Jollof rice recipe

There are many variations of this West African dish based on cooked rice with tomatoes, onions and peppers. You can add any meat you like and vary the vegetables too. Try adding peas or sweetcorn at the end of cooking instead of the mushrooms, and vary the chilli heat by adding a little chilli powder or chopped chilli, if liked. This makes a really filling family supper and is often served as a dinner party dish in Nigeria or Ghana.

Ingredients

• 1tbsp sunflower oil
• 15g butter
• 1 onion
• 1 stick celery, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 green or red pepper, deseeded and diced
• 1 chicken breast, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1tsp dried thyme
• 1tsp mild curry paste or powder
• 2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely grated
• 1tbsp hot paprika
• 225g long grain rice
• 400g can tomatoes
• 400ml chicken stock
• 12 medium flat mushrooms

Method

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan and add the onion, celery and carrot and fry over a low heat for 5 mins until the onion is transparent.
2. Add the pepper and chicken and fry for 5 mins.
3. Add the garlic, thyme, curry paste or powder and ginger. Fry for 1 min then add the rice and stir well.
4. Add the tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid then simmer for 10 mins. Add the whole mushrooms and cook for a further 3-4 mins or until the rice is tender. Add a little more water if the liquid evaporates too quickly.