Jollof rice

Jollof rice is found throughout West Africa. Depending on who makes it be very hot and spicy or not, but it always full of tomato. I have read that it was the historic relative of jambalaya. Serve with fried chicken and a green salad and it makes a change from just rice.

You will need

1tbsp olive or vegetable oil

2 large onions, sliced

2 x 400g/14oz cans plum tomatoes

1 red pepper

4tbsp tomato purée

¼tsp cayenne pepper

1tsp curry powder

1tsp garlic puree

1tsp ginger puree

1 bay leaf

Fresh thyme

1 chicken stock cube

550ml/19floz of water

225g/8oz long-grain rice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

It is a bit like cooking any rice dish like this start by heating the oil in a large pan. Then add the onions and cook until translucent. Now rinse your rice to get rid of any excess starch and add that to the pot, let it cook in the oil for a moment or two.

Then add the cayenne pepper, curry powder, garlic puree, ginger puree, bay leaf and thyme. Let the spice cook in to the rice. Then add the canned tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, red pepper and tomato purée, crumble in the stock cube and add the water.

Now bring everything to the boil then turn down low and let it simmer on a low heat for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the rice has cooked. Season well with salt and pepper and that is it you have mad Jollof rice.