Have you heard about the Jollof wars? Let us enlighten you. Jollof, also known as the Queen of West African kitchen is an aromatic, spicy, deep red coloured rice dish. It is the heart and soul of every household but just whispers the word "Jollof" in West Africa and you could easily start a fiery feud of passion. That's because determining which West African nation makes Jollof best is an ongoing matter of local pride.

Jollof rice is to West Africa what paella is to Spain, risotto to Italy, biriyani to India and fried rice to China. The base ingredients are often the same everywhere, with ginger, garlic, thyme, grains of Selim (a West African spice), tomato puree, curry powder and Scotch bonnet chillies. Of course, the recipes vary from house to house, but the principle remains the same.

The origins of Jollof rice can be traced to the 1300s in the ancient Wolof Empire (also called the Jolof Empire), which spanned parts of today's Senegal, The Gambia and Mauritania. Despite its ubiquity across the region, few foods have caused as much of a stir as Jollof rice. Today, every West African country has at least one variation of Jollof, which both divides and unites the region. Each nation and family add their own twist and interpretation, which perhaps is the root of the fierce competition taking place across social media, parties and street-side chats. Today we have the Nigerian Classic Jollof recipe for you, let’s begin!

Ingredients-

• 1/3 cup oil 
• 6 medium-sized tomatoes
• 4 large red bell peppers, seeds discarded
• 3 medium-sized red onions (1 sliced thinly, 2 roughly chopped)
• 1/2 to 1 hot pepper
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 5 to 6 cups stock (vegetable)
• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter 
• 4 cups uncooked long-grain rice or golden sella basmati, rinsed
• Salt, to taste
• Black and white pepper, to taste

Method-

1. Roast the tomatoes, and red bell peppers & set aside. Saute chopped onions in mustard oil and blend with tomatoes, bell peppers and scotch bonnets until smooth.
2. Combine with the stock until it's mixed. Pour into a large pot/ pan and bring to the boil then turn down and let simmer, partly covered for 10 - 12 minutes
3. In a large pan, heat oil and add the sliced onions. Season with a pinch of salt, stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the bay leaves, curry powder and dried thyme and a pinch of black pepper for 3 - 4 minutes on medium heat. 
4. Then add the tomato paste - stir for another 2 minutes. 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. 
5. Add 4 cups of the stock to the cooked tomato sauce and bring it to boil for 1 - 2 minutes.
6. Add the rinsed rice and butter, stir, cover with a double piece of foil/baking or parchment paper and put a lid on the pan—this will seal in the steam and lock in the flavor. 
7. Turn down the heat and cook on the lowest possible heat for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
8. Stir rice—taste and adjust as required. If rice isn't soft enough/ needs additional cooking, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of stock or water, stir through and continue to steam, on low till cooked through.
9. If you like, add sliced onions, fresh tomatoes and the 2nd teaspoon of butter and stir through. Let rest, covered for 5 to 6 minutes.
10. Once the rice is cooked, let it sit in the aroma for 15 minutes before opening the lid.
    
    Your Jollof rice is ready!