The beautiful thing about Christmas is the joy that comes with it. Nothing is as sweet and cool as Christmas songs; Christmas, as we all know, is in December with lots of holidays. A lot of people travel to visit families, friends and loved ones during this period. Rice is a household name in Nigeria, Christmas Jollof rice is a dish commonly prepared in every home with beef, turkey or chicken to grace the occasion. It is finally decorated using salad and mayonnaise cream that gives it an even more unique and pleasant taste that makes it irresistible by anyone.

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This dish brings watery savory to our lips, irrespective of culture, tradition, religion, political views and so on it is the only dish that unifies us as Africans. So this festive season you shouldn’t be the one to miss out on the delicious meal. Try it at home and enjoy with friends and family, cause as the saying goes a family that eats together stays together.

This dish is so spicy; the aroma can throw you off your track. Jollof rice has led to the birth of other rice such as fried rice, coconut rice, and so many other recipe of rice prepared in various style.

Christmas Jollof rice recipe

3 cups of rice (wash and parboil; then drain and set aside)

4 pieces chicken breast (chopped into little pieces)

5 medium size tomatoes

1 red bell peppers

2 teaspoons thyme

bay leaf

2 teaspoons curry

1 teaspoon white pepper

2 medium size onion (diced)

¼ teaspoon garlic

¼ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup oil

Salt

2 seasoning/Knorr cubes

Method of preparation

Cook chopped chicken with curry, thyme, 2 Knorr cubes, salt and onion. When done, fry to brown color or grill in the oven. Make a tomato stew ( quickly cut and blend together the fresh tomatoes ,onion, and bell pepper then cook the tomato puree to form paste). In your pot, heat oil and add diced onions, a pinch of salt and fry for few minutes before adding your tomatoes, curry and thyme. Stir the mixture vigorously until desire taste is gotten. Add the chicken stock to the tomato stew then boil for about 5minutes. Mix the parboiled rice with the tomato stew and other ingredients (ginger, nutmeg, bay leave, garlic and white pepper, salt to taste). Add enough water to cook on a medium heat for like 30 minutes.

Christmas Jollof Rice is ready to be eaten!

Merry Christmas