Jollof Rice

After weeks of sickness kept me out of the kitchen, I was anxious to get back in and try out a few Liberian recipes before the month ended.  My first attempt came in the form of jollof rice.  Something we Americans would consider a one-pot meal, jollof rice is a mixture of rice (obviously), meat and tomatoes (sauce and all).  With a few spices thrown in for good measure, it can be most easily compared in cousin form to Creole fare.  That would make sense, after all, since there is the same culinary root to both types of cooking.

Though I used beef stew meat in my version, I have come to understand that most Liberians make jollof rice with chicken, bacon and salt pork.  But, all sources I have seen only list those traditional items with an asterisk - meaning, any meat will do.  For busy moms and harried chefs, it can be a nice way to use up leftovers.  Not a fancy meal.  Not one to impress the in-laws.  But, it's a good, hearty meal for a low-key night.

Ingredients:

• 2 Ibs. cooked meat (such as chicken, bacon, shrimp, smoked pork) cut in 1-inch chunks
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup yellow onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup green peppers, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger (optional)
• (1) 16-oz. can whole tomatoes, stewed
• (2) 6-oz. cans tomato paste
• 2 quarts water
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 2 cups white rice
• 5 cups chicken stock or water
• salt and pepper, to taste 

Instructions:

1. In a 10-inch skillet, saute meat in 1/2 cup vegetable oil until slightly brown.
2. In a 4-quart kettle, saute yellow onions and green peppers, with ginger if using, in 1/4 cup vegetable oil until soft.  Add can of tomatoes and simmer for 5minutes.
3. Add tomato paste, water, salt, black pepper, thyme, crushed red pepper and the cooked meat.  Simmer for 20 minutes longer.
4. In a 2 quart saucepan, cook rice in chicken stock or water until tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Combine the sauce of the meat with the rice.  Pour the Jollof Rice in a deep bowl, arranging the meat in the center.

(The original recipe came from this site: http://www.liberianforum.com/recipe.htm)