- Judith Akatugba
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There is no official Nigerian gathering that is complete without this cherished staple. The jollof rice and plantains disappear first, so those who arrive later are always let down. And let’s not even talk about my family’s reaction when they arrive and the fried plantains are gone—no matter how many you cook, there’s never enough. The Maggi cubes are the dish’s simple enigma. They stand out from other varieties of bouillon.
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Ingredients:
For the Jollof Rice
- 2 red onions chopped (divided in half)
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 habanero pepper
- 2 red bell peppers
- 1 cup chicken broth.
- 1 can tomato paste 6 oz
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 5 Maggi cubes (beef bouillon)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon curry
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups uncooked rice, long grain
- 2 cups chicken broth
For Fried Plantain
- 4 ripe plantains (30% yellow, 70% black)
- Oil for frying
Directions:
Make the Jollof Rice
- In a blender combine, 1 chopped onion, tomatoes, bell peppers, habanero pepper, with 1 cup of chicken stock, blend for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Set Aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pot, add 1 chopped onion and fry for three minutes then add the tomato paste and baking soda, stir and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Stir in the blended tomato mix and sprinkle crushed maggi cubes evenly across the pot, add the salt, thyme, curry powder and bay leaves and stir cook on medium heat for 15 minutes.
- While the sauce is cooking, rinse two cups of long grain rice repeatedly to remove the starch. After the tomato mixture has cooked for 15 minutes add the rice to the pot.
- Pour in one cup of chicken broth and mix. Turn the heat down to low, place foil over the pot and cover with a lid. Cook for 20 minutes, mix the rice and cook for another 20 minutes and turn heat off.
Make the Plantain
- Heat oil on medium-high heat until hot. While waiting, prepare the plantain. Cut off the ends of the plantain, then make a straight slice down the length of the plantain to remove the skin. Slice the plantain on a bias (not directly from above), cutting into ½ inch pieces.
- When the oil heats up, add plantain to the fire. Fry until brown on all sides. Remove when finished frying and rest in a strainer or colander to remove the excess oil.
