Name: Party Jollof Rice Recipe from Cameroon (Coconut Shrimp)
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: African
Ingredients: 3 tbsp coconut oil; 1 red onion, diced; 2 tbsp leeks, thinly sliced (green or white parts or both); 1 bay leaf; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1.25 cups chopped tomatoes (about 2 large tomatoes); 1.25 cups coconut milk; 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth; 1 tsp Better than Bouillon or coconut aminos; 1 tsp grated, peeled fresh ginger; 3 scallions, thinly sliced; 1 tsp sea salt; 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes OR 1 small scotch bonnet pepper (optional); 1.5 cups basmati rice, rinsed until the water runs clear; 1 cup carrots, cut into 1/2 inch dice (about 2 small); 8 oz green beans, cut into one-inch strips; 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and rinsed; 1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped

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Welcome to The Storied Recipe Podcast, a podcast about food, culture, and love.

This recipe comes from my podcast guest, Agatha Achindu. While you make her Party Jollof Rice, listen to her episode Lessons from Cameroon, to hear how her mother - a Nigerian scholar turned Cameroonian farmer - made this Coconut Jollof Rice.

overhead shot of cast iron pan piled high with perfectly cooked Jollof Rice on golden backdrop with ingredients and bolga baskets around

Jollof rice is a popular one-pot rice and tomato dish in popular in West African cuisine. All countries, regions, and even families have different ways of making the dish. (In fact, on The Storied Recipe alone, I've received recipes for Nigerian Jollof Rice and Riz au Gras from the Ivory Coast).

My podcast guest, Agatha Achindu, says she is as qualified as anyone else to speak on Jollof Rice, as her mother was Nigerian and her father was Cameroonian. This is her very favorite Jollof Rice, her mother's Coconut Jollof Rice with carrots and green beans. As she explains in her episode, this isn't just your everyday rice dish - this is Party Jollof Rice.

We usually assume that special occasion food takes longer to make than weekday dishes - but not so with Agatha's Jollof Rice. In Agatha's recipe, once everything is chopped and prepared, the dish comes together with just 29 minutes of total cooking time, from the first onion to the final steam. (Add a 10-minute rest at the end too!). While I don't want to declare the best Jollof Rice here on The Storied Recipe, I can say I found this recipe the easiest to make.

P.S. Serve this dish with Kelewele, Ghanaian Fried Plantains, the first recipe featured on The Storied Recipe! And if someone wants to come on to talk about Ghanaian Jollof Rice, I'd love to have you!

wide shot of wooden boat shaped bowl of basmati rice surrounded by other Jollof Rice ingredients like tomatoes, crushed peppers, coconut, carrots

About Agatha Achindu

Agatha was born and raised in a seaside town of Cameroon, where fresh fish was roasted by the shore daily. Her father worked to develop and distribute life-saving vaccines to the most vulnerable populations in Cameroon. Agatha’s mother was a scholar-turned-farmer, who owned and worked a profitable plantation many miles from their home. Together, Agatha’s forward-thinking parents instilled in her a belief in her own potential and the power of education and her community taught her all that food could be: a time of happiness, connection, health, and healing. She shares all of the wisdom she's accrued over the years as a Nutritional expert and Integrated Health Specialist in her new book, Bountiful Cooking

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overhead shot including an edge of window with cookbook Bountiful Cooking on wicker plate and surrounded by ingredients for Coconut Basmati Jollof Rice

Ingredients/Substitutions/Variations

Jollof Rice Basics:

No matter which ingredients or method you choose, when it comes to the art of cooking Jollof Rice, you will always, always work with two cornerstone ingredients: Tomatoes and Rice.

Tomatoes: Agatha's recipe uses fresh, chopped tomatoes and tomato paste.
If you don't have either, substitute the total amount with canned, crushed tomatoes or tomato puree.

Type of Rice: Agatha calls for basmati rice. A long grain rice choice is a bit more delicate than the traditional option of parboiled rice (Uncle Ben's). It may be a little more difficult to achieve the perfect doneness, but the result is delicate grains that are separate and each coated in flavor. Careful not to overcook the rice. See notes in the instructions.

overhead, very full and busy shot of produce for Party Jollof Rice including onions, carrots, tomatoes, basil, and coconut

The Distinctive Taste of this Party Jollof Rice

Several things make this Jollof Rice different than any others I've tried. Here are the ingredients that give the distinctive taste of Agatha's Coconut Jollof Rice from Cameroon.

Coconut flavoring is achieved through coconut oil and coconut milk
Although the coconut is new to me, it was standard for Agatha's mother. The real special ingredients are carrots and green beans, which Agatha's mother didn't include in everyday Jollof. If you don't have coconut milk on hand, no problem - replace with equal amounts of meat stock (chicken or beef) or even water (but add a little more salt).

Fresh ginger gives a zing to this tomato stew and, along with the scallions, perfectly complement the coconut

Garlic. Not all Jollof Rice recipes call for garlic, but it really complements the other flavors in this one.

Basil. Again, not a traditional addition, but the perfect sweet complement to the coconut, shrimp, and ginger.

overhead shot of boat shaped rustic wooden bowl of dry basmati rice surrounded by coconut, ginger, and tomatoes

Heat/Spice

Agatha recommends Scotch Bonnet Peppers or Crushed Red Peppers
Scotch Bonnets are SPICY for the uninitiated, so if you're not prepared for them, think twice
Many recommend white pepper. Start with a teaspoon and add with the tomatoes. Cook and add more to taste.

Traditional Flavorings

In addition to the special flavors added to Agatha's Party Jollof rice, she uses ingredients common to almost all versions

Chicken broth (chicken stock): Feel free to substitute with beef, vegetable, or seafood stock.
Seasoning cubes: Agatha recommends Better than Bouillon or coconut aminos
Sea salt
Bay leaves: Add these from the very beginning, with the onions and leeks, so the flavor infuses everything along the way.
Onion: Agatha calls for red onion, leeks, and scallions. Each of these adds something special, but if you're lacking any of them, go with regular yellow onions.
Cooking oil: Agatha calls for coconut oil, but I used vegetable oil. I'm sure coconut would be better, but use what you have!

backlist shot of Party Jollof Rice in black beige and white bolga baskets in front of window

Common Substitutions

Curry powder or curry leaves are common additions to Jollof Rice that would go beautifully in this instance
Red bell peppers are also common in Party Jollof Rice recipes
A few drops of liquid smoke can enhance the smoky taste that some find essential in their Jollof Rice

overhead shot of Coconut Basmati Jollof Rice in red and orange rustic crock on wooden and white layers

Keys to Best Jollof Rice Recipe

The rice MUST be cooked correctly, with every grain separate and not mushy. Here are a few tips to achieve this (You can listen to Agatha's episode to hear them in her own words):

Soak the basmati rice in cold water to remove excess starch and any dust or impurities. Soaked is less likely to clump and Agatha says an important quality to ANY Jollof Rice is that the grains are separate.
Tightly cover the lid so no steam can escape. If your lid isn't particularly tight-fitting, you can cover the pot with a dish towel or foil before covering.
Do not check the rice except when specifically told to by Agatha's recipe.
If you need to keep steaming, just keep the burner on low, cover tightly again, and do not check again for at least 5 minutes.
Personally, I think the best tips are found on Chef Lola's site and, in addition to my own podcast guests, I used her expertise when making two of the recipes on this site.

Agatha Achindu's cookbook Bountiful cooking on wooden cutting board surrounded by tomatoes on deep gold background

General Instructions

Sauté onions, leeks, bay leaf, and garlic.
Cook tomato paste and tomatoes.
Add coconut milk, broth, ginger, scallions, salt, and blended peppers and bring to a boil.
Stir in washed rice and simmer.
Add carrots, green beans, and shrimp; continue to cook, covered.
Let it rest, covered, for an additional 10 minutes.
Fluff with a fork, add basil, and serve.

Equipment

You'll need a heavy-bottomed pot with a tightly fitting lid

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days.
You can freeze the Jollof Rice, as long as it is adequately cooked and there is no excess liquid. If your Jollof Rice is stew-like, it will get extra runny and the rice will be mushy when defrosted.

backlit shot of vibrant green beans in a bowl surrounded by other ingredients for Party Jollof Rice

Food Safety

This recipe contains shrimp, which should be handled with extra care. Here are a few tips:

Keep fresh shrimp in the refrigerator at temperatures below 40°F (4°C) and use them within a day or two.
If you're not using frozen shrimp immediately, store them in the freezer at 0°F (-18°C) or lower.
Allow plenty of time for the shrimp to thaw in the refrigerator (usually overnight).
Avoid thawing shrimp at room temperature, as this can promote bacterial growth.
Shrimp should be cooked until they turn pink and opaque. The internal temperature should reach 145°F (63°C) to ensure they are safe to eat.

How to Make Party Jollof Rice from Cameroon (Coconut Shrimp)

About Agatha Achindu

Listen to Agatha Now

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