Stir Fried Nigerian Jollof Rice & Plant-Based Beef w/Side Salad & Sprouts
I can't think of a more popular West African dish than Jollof rice—it's delicious. There are few dishes on the planet that have enough flavor to be eaten alone. A bowl of Jollof rice is one of them. Rice, tomatoes, onions, peppers, just a touch, a handful of seasonings, all cooked in one pot. C'mon, Man! Let's get busy!
INGREDIENTS
For the Rice:
2 cups rice
4 cups water or vegetable stock
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 bay leaf
For the Tomato Sauce:
14 oz stewed tomatoes
3 cups vegetable stock – divided
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 onion, chopped
½ scotch bonnet pepper – optional
For the Beef:
10 oz plant-based ground beef
1 tbsp olive oil
1/8 cup liquid aminos – soy sauce substitute
1 tbsp smoked cumin
½ inch fresh ginger, minced
2 tsp sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup chopped okra
2 sprigs oregano, leaves chopped
2 sprigs thyme, leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Rice:
Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. In a large pot, bring the water or stock to a boil. Stir in the ginger, garlic powder, sesame oil, and bay leaf. Add the rice, stir to combine, then reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
For the Tomato Sauce:
Blend the stewed tomatoes, 1 cup of vegetable stock, tomato paste, chopped onion, and scotch bonnet pepper (if using) for a few seconds until combined. Pour the mixture into a large pot and bring to a boil. Let it reduce by half, about 8-12 minutes. Remove from heat.
For the Beef:
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the plant-based beef, stirring to combine. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
Reduce heat to low. Stir in the liquid aminos, smoked cumin, minced ginger, sesame oil, chopped okra, oregano, and thyme. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, adding vegetable stock as needed. Remove from heat.
Combining the Dish:
In the large pot with the rice, stir to loosen the grains. Add the tomato sauce, mixing well. Finally, fold in the beef mixture, and heat everything through.
Serve this Stir Fried Nigerian Jollof Rice & Plant-Based Beef with a fresh side salad and sprouts, and dive into a world of flavor.
Enjoy!