Party Jollof Rice With Tea

We created Party Jollof Rice With Tea! Jollof rice has been enjoyed over many years in West Africa. A stable dish eaten with meat or vegetables regularly at mealtimes. A traditional dish that instantly reminds you of home, especially if you ate this delicious dish as a child. There are many different versions of how to make a tasty Jollof fried rice and the results, when cooked well, is simply mouth-watering leaving you wanting more. Party Jollof Rice is the smoky version of Jollof Rice. Traditionally the smokiness comes from cooking jollof rice over firewood in a large pot. But what if you just do not have the time to get the wood fired BBQ going in the garden, and yet you really want to serve Party Jollof Fried Rice for family and friends?

It is both simple and easy to make, without needing to BBQ outside, and yet the result is tasty Party Jollof Fried Rice, prepared and cooked in no time at all. By using Organic Lapsang Souchong tea and vegetables roasted in the oven, this combination together provides the exquisite smokiness that party jollof rice is well known for. Organic Lapsang Souchong well known as a smoky tea, its black tea leaves may be smoke-dried over a pinewood fire. The flavour and aroma of the tea is that of wood smoked. Roasting vegetables in the oven brings out their own smoky flavour and aroma. Therefore, as the recipe shows below, combining Organic Lapsang Souchong tea and oven roasted vegetables adds the wood fired flavour we need for party jollof rice and tea.

The recipe is further simplified in using ingredients that you may already have in your kitchen. These ingredients you can use in many other dishes, reducing any waste, especially if you need to buy extra ingredients for this recipe. We believe in keeping things simple, reducing waste and enjoying the good things in life.

So, let’s get the party started and start cooking…

Time duration

Preparation:    20mins

Or the time it takes for you to enjoy a cup of tea whilst reading pages from your favourite book

Cooking:          50mins

Similar to length of a lunch break enjoying a cup of your favourite tea

Steeping:         Up to 6mins, leave longer to intensify the flavour

Eating:             Serve hot with a dab of butter as soon as your guests arrive to the party!

Storing:           Can be eaten cold the following day. Although it won’t last past the first day.  It tastes so good your guests will be asking for more.

Main ingredients

Ingredients

Core ingredients for roasting

4 medium sized tomatoes chopped to 1-2cm chunks

1 red pepper de-seeded and chopped in 1-2cm chunks

1-2 fresh chillies or scotch bonnet peppers chopped roughly in large pieces or leave whole

For me, scotch bonnets were difficult to get hold of so I used what I had already, chillies, and they worked a treat.

1 white or red onion chopped in 1-2cm chunks

If using red onion this will add a little natural sweetness to the dish.

Tea infused stock and tomato paste

1 vegetable stock cube

4 g or handful Teabury Organic Lapsang Souchong Loose leaf Tea

4 tblspn tomato paste

Spices and herbs for frying

1-2 tblspn vegetable or rapeseed oil

I used rapeseed

2 tblspn butter

1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped finely

3 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and chopped finely

1 tspn each of ground ginger and ground garlic works just as well

Spice and herbs mix

2 tspn curry powder

You can use Caribbean or Jamaican curry powder. I used regular Indian curry powder and added extra spices

1 tspn ground turmeric

1 tspn ground nutmeg

1 tspn ground paprika

I used smoked paprika for extra smokiness. Unsmoked paprika works just as well

1 tspn ground cinnamon

Adds that extra natural sweetness that is found in some Caribbean or Jamaican curry powder

1 tspn dried thyme

1 tspn dried oregano

You can use fresh herbs to intensify the flavour, roughly chop half handful of each

Party jollof rice would not be right without rice ingredients!

250g long grain rice

Washed thoroughly using sieve under cold running water. I used basmati white rice

1 dried bay leaf

1 tblspn or dab of butter spooning through hot rice just before serving

Seasoning and garnish

Pinch white or black pepper to taste

I used my own ‘colourful’ ground pepper, I throw a handful of whatever peppercorns I have at the time in my pepper grinder and it works each time. I have selection of green, white, red, black peppercorns. Using just black ground pepper also works just fine.

Pinch ground or crystal salt to taste

1 medium tomato chopped approx. 1cm cubes

1 medium red onion thinly sliced

1 tblspn or dab of butter

Let’s get cooking

Step 1 : Roasting core ingredients

• Put on the oven 200deg C, fan assisted 180deg C
• Place chopped tomatoes, onion, red pepper on baking tray, lightly drizzle with vegetable or rapeseed oil. Sprinkle with salt
• Place in hot over top shelf for roasting, 20mins until all are roasted beautifully, ends turn slight brown colour

Roasted vegetables

Meanwhile,

Step 2 : Infusing stock with tea and tomato paste

• Boil kettle.
• Steep Teabury Organic Lapsang Souchong tea in teapot or infuser of hot water (enough for 1 mug of tea), approx.. 300ml. Leave to stand for 6-8 minutes
• Once tea is ready, strain in large bowl and add the vegetable stock cube to hot tea
• Stir in the tomato puree, mix well
• Leave to stand to allow all the flavours to infuse together

Step 3 : Blend roasted core ingredients

• Remove roasted core ingredients from oven and leave to part cool, approx. 20mins.
• Once part cooled, add chillies and blend together in blender to a smooth puree mixture.
• Leave to one side.

Step 4 : Fry together the spices

• Add oil and small knob of butter to large pan and allow to get hot.
• Add ginger, garlic and fry for about 1 min, until slightly browned
• Add spice and herb mix to pan and fry for further 1-2mins only, reduce heat if frying happens too quickly

Note : If using dry garlic and ginger, add these with the spice and herb mix together, at step 13) and fry all together for 1-2mins, reduce heat if frying happens too quickly.

Step 5 : Ready the Party Jollof Rice

• Add the blended roasted core ingredient mix together with the fried spices and herbs in pan
• Add the stock infused tea and tomato paste to pan.
• Pour in the pre washed rice and make sure liquid mixture covers over the top of the rice – if not then add more hot water from kettle

16) Add dried bay leaf

17) Stir and bring to boil

18) Cover pot with foil paper to allow rice to steam cook without needing to add any water, place lid on top.

Note if using just the lid without the foil, water will gradually reduce.

19) Steam cook for 20mins on very low heat.

Rice cooking in blended vegetables, spices, herbs and tea mixture

20) Once cooked and fluffy, turn off heat. Season and garnish with salt and pepper to taste, add fresh chopped tomato, sliced red onion and a dab of butter.

21) Place foil paper back directly on top of the rice this time and leave for another 10mins, with heat still turned off.

Cooked rice without the garnish

Step 6) Serving suggestions

21) Serve hot

22) Serve on it’s own with a delicious side salad

23) Serve with meat or fish cooked, see Teabury tea infused meat and fish recipes for some ideas

24) Serve with warm pitta or wraps, filled with a salad, cooked black beans or shredded chicken, drizzle of mayonnaise or dressing of your choice

Teabury Party Jollof Rice With Tea is not just for parties, it can be enjoyed any day of the week, lunch or evening.

Party Jollof Rice With Tea

Questions and answers 

Want fluffy Party Jollof?

Don’t crowd it! Meaning, give your Party Jollof Rice room in the pot to fry, if overcrowded it will simply steam, making it less fluffy. So use a medium to large pot, this will allow room to fry and your rice will fluff beautifully.

Why is my Party Jollof tasting bitter?

Go easy on the bay leaf. If in doubt just use one bay leaf. This should do the trick.

Why is my Party Jollof not spicey?

Just add more spices to your Party Jollof. If you prefer more spice, add more… gradually to taste.

What gives Party Jollof Rice it’s beautiful colour?

Combination of red pepper, tomatoes, scotch bonnet (if you are using these in place of chillies) and of course turmeric gives Party Jollof its distinctive beautiful colour.

Jollof Wars

The only ‘Jollof Wars’ we debate about is whether BBQ’ed Jollof Rice or our Party Jollof Rice With Tea made with Organic Lapsang Souchong is the best? And each time, we have found there is no party without Teabury Party Jollof Rice With Tea. What do you say? We would love to hear your ‘Jollof War’ stories, just send us a comment to info@teabury.com

Happy party jollof!

Happy sipping!

Shop Teabury organic black loose leaf tea here.