Pineapple Jollof Rice

If you are connected to my social media channels, you would have seen that I shared a CNN article highlighting the emergence of the creative african chefs. I was so excited because it made me realize the very thing Afrolems stands for in promoting african food to the world is coming to past in my life time. This can only mean modification, fusion meals and amazing recipes that would be born. As I was reading through the article, I came across a famous Ghanian chef PaJohn Bentsifi Dadson and he mentioned his appreciation for fusion meals and he mentioned Pineapple Jollof Rice was being served at his restaurant. Now we know our west africans are never really happy about modifications made to Jollof Rice but hey once in a while try something different. It reminded me of my pineapple fried rice recipe and I thought well I was licking my fork after that dish, the pineapple jollof rice wouldn’t be a bad idea. I got into the kitchen and whipped up the recipe and I can say that I would be making this a regular at my dinner table.

Ingredients

1 cup of parboiled rice

1/2 cup of chopped pineapples

1.5 cups of blended tomatoes, bell pepper and scotch bonnet pepper mix

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

1 small onion (chopped)

1 teaspoon of curry

1/4 teaspoon of thyme

Seasoning cubes

1/2 cup of chopped vegetables (optional)

2 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon of grated ginger

1.5 cooking spoons of vegetable oil

1/2 cup of stock juice

Method

Heat up your oil, stir fry your pineapples and chopped vegetables for 30 seconds and take out of the oil.

In the same oil, toss in your chopped onions, garlic and ginger and fry about a minute or two on medium heat.

Stir in your tomato paste and fry for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.

Pour in your blended tomato, pepper mix and stir.

Season with seasoning cubes, curry, thyme and any other seasoning of your choice.

Stir in your rice and reduce the heat to the lowest and allow to steam. Pour in your stock juice so it would cook the rice for the next 20-25 minutes on low heat. Constantly check to make sure the rice is soft and when it is, increase the heat and stir.

Toss in the already sautéed pineapple and chopped vegetables and stir in.

Serve with any protein of your choice.