How to Make Jollof Rice for Kwanzaa

Jollof rice is a perfect dish for your Kwanzaa meal. It is a popular African dish which can easily be customized to include the type of vegetables currently being harvested at the time. Maya Angelou even discusses a humorous recipe for jollof rice she had sent home to her mother from Africa in her book 'A Song Flung up to Heaven'. Her mother stated it was a smashing success.

Things You'll Need

• Salt to taste
• One 2 to 3lb. chicken cut in pieces
• 3 tbsps. of freshly grated ginger
• 1 1/2 cups of crushed tomatoes (canned are best)
• 2 1/2 cups of either brown or white rice
• 1 tbsp. of curry powder
• 1 cup of black eyed peas
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound of string (green) beans, trimmed and cut into bit sized pieces
• 3 qts. of water
• 4 to 6 cloves of garlic finely minced
• 8 medium sized carrots cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 5 qt. Dutch over or covered pot
• 1/3 cup of oil (vegetable or canola)
• 2 large onions chopped finely
• Large skillet
• 5 qt. casserole dish

Instructions

Make Jollof Rice for Kwanzaa

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Sort and rinse the beans (make sure to look our for small stones), put in large pot and cover with water.

3. Cover the pot and bring your water to a boil over a high heat for 1 minute.

4. Remove the pot from the heat and let the beans sit and soak for at least 1 hour, then drain well.

5. Place peas back in pot along with the 3 qts. of water and then bring to a boil. Lower to medium and cook for 15 minutes. Drain peas once again, but reserve at least 4 cups of the cooking liquid.

6. Brown the chicken on all sides over a medium-high heat (you may have to do this in batches). Remove and set aside on a plate.

7. Combine the onions, garlic and ginger to the skillet and cook for about 4 minutes until soft. Add in the curry powder and cayenne pepper and stir for 1 additional minute.

8. Add the onion and garlic mixture, the reserved cooking liquid, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes and salt to the pot and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, peas and carrots and return to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and then cover and cook for about 10 minutes.

9. Put chicken in Dutch oven and cook for another 15 minutes.

10. Mix the string beans into the chicken mixture and then transfer the contents into the casserole. Bake for about 30 minutes until chicken is thoroughly cooked and rice is tender.

11. Let Jollof rice sit for 15 minutes before serving to make the mixture settle.

Tips & Warnings

• If you prefer, you can make Jollof rice with stew beef or pork.

Resources

• A Song Flung up to Heaven - Maya Angelou