Jollof Rice w/Chicken

(click to enlarge)	Jollof Rice w/Chicken - Ghana West Africa, Ghana - Jollof Rice / Jolof / Djolof / Benachin
	Serves: Effort: Sched: DoAhead:	8 main *** 2-1/4 hrs Yes	Jollof rice is perhaps the most famous West African party dish, with this version specific to Ghana. It is not difficult to make, but steps need to be in just the right order, which I have laid out in detail.
Do read all the Notes before starting. See also Comments on various versions, including a vegetarian version.

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Chicken Phase
Chicken Meat (1)
-- Marinade
Onion
Garlic
Ginger
Salt
Pepper
Chili Powder
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Oil, deep fry (2)
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Rice Phase
-- Tomato Mix
Tomatoes ripe
Habanero Chili (3)
Bay Leaf
Curry Powder (4)
Tomato Sauce (5)
Salt
Pepper
-- Onion Mix
Onion
Garlic
Ginger
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Broth Mix (6)
Rice, Jasmine (7)
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Vegetables Phase
Mixed Vegies (8)
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Run Phase
Oil
-- Serve With
Green salad -or-
Fried Plantain
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Chicken Phase - (40 min) - Easiest done a day ahead and refrigerated.

Cut CHICKEN into bite-sized pieces if boneless - or as noted in Note-1.
Chop ONION fine. Crush GARLIC and chop fine. Grate GINGER. Mix all Marinade items and massage into Chicken. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.
In a kadhai or wok, heat Oil for deep fry and fry Chicken in batches until lightly browned (see Note-2). Set aside.

Rice Phase - (35 min)

Scald TOMATOES 1 minute in boiling water (a little more if plum tomatoes), quench in cold water, skin and chop fine. Reserving all juice, drain well, but don't squeeze dry.
Split HABAERO open lengthwise.
Mix together all Tomato Mix items.
Chop ONIONS fine. Crush GARLIC and chop fine. Slice GINGER crosswise very thin, then cut slices into threads. Chop threads fine. Mix all.
Mix up BROTH to be 4 cups. Include reserved Tomato Juice (up to 1 cup), Stock and or Water. If using Water, add 2 Maggi cubes or similar.
Wash RICE.

Vegetable Phase - (15 min)

Slice and/or dice all chosen VEGETABLES (see Note-8) to sizes that will steam tender in about the same amount of time. Carrots seem most popular, and should be cut a bit thinner than other vegetables. Mix all

Run Phase - (45 min) - (see also Method)

In a heavy bottomed vessel large enough for the whole recipe (4 quart is good), heat Oil and fry Onion mix until onions are becoming translucent.
Stir in Chicken and fry stirring until heated through.
Stir in Tomato Mix. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and simmer until Tomatoes are very soft, stirring now and then.
Reserve 1/2 cup of the Broth and pour the remaining 3-1/2 cups into the pan.
Stir Rice into the pan. Bring back to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, cover very tightly and let the rice cook 20 minutes or until tender but not at all mushy. It is permissible to stir the rice from the edges of the pan into the middle once if the pan is wide.
Meanwhile: Steam the Vegetable mix until just tender. Set the steamer aside to hold warm.
If all liquid is absorbed and rice doesn't seem done, stir in some of the reserved Broth (the pattern recipe needed a quarter cup), stirring as little as possible.
When done, stir in the steamed Vegetable mix.
Serve hot or warm.

NOTES:

Chicken:
Weight is Thigh and Leg meat without bones, fat or skin. In Africa 3 pounds of chicken parts, bone in with long bones cut in half, skinless and fat removed might be used. I prefer the cut chicken meat for buffet service. Goat, Mutton and Beef are also used, but need longer cooking time so should be cooked separately.
Oil:
I strongly recommend deep frying, because in shallower oil the Chicken splatters a lot and doesn't brown at all evenly. Use a high temperature oil like Olive Pomace. After use you can filter it through a paper towel and use it again. For details see our Oils for Cooking page.
Habanero Chili:
Habanero / Scotch Bonnet Chilis from the Caribbean now dominate in West Africa. Just one gives this recipe definite sharpness. If you're from the Frozen North, you may want to use half of one, but others may feel free to use two. For details see our African Chilis page.
Curry Powder:
West African curry powder is highly variable but usually uses more black pepper than in Anglo-India Madras Curry Powder, which could be used (Ship or Sun brand). Here's a typical recipe for West African Curry Powder. Some recipes call for 1/2 teaspoon of dried Thyme instead.
Tomato Sauce:
This should be a very simple Tomato Sauce. My favorite is Faraon brand Spanish Style, which comes in convenient 8 ounce cans.
Broth:
This Broth is prepared from several item, including Chicken Stock. When preparing for a dish of this type, I buy chicken a day ahead as whole thighs or whole leg quarters. I remove skin, bones and fat, putting them all in a pot and simmering for 3 to 4 hours, then strain out and discard the solids. Remove the fat using a gravy separator. This becomes the broth for the recipe. It is strong enough to be extended a bit with water if need be. For more on making and storing Broth, see our page Soup Stock / Broth - General Method.
Rice:
In Ghana, long grain rice is used, either Jasmine or Basmati. Yes, these are "foreign" rices, but nearly all rice consumed in West Africa is imported. In Nigeria parboiled rice (like Uncle Ben's) is used, but everyone else uses long grain rice.
Vegetables:
Use any combination from this list: Carrots, Bell Peppers, Green Beans, Long Beans, Corn, Frozen Peas, Celery, etc.
Method
In Ghana this dish is traditionally made in a clay pot and cooked in hot kitchen ashes. Here in North America most of us don't have hot kitchen ashes unless there has been a serious fire. I do most of my cooking on the stovetop, but some are more oven oriented, which would be closer to the "ashes" method. Use a heavy Dutch Oven or similar. Once the rice is in and up to a boil (step 15) place tightly covered in a pre-heated 350°F/175°C oven for about 15 minutes, then check for needing more liquid (some of the reserved broth reheated). Stir rice from the edges to the center and from the center to the edges. Place back in the oven and check for doneness again in about 10 minutes. Another way, which I'd more likely use, would be to bring back to a boil (step 15), then pour into a slow cooker set to high. As soon as there are bubbles turn to low. When done and the vegies mixed in, it can be set to "keep warm" and go right out onto the buffet table.
Serving:
The arrangement here is traditional. Today, in Ghana, the meats (Chicken, Mutton, Goat, Beef) are completely cooked separately and placed on top of the rice for serving. This method seems to have originated in restaurants.
Reheating:
This dish is best reheated in a casserole in the oven.
Comments:
This dish originated in Senegal with the Wolof people and the Jollof Kingdom, but how it got to the rest of West Africa is debated. It is best known today for competing versions from Ghana and Nigeria. The quantities given in West African recipes tend to be overly large for North America, but since I consider this a party dish, I left it large. The recipe produces 5 pounds or 11-1/2 cups, which will serve 7 or 8 as a main dish,and 12 to 16 as a buffet party dish. Note that this Ghana version can be made vegetarian, where deep fried plantain slices are served with it instead of meat or fish. Fish is the favorite meat in the Wolof versions of Senegal.
U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste

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Jollof Rice w/Chicken - Ghana

Chicken:

Oil:

Habanero Chili:

Curry Powder:

Tomato Sauce:

Broth:

Rice:

Vegetables:

Method

Serving:

Reheating:

Comments: