Nigeria and Ghana are the most competitive about who makes the best jollof rice, referred to as 'jollof wars'. Nigerian Jollof Rice Substitute:Some people might consider a paste of sundried tomatoes a good substitute…I’m not sure. Yet. Uncle Ben’s’ used to be synonymous with Long-grain rice in the eighties and early nineties (?) because it was readily available in Nigeria–I remember hearing My mum and aunties talk about ‘Uncle Ben’s’ like it was the holy grail of rice. Parboiled Long-grain Rice There are a variety of food items that pair really well with jollof rice. Everyone has their preference, here are some options:

There has been quite the debate on social media on whose Jollof is better (Nigeria vs Ghana), and I will have to say that honestly it just comes down to preference. I prefer Nigerian Jollof because I personally think that the basmati/jasmine rice is too sweet and soft of a grain to be used in the dish, but it does give the jollof a nice flavor! Tips on cooking the BEST Jollof Rice Jollof rice is a beloved dish in many countries across West Africa and each one has its own unique version. Reserve 1/4th of the tomato mixture and add it at the end to help prevent the rice from burning. Also, it gives the rice that beautiful red color we all know and love. Mix all the spices in the first section of ingredients together in one bowl. If you double or triple the amount, then keep the rest in an airtight container in a cool place. The treatment is practiced in many parts of the world such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Guinea, South Africa, Italy, Spain, Nigeria, Thailand, Switzerland, USA and France.Party rice has a more smoky flavor thanks to the way the rice is prepared. The rice is allowed to "burn" somewhat in the pan while cooking covered. What is the Best Rice for Jollof? Put the passata, tomato purée, chillies, onions, peppers, garlic, rosemary, thyme, ground coriander and paprika in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

After 10 minutes, drain the water from your rice and add it to the stew. Stir it and allow the rice to mix well with the stew. Easy cook/ converted long grain rice has a firm texture and doesn't become mushy, preventing clumping when cooked, which is why this rice is perfect for jollof rice.

Add the water, bay leaf, and more seasoning (teaspoon each of curry and paprika). Stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes until much of the water has been absorbed.

Once the flavor is on point, then, I stir in the Rice. Make sure you stir the rice properly until you cover each grain of rice with the sauce. Soaking is not required, but I do recommend rinsing the rinse repeatedly until it runs clear of the chalkiness color. Soaking does reduce cooking time and results in fluffier rice. MAKING THIS RECIPEI’ve never really been a big fan of dried bay leaves. But…for Jollof’s sake, I’ve began to use it. It’s okay. It lends an aniseed-type flavour to the dish that’s not overpowering so I’m cook. Not much else to say. Dried/Smoked Peppers/Chilli: Popularly known in Nigeria as ‘Tatashe’, these are sun-dried whole paprika peppers or red bell peppers. Not a requirement in cooking jollof rice, but when used it makes a whole lot of difference. Gives a richer smokey flavour that most people fail to achieve without its use. Another great addition is dried scotch bonnet peppers or habanero, popularly known as Cameroon pepper (name derived from a Cameroonian technique used in drying the peppers). My mum was the first person I saw use Cameroon pepper in Jollof and ever since my jollof rice game has never been the same. Add the reduced tomato-pepper-Scotch bonnet mixture, stir, and set on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes till reduced by half, with the lid partly on. This is the stew that will define the pot. Seasonings (type B): Finally, seasonings again. I classified this because I noticed a lot of people prefer name brand seasoning mixes. Which are great, but there is a lot of culinary magic that happens when you combine ordinary seasonings of nature. Jollof rice starts with a tomato base and there are various ways to make this. Unlike other styles of jollof rice, the tomato base for a Smoky Party-Style Jollof Rice has to be of a high concentrate. You can achieve this by pre-cooking the tomatoes with all other fresh vegetables. This process dries up the liquid and eliminates the possibility of a raw tomato taste. It also intensifies the flavour and results in vibrant red colour. Maggi cubes

Meanwhile, heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the plantain for a few minutes on each side until golden and tender. Ozoz Sokoh, aka Kitchen Butterfly, is a Nigerian food explorer, blogger, culinary anthropologist, and food historian—she’s also a longtime Food52 community member and contributor of many beloved recipes. In fact, it’s her we have to thank for sharing one of our all-time most popular dishes: Classic Nigerian Jollof Rice. Truth too is, essentials are no guarantee to success so one must understand a bit about the ‘perfect’ combinations. When you add the rice in Step 4, trust the process - leave it to steam without fretting. Trust me, it'll be fineGarlic adds a savoury depth of flavour to the jollof rice dish, garlic and ginger is more of a Ghanaian addition, to be honest, but we love what it adds to the spicy rice. Bay Leaf