23/09/2026
Novice Kitchen EP10/30: Jollof Rice
We now know how to cook rice, so let’s level up again with one of THE trickier rice dishes to make as we need to call on all the skills we learnt in previous classes! Don’t forget steam is king when making rice!!
Ingredients
* 2 red bell peppers
* 2 onions
* 5 tbsp vegetable oil
* 3 tbsp tomato paste
* 1 tbsp curry powder
* 1 stock cube
* 500 g long grain rice, washed
* 600 ml water
* 1 tsp salt
Steps
1. Toss 2 red bell peppers and 2 onions with 2 tbsp of 5 tbsp vegetable oil in a roasting tray. Roast at 200°C until charred and soft.
2. Blitz the roasted peppers and onions with a stick blender into a smooth purée.
3. Heat the remaining 5 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot and fry 3 tbsp tomato paste for a few minutes until it darkens and the raw smell cooks off, this step makes or breaks the flavour.
4. Stir in 1 tbsp curry powder, crumble in 1 stock cube, then pour in the blended pepper purée. Simmer to cook off the excess water.
5. Pour in 600 ml water, bring to a boil, then stir in the washed 500 g long grain rice, washed until just covered by liquid.
6. Cover with a tight lid and cook on low heat without lifting the lid, until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is tender.
7. Take off the heat and really fluff the rice with a fork to separate the grains and let the steam escape.
8. Plate the jollof alongside roasted, glazed 8 chicken wings (which we will learn next class), seasoned with 1 tsp salt to taste.
