Jollof rice might be said to be the national dish of Nigeria. Although originating from Senegal, Nigerians have appropriated, transformed, and made it their own. Nigerian jollof rice also called Party jollof rice, or smoky party jollof rice is rich in flavour and is served regularly at parties, restaurants and homes etc.
When next you need to make Nigerian Smokey Party Jollof Rice for a large family or friends get-together, like during Christmas, birthday parties etc, you will not be stressed guessing quantities and proportions. I have made the information you need available here.
The smokey variety is the type served at big parties and is a favourite for most people. The subtle smokiness comes from using firewood in cooking it and in the absence of firewood, the gentle burning of the bottom of the pot of rice just like the Spanish Paella socarrat, gives it the smoky taste.
When cooking a large quantity of Smoky Party Jollof Rice, there are certain things to consider. It is not the same as cooking just a family-sized jollof rice.
Equipment
You must bear in mind that if the jollof rice is not cooked correctly with the right proportion of ingredients, no amount of smoke will make it taste delicious. When cooking Jollof rice for the family, the quantity is small, but for a crowd of 50 to 100 people or more, it is a totally different ball game. You will need the right equipment, this is not the job your regular stove top or gas cooker can handle.
The right equipment is also important because for commercial cooking, speed is essential and it helps in making the rice evenly cooked and not soggy or mashed up. Sometimes, when jollof rice is cooked and some of the grains are fully cooked while some remain hard, using the wrong size of the cooker is one of the reasons.
The Rice
Usually, 1 cup of rice should serve two people if you are going to serve it with a side of moi moi, plantain, salad etc. For 100 people, I will normally cook 60 cups bearing in mind you will need a safety net, some will burn etc. so an extra 10 cups are necessary. If there are no sides, cook 75 cups.
Long grain par-boiled rice is best for smoky party jollof rice. Be careful when adding water, less is best. You can always add more if needed because too much water will produce soggy jollof rice.
IMPORTANT: Read the Notes at the end of this post.
Equipment for Smoky Party Jollof Rice
Size of Pot
I know this is stating the obvious but you will need a large pot, at least a 20-gallon or 75-litre pot. It must have enough room for the swelling of the rice if not, it will not rise well and some of the grains will not cook well.
Frying pan
A large frying pan is necessary for frying the stew, it has a large surface area so the stew fries much faster and evenly. Although the stew will still likely burn, it will fry evenly and fast.
Paddle
In place of the wooden spoon used in turning small quantity jollof rice, this large paddle is essential when cooking a large quantity of smoky party jollof rice. When you cook jollof rice in large quantities, you will need to stir it very often, as often as every 10 minutes, this paddle makes it easy without crushing the grains of the soft rice.
Size of heat
An industrial cooker or firewood is perfect for large-scale cooking of jollof rice, both distribute the heat over a wider area of the pot which is necessary for even cooking.
Cover with a rice bag not foil
If you were cooking a few cups of rice for the family, you will cover the rice with foil at some point to trap the steam until the rice is done. For large-scale cooking of jollof rice, foil might not be practical. You will need to use a clean empty rice bag to seal the top of the pot.
Large basins and sieve
Large basins and sieves are very useful in the large-scale cooking of smoky party jollof rice. They are used for washing excess starch out of the rice and straining boiled and fried meat.
Large slotted spoon
A large long-handled slotted spoon will be used to fry the meat and scoop it out of the hot oil.
IMPORTANT: Read the Notes at the end.
How to cook Smoky Party Jollof Rice for 100 people
MEAT 100 pieces Chicken or 200 beef 20 seasoning cubes 5 Tablespoons chicken powder 3 Tablespoons curry powder 3 Tablespoons dry thyme 2 large onions (sliced) 4 bulbs of garlic 4 ginger root fingers 5 litres vegetable oil (for frying) PEPPER MIX 3kg fresh Tomato 600g shombo (30 pieces) 1.2kg medium Onions (6 medium) 2-3 cups whole scotch bonnet (Ata rodo) 1kg Tatashe (20 medium) STEW 4 litres vegetable oil (Part of the oil used in frying meat) 200g margarine 15 medium Onions (1.8kg) 2200g Tomato Paste 150g Curry powder 60g dry thyme 7 litres Pepper mix 15-20 bayleaves 150g Jollof seasoning* 50g white pepper 300g chicken seasoning powder 30 cubes seasoning cubes RICE 60-75 cups rice 2 litres meat stock 8 litres water salt 2 medium onions (sliced) 50g margarine
MEAT
Wash meat, and place it in a large pot.
Sprinkle seasoning cubes, chicken powder, curry powder, dry thyme and onions.
Peel, wash and grind garlic and ginger, pour into the meat, Stir well.
Cover and place over medium-high heat.
Boil for 5 minutes to release some of its juices, add some water and continue cooking until softened.
Using a large slotted spoon, scoop meat into a large sieve. Strain the meat stock into a bowl and set aside.
Pour vegetable oil into a large dry frying pan. Place over high heat.
Add a few chunks of onions to flavour the oil.
When hot, add meat and fry until golden brown. Do not overcrowd the oil.
Strain into a large sieve and set aside.
Leave the oil to cool down, and strain.
PEPPER MIX
Wash fresh Tomato, shombo, onions and scotch bonnet (Ata rodo).
Remove seeds from the tatashe and wash.
Grind all together until well pureed.
Place in a pot and boil until reduced and thick (Do not burn).
THE STEW
Place a large frying pan over medium-high heat, pour oil, and when hot add butter.
Add sliced onions, and fry until translucent and softened about 6 minutes.
Sprinkle in curry powder and dry thyme, stir and fry for one minute.
Add tomato paste, mix well and fry until it loses its rawness, about 5 minutes (taste it).
Pour in the proper mix and stir very well.
Fry for 5 minutes, add bay leaves, Jollof seasoning powder* and white pepper. Stir continuously.
Add chicken seasoning powder and seasoning cubes, and keep frying and stirring.
Fry until the tomato/pepper mix has dried. The oil should be floating on top and the tomato is not tasting tart and raw. This will take between 10-15 minutes.
Take off the heat.
THE RICE
Pour rice into a large basin, and add enough water to cover it well. Mix and rub between your hands to wash off the excess starch on the surface of the rice.
Strain out the cloudy, starchy water.
Add fresh water and repeat up to 5 or 6 times until the water is almost clear.
Strain out as much water as possible, set aside.
THE SMOKY PARTY JOLLOF RICE
Into a large pot, pour in your stew. Be careful not to add the burnt part of the stew.
Pour in 2 litres of the meat stock and 8 litres of water, stir very well.
Cover and bring to a boil. Taste, add salt if needed and adjust seasonings.
Pour in the rice and stir well. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Stir and cover the top with a clean rice bag.
Reduce the heat to very low and steam the rice.
Stir at 10-15 minutes intervals. Cover and keep steaming until the rice is soft. (If the rice is burning too much even though it is still hard, sprinkle in some water and stir. Cover and keep steaming.
Add sliced onions and butter, stir and cover. Cook for 5 minutes and take off the heat.
Transfer into a cooler and leave it slightly open.
Note (Tips for making a good pot of Nigerian Smoky Party Jollof Rice)
- Goat meat stock is not good for party jollof rice. The goat meat flavour is too gamey.
- Fried meat will brown further as it cools.
- Do not overcook your meat because it will still soften more when fried.
- Do not overcrowd the oil when frying the meat.
- The boiled-down pepper mix should give you approximately 7 litres of pepper mix.
- Jollof seasoning powder can be bought in any Nigerian market or African store.*
- If you can not find Jollof seasoning powder, just add a little extra chicken seasoning powder.
- Bear in mind that the taste of your stew will be the taste of the jollof rice. If you don’t like the taste of your stew, adjust your seasonings until you get exactly what you want.
- You can use hot water to give your rice a final rinse before adding it to the stew.
If you enjoyed my Smoky Party Jollof Rice for 100 people recipe, you will also enjoy my Nigerian Fried Rice for 100 people, Soft moi moi for 100 people, Banga Jollof and Native Jollof rice.
Nigerian Smoky Party Jollof Rice
Equipment
- Large Pot (20 gallons or 75 litres)
- Large Frying pan
- Large Wooden Paddle
- Industrial cooker
- Clean empty rice bag
- Large basins and sieve
- Large slotted spoon
Ingredients
MEAT
- 100 pieces Chicken or 200 beef
- 20 seasoning cubes
- 5 Tablespoons chicken powder
- 3 Tablespoons curry powder
- 3 Tablespoons dry thyme
- 2 large onions sliced
- 5 litres vegetable oil for frying
PEPPER MIX
- 3 kg fresh Tomato
- 600 g shombo 30-40
- 1.2 kg medium Onions 6 medium
- 2-3 cups whole scotch bonnet Ata rodo
- 1 kg Tatashe 20 medium
STEW
- 4 litres vegetable oil Part of the oil used in frying meat
- 200 g margarine
- 15 (1.8kg) medium Onions
- 2200 g Tomato Paste
- 150 g Curry powder
- 60 g dry thyme
- 7 litres Pepper mix
- 15-20 bayleaves
- 150 g Jollof seasoning*
- 50 g white pepper
- 300 g chicken seasoning powder
- 30 cubes seasoning cubes
RICE
- 60-75 cups rice
- 2 litres meat stock
- 8 litres water
- salt
- 2 medium onions sliced
- 50 g margarine
- 4 bulbs of garlic
- 4 ginger root fingers
Instructions
MEAT
- Wash meat, and place it in a large pot.
- Sprinkle seasoning cubes, chicken powder, curry powder, dry thyme and onions. Peel, wash and grind garlic and ginger, pour into the meat, Stir well.
- Cover and place over medium-high heat.
- Cook for 3 minutes to release some of its juices, add some water and continue cooking until softened.
- Using a large slotted spoon, scoop meat into a large sieve. Strain the meat stock and set aside.
- Pour vegetable oil into a large dry frying pan. Place over high heat.
- Add a few chunks of onions to flavour the oil.
- When hot, add meat and fry until golden brown. Do not overcrowd the oil.
- Strain into a large sieve and set aside.
- Leave the oil to cool down, and strain.
PEPPER MIX
- Wash fresh Tomato, shombo, onions and scotch bonnet (Ata rodo).
- Remove seeds from the tatashe and wash.
- Grind all together until well pureed.
- Place in a pot and boil until reduced and thick (Do not burn).
THE STEW
- Place a large frying pan over medium-high heat, pour oil, and when hot add butter.
- Add sliced onions, fry until translucent and softened.
- Sprinkle in curry powder and dry thyme, stir and fry for one minute.
- Add tomato paste, mix well and fry until it loses its rawness, about 5 minutes (taste it).
- Pour in the proper mix and stir very well.
- Fry for 5 minutes, add bay leaves, Jollof seasoning powder* and white pepper. Stir continuously.
- Add chicken seasoning powder and seasoning cubes, keep frying and stirring.
- Fry until the tomato/pepper mix has dried. The oil should be floating on top and the tomato is not tasting tart and raw.
- Take off the heat.
THE RICE
- Pour rice into a large basin, and add enough water to cover it well. Mix and rub between your hands.
- Strain out the cloudy, starchy water.
- Add fresh water and repeat up to 5 or 6 times until the water is almost clear.
- Strain out as much water as possible, set aside.
THE SMOKY PARTY JOLLOF RICE
- Into a large pot, pour in your stew. Be careful not to add the burnt part of the stew.
- Pour in 2 litres of the meat stock and 8 litres of water, stir very well.
- Cover and bring to a boil. Taste, add salt if needed and adjust seasonings.
- Pour in the rice and stir well. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir and cover the top with a clean rice bag.
- Reduce the heat to very low and steam the rice.
- Stir at 10-15 minutes intervals. Cover and keep steaming until the rice is soft. (If the rice is burning too much even though it has not softened, sprinkle in some water and stir. Cover and keep steaming.
- Add sliced onions and butter, stir and cover. cook for 5 minutes and take off the heat.
- Transfer into a cooler and leave it slightly open.
Notes
- Goat meat stock is not good for party jollof rice. The goat meat flavour is too gamey.
- Fried meat will brown further as it cools.
- Do not overcook your meat because it will still soften more when fried.
- Do not overcrowd the oil when frying the meat.
- The boiled-down pepper mix should give you approximately 7 litres of pepper mix.
- Jollof seasoning powder can be bought in any Nigerian market or African store.
- If you can not find Jollof seasoning powder, just add a little extra chicken seasoning powder.
- The taste of your stew will be the taste of the jollof rice. If you don't like the taste, adjust your seasonings until you get exactly what you want.
- You can use hot water to give your rice a final rinse before adding it to the stew.
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I am Ganiru, a wife, a mother, a food blogger, a chef, an author and an accountant. I love to cook and write about food, especially Nigerian and afro-centric food...
How much will it cost me to prepare this for 100 people?
Hi Unique, the cost will depend on where you live and the cost of the ingredients there.
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