Jollof Rice with Fried Turkey, Fried Plantains, and Parsley Sauce
Jollof Rice with Fried Turkey, Fried Plantains, and Parsley Sauce
Ingredients
For the Turkey and Stock
- 2 pounds turkey drumsticks, cut into serving pieces
- 1 red onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 scotch bonnet peppers, stemmed
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 2 cups water
For the Jollof Rice Base
- 28 ounces plum tomatoes, canned, drained
- 2 red bell peppers, stemmed and deseeded
- 1 green bell pepper, stemmed and deseeded
- 1 red onion, roughly chopped
- 1 habanero peppers, stemmed (adjust to spice preference)
- 2 spring onions, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon chicken seasoning powder
- 3 cups long grain parboiled rice, rinsed until water runs clear
For the Fried Plantains
- 2 ripe plantains, peeled and sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch thick pieces
- 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Parsley Sauce
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
For Frying Turkey
- 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the turkey: In a food processor, blend the 1 roughly chopped red onion, garlic cloves, and scotch bonnet peppers until a coarse paste forms.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Place turkey pieces in a large pot. Pour the blended onion-garlic-pepper mixture over the turkey. Add chicken bouillon powder, paprika, curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix thoroughly to coat the turkey.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Add 2 cups of water to the pot with the seasoned turkey. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until turkey is cooked through and tender. Remove turkey from the pot and set aside, reserving the flavorful turkey stock.
⏱️ 30 min
- 4
Prepare the Jollof Rice base blend: In a food processor or blender, combine plum tomatoes, red bell peppers, green bell pepper, 1 roughly chopped red onion, habanero pepper, and spring onions. Blend until smooth.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
In the same pot used for the turkey, heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped red onion and sauté until softened and slightly caramelized, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 6
Stir in the tomato paste and fry for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens in color and becomes 'grainy' in texture.
⏱️ 7 min
- 7
Pour in the blended tomato base mixture. Add bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme. Stir well, cover, and simmer on medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and flavors to meld.
⏱️ 20 min
- 8
Add the reserved turkey stock and chicken seasoning powder to the simmering sauce. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
Add the rinsed rice to the sauce, stirring gently to combine. Ensure the rice is submerged in the liquid. If needed, add a little more water or stock to just cover the rice. Cover the pot tightly (you can place foil under the lid for a tighter seal) and reduce heat to low. Cook for 25-30 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Do not stir during cooking.
⏱️ 30 min
- 10
While the rice cooks, prepare the fried turkey: In a large skillet or deep pot, heat 2 cups vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Carefully add the cooked turkey pieces and fry until golden brown and crispy on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
⏱️ 15 min
- 11
Prepare the fried plantains: In the same oil used for turkey (or fresh oil if preferred), heat to medium-high. Add the sliced plantains and fry until golden brown and slightly caramelized, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
⏱️ 10 min
- 12
Prepare the parsley sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together chopped fresh parsley, minced garlic clove, olive oil, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
⏱️ 5 min
- 13
Once the rice is cooked, gently fluff with a fork. Serve the Jollof Rice hot, topped with fried turkey, fried plantains, and a drizzle of parsley sauce.
⏱️ 3 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Jollof Rice with Fried Turkey, Fried Plantains, and Parsley Sauce
Ingredients
For the Turkey and Stock
- 2 pounds turkey drumsticks, cut into serving pieces
- 1 red onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 scotch bonnet peppers, stemmed
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 2 cups water
For the Jollof Rice Base
- 28 ounces plum tomatoes, canned, drained
- 2 red bell peppers, stemmed and deseeded
- 1 green bell pepper, stemmed and deseeded
- 1 red onion, roughly chopped
- 1 habanero peppers, stemmed (adjust to spice preference)
- 2 spring onions, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon chicken seasoning powder
- 3 cups long grain parboiled rice, rinsed until water runs clear
For the Fried Plantains
- 2 ripe plantains, peeled and sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch thick pieces
- 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Parsley Sauce
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
For Frying Turkey
- 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the turkey: In a food processor, blend the 1 roughly chopped red onion, garlic cloves, and scotch bonnet peppers until a coarse paste forms.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Place turkey pieces in a large pot. Pour the blended onion-garlic-pepper mixture over the turkey. Add chicken bouillon powder, paprika, curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix thoroughly to coat the turkey.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Add 2 cups of water to the pot with the seasoned turkey. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until turkey is cooked through and tender. Remove turkey from the pot and set aside, reserving the flavorful turkey stock.
⏱️ 30 min - 4
Prepare the Jollof Rice base blend: In a food processor or blender, combine plum tomatoes, red bell peppers, green bell pepper, 1 roughly chopped red onion, habanero pepper, and spring onions. Blend until smooth.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
In the same pot used for the turkey, heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped red onion and sauté until softened and slightly caramelized, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 6
Stir in the tomato paste and fry for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens in color and becomes 'grainy' in texture.
⏱️ 7 min - 7
Pour in the blended tomato base mixture. Add bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme. Stir well, cover, and simmer on medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and flavors to meld.
⏱️ 20 min - 8
Add the reserved turkey stock and chicken seasoning powder to the simmering sauce. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
Add the rinsed rice to the sauce, stirring gently to combine. Ensure the rice is submerged in the liquid. If needed, add a little more water or stock to just cover the rice. Cover the pot tightly (you can place foil under the lid for a tighter seal) and reduce heat to low. Cook for 25-30 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Do not stir during cooking.
⏱️ 30 min - 10
While the rice cooks, prepare the fried turkey: In a large skillet or deep pot, heat 2 cups vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Carefully add the cooked turkey pieces and fry until golden brown and crispy on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
⏱️ 15 min - 11
Prepare the fried plantains: In the same oil used for turkey (or fresh oil if preferred), heat to medium-high. Add the sliced plantains and fry until golden brown and slightly caramelized, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
⏱️ 10 min - 12
Prepare the parsley sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together chopped fresh parsley, minced garlic clove, olive oil, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
⏱️ 5 min - 13
Once the rice is cooked, gently fluff with a fork. Serve the Jollof Rice hot, topped with fried turkey, fried plantains, and a drizzle of parsley sauce.
⏱️ 3 min