Oven Baked Jollof Rice
Yes, you read that right - oven baked jollof rice! When I don't have a lot of time to babysit jollof rice on the stove top or have a really large party to cater for, this is my go-to method! What I love most about this isn't the ease of preparation, it's the crispy edges you get to enjoy from oven cooking! Just as tasty and authentic, enjoy this jollof 'a la mode'!
Ingredients
as written
- 4 cups rice
- 2½ cups broth
For the tomato base
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 2 habanero or scotch bonnet hot peppers, minced
- 15 ounces canned tomato sauce
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon black or cameroon pepper
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 5 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons salt
Method
- 01
Pre heat oven to 375F while you prepare your tomato base on the stove top. In a small sauce pan, heat up oil and stir fry the minced onion, hot peppers, canned tomato sauce and tomato paste for 5 mins on medium heat. Add in the spices, stir and cook with a lid for another 5 minutes or until oven is preheated.
- 02
In a large deep baking dish, mix in the rice, broth and all the tomato base (~ 2 1/2 cups). I like to use jasmine rice for this recipe but any long grain rice works too. I also find using a glass baking dish makes clean up easy!
- 03
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the oven for 50 minutes.
- 04
Open the baking dish to stir everything evenly, especially mixing in the bottom of the dish. Return the foil covering and bake for another 30 minutes or until you achieve your desired texture.
- 05
Enjoy your jollof rice with some plantains, salad or protein of choice!