Friday, October 23, 2009

Recipe #25: Jollof Rice in a Crock-Pot


Okay, if you don't have an oven (my first choice) or a stove top (second choice), I think maybe I'd try making a vegetarian jollof rice in a rice cooker (I admit I haven't tried it yet, and I'm so sick of eating my various versions I don't want to try today). BUT, if you have no other choice, yes, you can make a not-so-perfect, but edible, version in the crockpot.

I gave the directions yesterday, but made one simple adjustment while it was cooking. In Ghana they often put a piece of plastic wrap over the covered rice while it is cooking, even though they have a lid on the pot. My guess is that it's to somehow help the rice steam. Anyhow, yesterday I stirred the rice after a couple of hours, from the outside to the inside and the bottom to the top, then cut a piece of parchment paper (I don't trust plastic wrap), and lightly tapped (NOT taped) it over the top of the rice, then replaced the glass cover. It didn't hurt anything, and maybe it helped a little. The vegetarian version was better than the one I made with beef, even though I didn't precook the onions, garlic, etc. Perhaps I'd suggest a little less tomato paste--maybe 1 to 1 1/2 Tablespoons. For a meat version, I imagine you could either just brown the beef (or lamb, if you prefer) in a little oil first or even try just adding everything in together without even searing it. I let it cook a little less--maybe six hours, too.

I ate my vegetarian version with a spicy Asian boca burger and a little sauteed cabbage.

1 comment:

ManicMandee said...

I was so excited to find your blog and website! You are amazing!!! I live in Utah and have friends who just adopted 7 (yes 7!) kids from Ethiopia. Amazing people. Anyhow the kids are really struggling with American food. I bring the family dinner once a week to help out. I'm not the greatest cook and am trying so hard to find something I'm capable of making and that they'll like + will be familiar to them. If you have any tips for me, I would deeply appreciate it!
amandastevebishop@hotmail.com