Vegan Jollof Rice
Namaskaaram Everyone Wow, What a January its been? Let's take a moment to welcome February with open arms for all its adventures, challenges and epic moments.
I'm so excited for this month and all the dishes I have planned too. But can I just say, I am so over this weather though. It's been absolutely miserable and trying to be enthusiastic sometimes is effort ha ha. Real talk.
So, Jollof Rice is a staple Nigerian rice dish prepared at parties or Sunday lunches according to my Nigerian friend. Its simple to make and tastes delicious. It reminds me of the tomato rice my mom would make but of course every family had its variations too.
Jollof Rice is usually made with chicken or goat meat but of course your girl made a vegan version. This was my first time giving it a go and I am still learning the Rice to Water ratio. I used Basmati Rice for this dish but you can use long grain or even brown rice. Basmati was what I had to hand.
This serves 4 so its a great way to meal prep for the week with a dish like Jollof Rice.
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
3 Tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 Scotch Bonnet Chilli, roughly chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, roughly chopped
1 Spanish Onion, roughly chopped
Handful Fresh Thyme Leaves
2 Tablespoons Curry Powder
2 Cloves Garlic (Optional)
1 Cup Kidney Beans ( Optional but adds a nice texture to the Jollof)
3 Cups Basmati Rice
6 Cups Water
Pink Salt + Pepper to taste
Method
- In a blender add the tomatoes, scotch bonnet, onion, red bell pepper, thyme and garlic to make a puree.
- In a rice cooker or a regular pan, add 2 tablespoons of Coconut oil and add the puree to it and give it a gentle stir.
- Let the puree cook for about 2-3 minutes in low heat while gently stirring.
- Add the curry powder in and give that another gentle stir.
- In about a minute, add the Kidney Beans in and give that a good stir in the puree.
- Now add in the 3 Cups of rice and mix well so that all the rice kernels are covered in puree.
- Add some salt and pepper to taste.
- Add in the water. Stir well and let it cook for about 7-10 minutes. If you require another 1/2 cup of water don't be afraid to drip feed.
- Garnish with your favourite herb.
I opted for coriander and lemon. You can serve this with a few slices of cucumber and a chilli infused Avocado mash. If you have some plantain chips, that could be another crunchy topping too.
So simple and hits the spot like a G. You are bound to have left overs so don't be afraid to box them up and chuck it in the freezer for those rainy days.
I know this isn't the traditional Jollof Recipe but its still banging! Give this one a go and let me know what you thought.
Sayonara!