom of the pot, don't throw it away: that crust is prized.

What to serve with it

Serve your jollof hot with fried plantains (dodo), coleslaw, and grilled chicken or beef. For the classic party plate, add moi moi, a steamed bean pudding that sits next to jollof, fried plantain and stew at many celebrations.

If you love jollof, try these next

• Thiéboudienne, Senegal's national dish, where fish and vegetables are cooked together with tomato-flavoured rice.
• Fonio jollof, a Sahelian dish from Mali where fonio grain is cooked in the same tomato stew style.
• Palm oil rice, a fragrant Cameroonian rice cooked directly in palm oil and tomato.

In short

• Rinse the rice well and use long-grain parboiled rice if you can.
• Fry the tomato paste until it turns brick red.
• Cook the tomato and pepper base down until the oil rises. Don't rush it.
• Cover the rice with foil before the lid, and don't lift the lid while it cooks.
• A few minutes on higher heat at the end gives you the smoky party flavour.

The full recipe, with every quantity and step, is in the Koki app in English and French, and it works offline, so you can keep it open next to the pot. Download Koki and tell us: are you team crispy bottom or not?