Countless Jollof Rice recipes from African cooks exist on YouTube, and I wanted to get in on the action. However I really didn’t want to add meat, so this vegan jollof rice is the result! And meat aside, this recipe which follows more of a Ghanian method. There is an ongoing culinary debate about how Jollof Rice is prepared between countries. It is SERIOUS. For example … Ghanian jollof uses basmati rice and a has lighter, fluffier texture. Nigerian recipes use long grain rice, takes on a more gummy texture, and people sometimes add yellow curry powder. Feel free to read up on the culinary debate for more insight, there are tons of videos about this ongoing culinary war.
Anyone who knows my cooking understands that I typically love meat – which is contained in most of the traditional recipes I researched – so I though it would be best to hold the meat just this once.
Long-story short … instead of water, this is made in a tomato-based stewed blend of vegetables, aromatics, spices, and sometimes fish or meat stock if you prefer. As this rice cooks, it may seem as if everything has gone wrong and the rice will appear too dry, but do not worry. The key to this fluffy recipe is to not over-stir, have some patience, and let it rest for a good 20 minutes before serving. This recipe may not be easy (or quick), but it sure is worth it.
Scotch Bonnet peppers can be difficult to spot among other varieties of hot peppers. Grab them when you can.
Thyme is typically talked about in terms of “sprigs”, a rather loosely defined amount. This is how much thyme you should use for this recipe.
Ingredients
Note: this makes 6 cups of “stew” but you will only use 4 cups. Save the extra spicy tomato mixture to use in other recipes, as I mention below.
- 1/8 cup coconut oil
- 1/8 cup canola oil
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 10 -15 of garlic cloves, peeled
- 28-oz. can of whole peeled tomatoes (or crushed tomatoes)
- 1-2 scotch bonnet peppers (depending on your spicy tolerance)
- 1 red bell pepper, flame roasted preferably
- 10 slices of ginger, peeled (about 3 inches)
- 6 stalks of scallions
- 2 medium red onions (1 for stew 1 for sautéeing)
- 2 heaping tablespoons of tomato paste
- 1 diced green pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons of chopped thyme
- 3 teaspoon of kosher salt
- 1 heaping teaspoon of ground black pepper
- 1 heaping teaspoon of ground coriander seed
- 1 heaping teaspoon of ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
For enhanced pepper flavor, roast the red bell pepper over and open flame if you have a gas stove. Then discard the charred skins.
My blend of freshly ground spices – black pepper, coriander, allspice, smoked paprika, white pepper.
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender, combine the garlic, tomatoes, scotch bonnet pepper, roasted red bell pepper, ginger, scallions and one red onion. Process until the texture is smooth. Measure out 4 cups and set aside.
- Over a medium-high flame, heat coconut oil and canola oil. Sauté the green pepper, red onion, thyme with the kosher salt until the onions begin to brown slightly. Stir in tomato paste, black pepper, coriander allspice, smoked paprika, white pepper, salt, and bay leaf.
- Add the 4 cups of tomato “stew” mixture. Cook on high heat with the lid ajar until it turns a darker red in color, stirring occasionally – approximately 5 minutes. CAUTION: the hot tomato splatters as it bubbles, so having the lid ajar is a safety measure. You can also use a splatter shield.
- Stir in rice until it’s thoroughly incorporated with the tomato. DO NOT over-stir.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and cover with a fitting lid. After 10 minutes stir gently with a few upwards-lifting motions to distribute the heat evenly. It may seem like a gummy mess, but do not worry. Put the cover back on for another 10 minutes. Stay optimistic.
- Turn the heat off after 20 minutes total. Give the rice a few gentle stirs to distribute the heat, use an upward lifting motion to release the rice from the bottom of the pot. Let the rice rest for at least another 20 minutes with the lid ajar, it will continue cooking internally from its own steam. Do not over-stir at this point. In fact, go do something else for a little while. Completely forget about it until you’re ready to eat.
What to do with the extra tomato purée
As mentioned before, the recipe makes about 6 cups of tomato mixture. And if you use a 28 ounce can of tomatoes, you will discover that they all might not fit into the blender. One or two tomatoes might be remaining. That’s completely okay! They freeze really well to be used in future recipes, below.
Extra canned tomato and jollof tomato purée.
Okra and any type of tomatoes go together like peas in a pod, so why not add a little spice? Take advantage of this situation and make Jollof Stewed Okra. Or, for a more involved recipe, use this spicy tomato stew as a base to cream some spinach with coconut milk. Both pictured below.
Creamed spinach using Jollof tomato stew and coconut milk.
Okra stewed in Jollof tomato stew.
