Jollof Rice (West African Paella)

JOLLOF RICE (WEST AFRICAN PAELLA)

Recipe By :

8 Preparation Time :

Categories : Main Dish Ethnic

Poultry Seafood

Rice

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -- -- --

-Bonnie Bracey GRWP92A

1 Chicken -- (or more)

6 Medium onions -- chopped

6 Green bell peppers -- chopped

1/2 lb Shrimp -- (more or less)

3/4 c Carrots -- chopped

3/4 c Stringbeans -- broken into -pieces

3/4 c Peas

6 Tomatoes -- chopped

1 t Salt

1/2 ts Fresh ground pepper

1 Sprig of thyme -- crushed, or -one tsp of dried thyme

4 c Rice -- (more or less)

1/4 c Tomato paste -- (or more)

Oil -- for frying

1 1/2 ts Cayenne pepper

You can put in as many kinds of meat or vegetables as

you like or can afford into this dish. Shrimp makes an

extravagant but wonderful addition. Use a heavy pot or a large cast iron skillet to discourage burning.

Stirring often is the key to successwith this dish.

Use a large wooden spoon. Cover the pot tightly.

Skin, debone and chop the chicken into 1 inch square

pieces. In a heavey pot, large enough to hold

everything, brown the chicken in oil. Add onions and 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, saute the shrimp in

a small amount of oil and precook the carrots, beans,

and peas (or other vegetables of your choice) until

5 minutes or so

vegetables and add to the chicken pot along with the

shrimp, tomatoes, salt, pepper and thyme. Reduce heat

to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

Combine rice with tomato paste, which should coat the

rice grains without drowning them. (In the finished

dish, the rice should be tinted orange, too much

tomato paste will make it red.) Stir the coated rice

to the pot and continue to simmer, adding water

sparingly, as needed, to avoid burning. When the meat,

rice and vegetables are tender, the Jollof Rice is

ready to serve. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -