Ghanian Style Jollof Rice

Jollof rice is the pride of West Africa. This vibrant, one-pot dish is packed with bold flavors and a delightful kick that'll have you coming back for seconds.

sources: Jaylynn Little, My African Food Map, Tasty

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Blend the tomato base: Cut the tomatoes, onions, and red bell pepper into chunks, discarding the bell pepper seeds. Add them to a blender with the deseeded scotch bonnet pepper, ginger, and ½ cup of water. Blend until smooth, then set aside.
  2. Cook the sauce: Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once hot, add in the tomato paste and mix until fully incorporated, dark, and fragrant. Pour in the blended tomato-pepper mixture and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to reduce and deepen in color.
  3. Season and build flavor: Add the curry powder, nutmeg, thyme, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and crushed bouillon cubes. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the stew thickens, reduces by half, and turns a deep red with oil beginning to separate on top.
  4. Add the rice and simmer: Stir in the rinsed rice, bay leaves, and chicken/beef broth. Bring the pot to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Cover tightly with foil and a lid, and simmer for 30-45 minutes until the rice is cooked through and the liquid is absorbed.
  5. Rest and serve: Remove from heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 5-7 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
  6. Enjoy!

Sample Imagery

I bowl of jollof on a table with a silver spoon in it, with a plate of chickpeas and other vegetables blurred in the background. An overhead picture of ingredients spread out evenly on a flat white surface. Ingredients include Red bell pepper, Roma tomatoes, Garlic, Ginger, Habanero pepper, and Red onion on a baking tray, and Netrual oil, Maggi cubes, Salt & Pepper, Curry powder, Nutmeg, Smoked paprika, Tomato paste, Chicken broth, Bay leaf & thyme, and Basmati rice in individual bowls/containers on the flat surface. A bowl of jollof with a wooden spoon in the foreground full of rice. A square image of a plate of jollof on a table with herbs and a metal object in the corners of the image.

Website Research

Recipe Websites

  1. All Recipes
    I really enjoy how simple and straightforward this site is. The descriptions are not long, and the text is very consice, which makes following along while cooking much easier. I think thoughful touches such as the "keep screen awake" button, the chef's, nutritional facts, etc. are also helpful and directly act in the interest of the user.
  2. Made With Lau
    This site feels very thoughtful with features like allowing the user to customize how many servings they're making, which adds to the personal feeling of the cook's brand. The user can also cross off the ingredients/steps they've completed, and as they go through the process, there are video tutorials that correspond to the step's text. I also like the navigation bar at the top that lets users select steps rather than constantly scrolling back and forth; the interactivity of the site is very effective overall!
  3. King Arthur Baking
    I really appreciate how the header is designed around the image of the food, and how clean and well spaced the text and images are throughout the page. It feels well-balanced, simple, and does not overwhelm. The additions of the very clear, consistent images that coorespond with the steps also provides clarity.

Miscellaneous Websites

  1. Squarespace (restaurants & bars)
    I like how as you scroll down, the images remain in the same placement, but fade as the text physically scrolls. I also like how the images are integrated into the site. The background color matches the tone/color editing of the photos, and many of the images have rounded corners to give a softer, more modern feel.
  2. B-Egg farm
    The graphic nature/style of this site gives it life; the image focus/images as backgrounds are a good at keep the focus on the actual process/products in context with the text. I really enjoy the combination of a sans-serif bold typeface with a more handwritten text. I also think the fact that each section has a different big graphic to focus on helps break things up while staying consistent.
  3. Grids
    I like the layout of this page and how the (caption) text is smaller on the left and the images take up more visual space. The dividing lines separating the small pieces of information into a sort-of grid is also nice and helps make the text not feel so condensed/hard to scan quickly.