Native Jollof rice (concoction)

Nigerian native jollof rice, Palm oil rice, concoction or call it whatever u may is a traditional rice dish that most Nigerians have eaten at one time or the other. That's how popular this dish is. It has a unique taste and aroma and it's so easy to cook compared to some rice dishes. Don't get it twisted, this is different from Party jollof rice. For party jollof rice recipe click HERE.

There are variations in cooking this dish with key ingredients being smoked dry fish, locust beans and prawns. Here I am giving you recipe and directions on how I cook mine and knowing my love for good food and discerning taste you won't be disappointed.

My love for rice has no bounds. I can eat rice 2 times a day 365 days a year and before you ask me, i took after my mum in this. My dearest mum can eat rice 3 times a day 365 days a year. To her, rice is the solution to any food problem. Heheheee.

I like rice so much and at the same time i get bored of the same meal so it's little wonder i have 1 million and 1 ways to prepare rice dishes (eeermmm... not quite 1 million and 1). All of which I'll be sharing the recipes with you as we go through my kitchen journey together but today, it's all about Concoction.

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS ( Serves 4 )

3 cups Rice (*All measurements on this blog make use of standard measuring cup unless otherwise stated)

2 cooking spoon Palm oil

2 Scotch bonnet (chopped)

1-2  tablespoon ground dry pepper

1 brown Onion (chopped)

1 Bell/Red pepper (chopped)

2 fresh Tomato (sliced)

1 smoked dry catfish

Few pieces dry shawa fish

¼ cup dried shrimps/prawns/crayfish

3 tablespoons Locust beans

1 teaspoon tomato puree

2 maggi cubes

Scent leaf (optional)

Salt

Water

DIRECTIONS

1) Soak the dry fish in hot salt water for 3 minutes, wash, shred and debone. Wash the rice and set aside.

2) In a pot, heat the Palm oil, add the chopped onions, stir and let it fry on low heat for 1-2minutes.

3) Add the chopped scotch bonnet, sliced tomatoes, ground dry pepper, tomato puree and let it fry for a minute then add the locust beans and leave to fry for 2 minutes.

4) Add 3 cups of water, cover the pot and leave to boil.

5) When it starts to boil, stir and add the rice and place the smoked dry fish, Shawa and prawns on top of the rice. Cover the pot and let the rice cook on low heat for 10-15minutes.

6) After this time when the rice is almost done, add the red pepper (I like the flavour of the red pepper when added at this stage and not earlier. It gives a distinctive flavour) and leave to cook till rice is well cooked.

*If need be add water to the rice to cook till soft.

7) Stir the rice and take off heat. Concoction is ready to eat.

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