Authentic Ghanian food is all about flavor! So, this classic Ghanaian jollof rice is not for the faint-hearted. Mind you, you are the chef that will make this rice dish come together and you can control the amount of spice and chili peppers. So ultimately, this jollof rice doesn’t have to blow your head off and you can put your own spin on it! In either case, this jollof recipe is the type that you can eat directly out of the pot, as done so in some West African households.
With Ghanaian cuisine being vastly overlooked, this is your perfect chance to try something exotic. The preparation and cooking time of the Ghanaian jollof rice should be just a bit under an hour. It’s incredible what a flavourful and hearty meal you can concoct in this time frame! Before you start, make sure you’ve got all the spices and ingredients at home.
Preparation
- Add onions and 3 tablespoons of oil to a blender and pulse until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl.
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and habanero pepper to the blender, and pulse until smooth. Transfer to a separate medium bowl.
- Heat the remaining ⅓ cup (80 ml) of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
- Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion puree and cook until the water has cooked out and the puree is starting to brown about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato puree and add the curry powder, garlic powder, ginger, dried herbs, and crushed bouillon cubes. Cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the stew has reduced by half and is deep red in color.
- Add the rice, mixed vegetables, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with foil and a lid. Simmer for another 30 minutes, until the rice is cooked through and the liquid is absorbed.
- Enjoy! below is another method of preparation you can follow. watch video.
Ingredients
for 6 servings
- 2 large yellow onions, roughly chopped
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⅓ cup vegetable oil, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
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14 oz diced tomato, 2 cans
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6 oz tomato paste, 1 can
- 1 habanero pepper
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2 teaspoons curry powder
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1 teaspoon garlic powder
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1 teaspoon ground ginger
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½ teaspoon mixed dried herbs
- 3 chicken bouillon cubes, crushed
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2 ½ cups long grain rice, rinsed
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1 cup frozen mixed vegetable
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1 ½ cups water