Nigerian party jollof rice
Party jollof is the jollof served at Nigerian weddings, birthdays and owambes. It is cooked in a large pot, often over firewood, and the smoky flavour from the bottom of the pot is what people mean when they talk about "party rice".
This recipe feeds about twelve and recreates that smokiness on a home hob. It uses red palm oil for colour and flavour; vegetable oil works with the same method.
- Prep
- 30 mins
- Cook
- 1 hr 30 mins
- Total
- 2 hrs
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 1.5kg long-grain parboiled rice
- 8 red bell peppers (tatashe), deseeded
- 8 plum tomatoes
- 3–4 scotch bonnet peppers (to taste)
- 4 onions — two for blending, two sliced
- 250ml red palm oil
- 2 × 70g tomato paste
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 stock cubes
- 1.8 litres chicken stock
- 3 large tomatoes, sliced, for the top
- 1 onion, sliced into rings, for the top
- to taste salt
Method
- Blend the peppers, plum tomatoes, scotch bonnets and two onions until smooth.
- Boil the blend in a large saucepan, uncovered, for 25–30 minutes until it has reduced by about a third.
- Warm the palm oil in your largest heavy-based pot over a medium heat without letting it smoke. Fry the two sliced onions for 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and fry for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens.
- Add the reduced pepper base, curry powder, thyme, bay leaves and stock cubes. Simmer for 15–20 minutes until the oil rises to the surface.
- Rinse the rice until the water runs almost clear and drain it well. Stir it into the pot until every grain is coated.
- Add the stock until it sits just level with the rice. Season with salt.
- Cover tightly with foil and the lid. Cook on low heat for 35–40 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Uncover, lay the sliced tomatoes and onion rings over the top, and re-cover. Turn the heat up to medium for 5–8 minutes so the rice at the bottom catches and smokes slightly. Listen for a gentle crackle and take it off before it smells burnt.
- Rest the pot covered for 10 minutes, then stir the toasted rice from the bottom through the rest before serving.
Tips
- A wide pot cooks more evenly than a tall one. If you have no pot large enough, cook two half batches.
- The bottom-of-the-pot stage is deliberate but brief. Five to eight minutes is enough; any longer and the whole pot tastes burnt.
- Cook the rice slightly firm if it will be kept warm in a chafing dish — it keeps softening as it sits.
Ingredients from our shop
- West African Pantry Starter Bundle — The West African Pantry Starter includes the Banga red palm oil used here, plus garri, poundo yam flour and Indomie for the rest of the spread. It does not include rice.
- Banga Red Palm Oil 4 Litres — Banga Red Palm Oil on its own.
- Warmounts 4-Pack Chafing Dish Buffet Set, 5QT Round — Chafing dishes for keeping it warm at the party.
Check the allergen information on each product page and on the pack before cooking.
Questions
What makes party jollof different from everyday jollof?
Mainly the scale and the smoky flavour from rice that catches at the bottom of a large pot, often cooked over firewood. The ingredients are the same.
How much rice do I need for 12 people?
About 1.5kg of uncooked long-grain rice feeds twelve as part of a party spread. Allow more if jollof is the main dish and there is little else.
Can I make party jollof the day before?
Yes. Cool it quickly, keep it covered in the fridge, and reheat it thoroughly until piping hot all the way through, with a splash of water to stop it drying out.