Native Jollof Rice
This chicken builds ripe tomatoes, blended, ground crayfish and fermented locust beans (iru) into a satisfying meal you can have ready in about 65 minutes. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and large pot. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (5)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water until it runs clear, then drain and set aside.
- Blend the tomatoes, one of the onions and the scotch bonnet to a coarse purée, and finely slice the second onion.
- Heat the palm oil in a heavy pot over medium heat until it just shimmers, add the sliced onion and the locust beans, and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the blended tomato mixture and cook, stirring often, for about 10 to 12 minutes until the raw smell goes and the sauce thickens and darkens.
- Stir in the ground crayfish, flaked smoked fish, crumbled bouillon cubes and the stock, then bring to a steady boil and taste for salt.
- Add the drained rice, stir once, then reduce the heat to low, cover tightly and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring gently once or twice, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Turn off the heat and let the rice steam, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve hot.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Large pot · Saucepan · Blender · Steamer
Tips & common questions
How long does Native Jollof Rice take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 11 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Native Jollof Rice is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Native Jollof Rice.jpg by Atimukoh, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.