Playing with recipes (Jollof Rice)

It is Christmas season again and it is only normal to have Rice and Chicken served to the kids and visitors. Jollof rice and Fried Rice is the top on the list in Nigeria, so we would be sharing simple recipes for jollof and fried rice. You cam make either moi moi or salad to serve with it or even both, you can also make both rice and serve little portions together. As it is for every meal there are a 1000 ways to prepare these dishes but this is how i make mine. Easy and straight forward.

Ingredients

• chicken stock
• rice
• butter
• tomatoes blended
• tomatoes paste
• seasoning
• salt
• pepper
• curry
• thyme
• rosemary
• onions
• Vegetables (are optional you can make your jollof rice without them but they make it colorful and nice)
• carrots diced
• green pepper diced
• runner beans cut in small circles
• green peas
• sweet corn

Method

1a. There are two ways i usually make it depending on my mood...lol. if you usually parboil your rice at this point you must have your parboiled rice ready in the sifter. Put a pot big enough to hold the rice on heat. Pour a little oil and butter, when its hot add the onions and then the blended tomatoes and tomatoes paste stir for a while and pour in the chicken stock, add salt, pepper, curry, thyme, rosemary, seasoning and water. Allow to boil very well so the raw tomatoes taste will no longer be there and then pour in your rice. Cover and allow cook.
1b. This is the second method i use. Put a pot big enough for the rice on heat. Add the meat stock, blended tomatoes, tomatoes paste, water, salt, curry, thyme, rosemary, seasoning, pepper and butter. Allow to boil very very well. And then add your washed rice or your parboiled rice. Cover and allow to cook.
2. Open the pot and check if the rice is cooked or if it requires more water. Taste to adjust seasoning. When you want to turn the rice make sure you use only a wooden spatula what we know here as Eba stick...hehehe...do not use iron spoon. And make sure the heat is circulating well if you are cooking a large quantity to avoid some getting cooked more than the others, sometimes what you can also do is cover the top of the rice before you put the lid on, with a thick nylon or a bag like the bag you buy rice in, so it can get cooked evenly.
3. Taste and make sure all the ingredients are working well together if not add salt or seasoning if it is lacking. Turn to make the rice even and remove from heat because it will still continue cooking in the cooler so avoid over cooking it.
4. Put a pan on heat. Add butter and a little oil. Add onions, stir for about 2 minutes. Add all the vegetables one after the other and stir. Add a little salt and seasoning.
5. Add the vegetables to the rice and turn avoid mashing, turn gently. Start putting your rice in the cooler and be adding more vegetable but don't stir, just be adding little little on top every step until you are done. And your jollof rice is ready to be served with either your moi moi or salad and chicken.

Jollof Rice and Chicken...Nigerian Style

Combination of Jollof and Fried Rice and Chicken