Smoked Fish Jollof Rice with Garden Vegetables
Parboiled rice simmered in a deep tomato-pepper base with flaked smoked mackerel, carrots, and green beans for a lighter one-pot jollof.
Jollof rice is the dish most West African kitchens build a Sunday around, and this version keeps the smoky depth people love while trimming back the oil. The tomato-pepper base still gets its long, slow simmer so the flavor concentrates properly, but instead of a heavy meat stock, flaked smoked mackerel folds in right at the end, carrying its own richness into every spoonful.
Green beans and carrots go in during the last stretch of cooking, so they keep some bite and color rather than turning to mush. This is a heart-healthy plate: the fish brings omega-3s, the oil is measured rather than poured freely, and the vegetables add volume without adding much sodium.
It's also a genuinely high-protein take on jollof, since the flaked fish does real work in the bowl rather than sitting on top as garnish. Serve it hot, straight from the pot, the way it's meant to be eaten.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups long-grain parboiled rice, rinsed and drained
- 4 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 2 red bell peppers, roughly chopped
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper — adjust to taste
- 1 medium onion, diced, divided
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 200 g smoked mackerel fillet, flaked — bones removed
- 1 cup green beans, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- to taste salt
Most ingredients here are everyday market staples across West Africa. A handful of specialty items may be easiest to find at a local open-air market or an African grocery store if you're elsewhere.
Instructions
- 1Blend the tomatoes, bell peppers, scotch bonnet, and half the onion into a smooth puree.
- 2Heat olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and sauté the remaining diced onion until soft, about 4 minutes.
- 3Stir in tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes to deepen its color.
- 4Pour in the pepper puree and simmer uncovered for 15-18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and the raw tomato smell fades.
- 5Add the curry powder, thyme, bay leaves, and broth, then bring to a gentle boil.
- 6Stir in the rinsed rice, cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and cook for 25 minutes, checking once to stir and add a splash of water if it looks dry.
- 7Fold in the carrots and green beans during the last 8 minutes of cooking.
- 8Gently fold in the flaked smoked fish, cover for 5 minutes to warm through, then fluff with a fork and serve.