Jollof Coconut Rice
I made some coconut rice, jollof style at the weekend. I love coconut rice and essentially all things coconut so opting to cook my rice with coconut milk is something i do as often as i have coconut milk in the store. So it basically goes like this – I am cooking rice and i am looking out for something to “jazz up” the pot of rice in the store; i sight a can or two of coconut milk and it goes straight into the rice without hesitation and that was how this intended party jollof rice became coconut rice which was served with grilled fish and meat! 🙂
We had a small family gathering at the weekend and when you are having a family get together, barbecues or grills are so much fun! It makes the atmosphere casual and relaxing and there essentially is nothing like that lingering smoky scent and flavor in everything particularly from a coal grill! There are also lots of options in what you can have on the menu….
We had some grilled catfish just taken out of mum’s fish tank so it was really really fresh!
And we had some steak! Of course! 🙂
…Some chicken
…And by the time we were on the pork, the fire was out of control! Lol! Oh grills! 🙂
We also had some beef and chicken sausages particularly because kids love them!
And should there really be any grilling without some roasted corn and bolé (roasted plantain)? I think not! 🙂 . I cannot tell you how much i had to scout to get some corn as it isn’t corn season yet and honestly wasn’t ready to pay an arm and a leg for imported sweet corn. I am soooo looking forward to corn season!!! 🙂
Salads are a necessity and you can have some vegetables like carrots, peppers and such roasted as well. Just have fun! 🙂 . We had a lettuce salad with tomatoes and olives as well as this simple salad of cucumber, tomatoes, onions, parsley and apples drizzled with some olive oil and a pinch of salt and black pepper.
The kids had fries and everyone else enjoyed the grills and salads with Jollof Coconut rice. We had poor lighting indoors so couldn’t take that many pictures of the food spread indoors on the dining table 🙂 . Here goes the print ready recipe. Enjoy! 🙂
Jollof Coconut Rice
Tasty coconut rice made with coconut milk and a base of tomato sauce
Cuisine: Nigerian
Serves: 12
Ingredients
- 750 grams Tomatoes (10 medium sized)
- 340 grams Tatashe/Red Pepper (5 pieces deseeded)
- 150 grams Rodo/Red Scotch Bonnets (20 small pieces)
- 500 grams Onions (About 3 Medium Sized, Peeled)
- 1.5 kg Rice (About 2 derica cups)
- 350 mls Vegetable Oil
- 75 grams Butter or Margarine
- 1 tsp Garlic Paste
- 1 tablespoon Ginger Paste (Ground fresh Ginger)
- 200 grams Tomato Paste
- ½ Tablespoons Dried Thyme
- 6 Bay Leaves
- 3 tsp Salt
- 8 Stock Cubes (About 4 grams each)
- 750 mls Seasoned Chicken Stock
- 750 mls Coconut Milk
Instructions
- Place washed tomatoes, red pepper and red scotch bonnets in the goblet of a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a medium pan and cook on medium heat until most of the liquid evaporates and the mixture thickens. Blend Onions and set aside.
- Wash rice thoroughly about four times sprinkling a little salt with each wash. Drain thoroughly.
- In a large pot add vegetable oil and butter. Once hot, add ginger and garlic paste and fry in the oil for about 3 minutes to develop the flavor. Add blended onions and tomato paste and fry about 10 minutes.. Add cooked blended tomatoes and fry an additional 5 minutes then add thyme, bay leaves, salt, stock cubes, chicken stock and coconut milk. Bring to a boil on medium high heat then add the rice.. Stir with a wooden spoon. Cover the pot with some sheets of foil paper and then put the lid on. This is to ensure the rice steams as the liquid dries out. Once you start to smell a little burn, turn down the heat and allow the rice to keep cooking until it is soft but with a little bite to it.
- You want to under cook the rice just a little as it keeps cooking once you take it off the heat and if it is soft, it might then be soggy. Once cooked, take of the heat and serve.
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