Oven Baked Jollof Rice….

Jollof Rice again? Yes! But this is no ordinary Jollof Rice, this is Nigerian Oven Baked Jollof Rice. I’ve had a number of Instagram and Facebook requests for a recipe for Oven Baked Jollof Rice since I put up the Party jollof Rice recipe, so here I am, doing the needful.

This is my go-to method when I’m pressed for time or I’ve got other things to get on with around the house. Unlike the hob cooked Jollof Rice, this doesn’t require so much attention.  No continuous stirring, no lifting of the lid every now and then to check the progress or worrying about it burning, it’s just so easy from start to finish. Fry the stew, mix with parboiled rice, stick in the oven and get on with other things I need to do. I particularly like Oven Baked Jollof Rice cos of the fact that it does not burn in the oven and the heat from the oven also provides a tad bit of the smoky effect you get with the hob cooked Jollof rice.

One thing I’ll advise though is that you need to season your stew and make sure its fried really well before adding the rice and sticking in the oven. This is because, unlike the hob cooked Jollof rice, you wont be able to keep going back and forth to add seasoning or spices, you need to get it right from the start.

I already have a recipe for Nigerian Party Jollof Rice (Hob Cooked), click HERE for the recipe.

Now, Oven Baked Jollof Rice, let’s get started….

Ingredients:

3 cups rice
Half a can of plum tomatoes/ 3 medium tomatoes
90 grams tomato paste
2 cooking spoons vegetable oil
2 big onions
2 big red bell pepper
1 scotch bonnet
2 bay leaves
1 cup Meat or chicken stock/water
2 Knorr cubes
1/2 teaspoon your preferred seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Curry powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon white pepper
Salt to taste

Directions:

First parboil the rice, parboiling should be half the time you would normally if you were parboiling for a full hob recipe. Ensure the rice is still firm when you drain the water, 5 minutes on medium heat should do. Drain and set aside.
Blend half the can of plum tomatoes, two bell peppers, 1 scotch bonnet, 1 tablespoon minced ginger and an onion, blend till smooth and set aside.
In a large pot, add 1 cooking spoon vegetable oil, set on a hob on medium heat, when it’s hot enough, add half a bulb of sliced onions, sauté for 2 minutes then add the blended pepper, 2 Knorr chicken cubes, the white pepper, curry, thyme and salt to taste.
Let that fry on medium heat for 15 minutes thereabouts, stir at intervals to prevent burning.

While that’s frying, get a smaller pan, add 3 tablespoon oil, when it’s hot, add some sliced onions and sauté till fragrant…Now, add the tomato purée. Let this fry for 5-6 minutes or until the purée loses its sourness.
Now, check on the stew, check to see if it’s fried (you’ll know it is properly fried when the oil begins to settle on top)
If its is fried, add the stock, if you haven’t got any, that’s OK, just add a bit of water instead, you can also add your own preferred spices ( I’m a sucker for Aromat seasoning).

Tip: Be careful when you’re adding condiments if you’re gonna be using meat or chicken stock as stock would already contain a high amount of salt.

Let this cook for a further 3-5 minutes, then add the fried tomato purée along with the oil…
Stir to combine, let this stew for 3 minutes…
Now, transfer the parboiled rice to the stew, do this gradually so you can control the quantities, this way you wont end up with a soggy mix. Mix thoroughly, the rice and stew should be fully combined, all grains coated with no secreted stew or oil. Now, add two bay leaves ( I forgot to add this really)
Transfer the contents into a foil pan or roasting dish… Cover with foil paper, double it up as the rice needs adequate steam to cook evenly and fast. This goes into a preheated oven, 200 degrees thereabouts. D
After about 30 minutes, check on the rice, the stew should have dried up significantly… Add some more sliced onions and tomatoes….Stir and combine….
Toss it back in the oven and allow to cook to proper doneness, this should take another 15-20 minutes. Can’t really say how long it sits in the oven for cos ovens vary, rice consistency vary by brand as well. Mine sat in for about 45 minutes in all. 

And that’s it really, Oven Baked Jollof Rice in easy and simple steps.

Do remember to follow me on Instagram @Sisi_Jemimah, also follow my Facebook Page, Sisi Jemimah. Also, tag me in photos of your oven Jollof Rice if you choose to try out this recipe, Feel free to use the “Share” buttons below as well. See you in my next post.

Party Jollof Rice (Nigerian)

Well, It’s tagged “Nigerian” because there are various recipes for Jollof rice and they all depend on which Country you’re from though I’m only familiar with three variants. There’s the Senegalese which of course, Jollof rice originated from. There’s also a Ghanaian version which is in no way similar to the Nigerian version and then we have the ultimate version….Yes! the Nigerian version ( no disrespect to the people of Ghana and Senegal).

Its also tagged “party jollof rice” cos let’s face it, homecooked Jollof rice hardly ever tastes like rice served at parties. Party jollof rice are usually very authentic in taste, richer and far more delicious compared with home cooked Jollof.

There are three main methods of cooking Nigerian jollof  rice; the hob, firewood and the oven method. The hob and oven methods are more common in these parts but the hob is a better method for cooking party Jollof rice.

Two ingredients I add to perfect the Jollof rice taste are butter and white pepper. I remember  when we had parties back then and  my mum would pay “Olopos” (caterers) to come cook, they always added butter and white pepper to Jollof rice, but these are ingredients I rarely see listed in Jollof rice recipes these days but they are absolutely necessary. The butter gives it a very rich taste and a lush consistency while the white pepper brings out the signature party jollof rice taste. You just need to try it to believe it.

I will not be parboiling my rice for this recipe. This recipe works just fine for parboiled rice though. Parboiling I find takes a lot away from the frying time which consequently takes a bit away from the perfect consistency in the end. Also, using raw rice helps to eliminate sogginess and gives it a more authentic taste (my opinion).

A common concern raised about Jollof rice is “how to achieve the perfect reddy/orangey colour”. It’s simple….. “tomato paste”. I don’t blend too much tomato to begin with, sometimes I do without tomato altogether, I just add lots of tomato paste, NOT enough to overpower the taste of the bell peppers used though. Using too much tomato paste gives Jollof rice a sharp, bordering on sour raw tomato taste.

Another mistake you don’t want to make while cooking Jollof rice is adding too much stew/water. It’s better to start off with a minimal amount and then add as you go than be faced with the strugge of decanting secreted stew when you finally realise you’ve added too much; half the time you’ll be paranoid and unnerved throughout the cooking process and you’re far more likely to end up with soggy Jollof rice in the end.

Always remember, “Jollof rice never thrives in chaotic atmospheres” 😂 😂 😂

Anyway, enough of my talk (someone’s getting carried away), let’s cook.

Ingredients:

4 cups easy cook long grain rice
3 large/ 4 medium red bell peppers
1/2 can of plum tomatoes/ 2medium size tomatoes
11/2 scotch bonnet
2 cups beef or chicken stock
120g tomato paste
2 large size onions
100ml /6tablespoons cooking oil
2 full tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon curry powder and thyme
1/2 teaspoon seasoning or any seasons of your choosing
3 knorr chicken cubes or any bullion cubes you prefer
2 teaspoons white pepper
3 bay leaves

1 medium size tomato for garnishing

Salt to taste

First blend the red bell peppers, tomatoes, scotch bonnet and 1 onion to a smooth paste and set aside.
Add the cooking oil into a large pot, place on the hob on medium heat, add half sliced onion into it and let it fry till fragrant. Add the blended pepper, tomato paste, knorr cubes, curry powder, one teaspoon white pepper, bay leaves, cover and let it fry till oil begins to float to the top. This should take 15 to 20 minutes.
While that’s frying, wash your rice thoroughly to rid it of starch and set aside. If you’re choosing to parboil your rice, parboil for 5-8 minutes with little water on low heat. The rice should still be very firm and not soft, wash with warm water and set aside.
When oil floats to the top, add the chicken/ meat stock, cover and let it fry for a further 8-10 minutes.

Now add the washed rice….  (It’s better to transfer the rice into another big pot, then add the stew so you can control the amount of stew that goes in to avoid over adding. Combine thoroughly, ensure the stew is only about a cm over the rice when combined, it’s better to start with little liquid and add as you go)
When that’s fully combined, add the butter….the minced ginger, the remaining teaspoon of white pepper and combine. Cover and let it cook till the rice softens. Do stir every now and then with a WOODEN spoon; this prevents clumps and doesn’t break the rice up. Add little bits of stock or water as you go, be careful not to add too much. Jollof rice needs steam to cook and not water, don’t be alarmed if/when the rice begins to burn, it will definitely burn a little, this is what gives it the much loved smokey flavour.
When the rice is soft enough, add the onion rings and sliced tomato and stir. Onions and tomatoes should be added just a couple of minutes before final doneness. Combine thoroughly....switch off the heat and leave to steam with the residual heat for another minute or two and it’s done.