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A deep pan of tomato-red rice, glossy and steaming, on a dark table
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West African · Serves 6

Smoky party jollof

@amara.cooks · Amara OkaforCreator-verified
Where this comes from

Nigerian party jollof, in the Igbo home style Amara learned from her mother in Enugu. Jollof rice traces to the Wolof kitchens of Senegambia and is cooked differently in every country it travelled to.

The creator’s note

“My mother cooked this for every naming ceremony on our street. The bottom of the pot is meant to catch — that scorched layer is the flavour everyone fights over. Don't stir it away.”

Amara Okafor · 1 hr 10 min active

Ingredient timeline

When everything goes in

  1. Stage 1

    Prep

    15 min

    Blend the peppers, tomatoes and onion to a coarse purée — not smooth.

    Creator-verified
    • Joins here
    • Plum tomatoes6, quartered
    • Red bell peppers3
    • Scotch bonnet1–2, to tasteAmara uses two.
    • Red onion1 large
  2. Stage 2

    Fry the base

    20 min

    Fry the purée hard until it darkens and the oil separates. This is where the depth comes from.

    Creator-verified
    • Joins here
    • Groundnut oil120 ml
    • Tomato purée3 tbsp
    • Curry powder1 tbsp
    • Dried thyme2 tsp
  3. Stage 3

    Steam the rice

    30 min

    Rice in, lid on, heat low. Do not lift the lid to check — trust the timing.

    Creator-verified
    • Joins here
    • Bay leaves3
    • Long-grain parboiled rice750 g, rinsed
    • Chicken or vegetable stock900 ml, hot
  4. Stage 4

    Finish

    5 min

    Heat up for the last two minutes to catch the base, then rest off the heat.

    Inferred by Cue
    • Joins here
    • Spring onion3, sliced
Serves 6

Everything you need

  • Plum tomatoes6, quartered
  • Red bell peppers3
  • Scotch bonnet1–2, to tasteAmara uses two.
  • Red onion1 large
  • Groundnut oil120 ml
  • Tomato purée3 tbsp
  • Curry powder1 tbsp
  • Dried thyme2 tsp
  • Bay leaves3
  • Long-grain parboiled rice750 g, rinsed
  • Chicken or vegetable stock900 ml, hot
  • Spring onion3, sliced

Quantities are written for 6. Prepare to Cook scales them for however many you’re feeding.

How this page was put together

Cue said: I transcribed Amara's spoken method into stages and rewrote nothing she said. Quantities are hers.

Facts on this page carry a label: creator-verified means Amara Okafor stated it, inferred by Cue means I worked it out from the reel and haven’t had it confirmed. No scores here, and no nutrition tracking — that isn’t what this is for.

Prepare to Cook

Prepare to Cook scales the quantities, checks your pantry and hands you Cook Mode. Your list and your notes stay on this device.