West African Jollof Rice

Ingredients

• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 (14.5 oz) can whole tomatoes or 4 Roma tomatoes
• 1 scotch bonnet or habanero (seeded for less heat)
• 2 onions, 1 roughly chopped and 1 thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 chicken bouillon cube, crumbled
• 2 1/2 cups long-grain parboiled rice, rinsed
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• For dodo (fried plantains): 3 ripe plantains, sliced, and oil for frying

Steps

1. Blend the peppers, tomatoes, scotch bonnet and chopped onion until smooth.
2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the sliced onion until soft, 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and fry, stirring, until it darkens, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger for 1 minute.
3. Pour in the blended sauce, add the curry powder, thyme, bay leaves, salt and bouillon and simmer, stirring often, until reduced by about half and the oil rises to the top, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Stir in the rice and broth, bring to a boil, then cover tightly with foil and the lid and cook over very low heat 25 to 30 minutes, until the rice is tender. Stir once halfway.
5. For smoky party-style jollof, turn up the heat for the last 2 minutes without stirring to lightly toast the bottom. Remove the bay leaves and fluff.
6. Meanwhile fry the plantain slices in hot oil until caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve the rice with the dodo.

TipParboiled long-grain rice keeps its shape in the thick sauce; regular long-grain works too but use a bit less broth.