Ghanaian Jollof Rice with Beef and Mixed Vegetables

Ingredients

• 500 g beef stewing steak, diced
• 400 g basmati rice
• 2 onions
• 2 red peppers
• 400 g chopped tomatoes
• 3 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 scotch bonnet chilli
• 3 garlic cloves
• 20 g fresh root ginger
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 carrots
• 150 g green beans
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

1. 1

   Put the beef in a pan with half an onion, 1 garlic clove, a slice of the ginger, the bay leaves, 1 tsp salt and 800ml water. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes until tender. Strain, keeping the stock; you need 650ml (top up with water).

2. 2

   Blend the red peppers, chopped tomatoes, the remaining garlic and ginger and the scotch bonnet (deseeded for less heat) until smooth.

3. 3

   Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy pan over a medium heat and brown the drained beef for 5 minutes. Lift out, then fry the remaining onion, chopped, for 5 minutes. Add the tomato purée and curry powder and fry for 2 minutes until dark.

4. 4

   Pour in the blended sauce and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring often, until thick and the oil rises to the top.

5. 5

   Rinse the basmati rice (Ghanaians prefer it for jollof) and stir it into the sauce with the beef and the 650ml stock. Bring to the boil, cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes.

6. 6

   Scatter the diced carrots and green beans, cut into 2cm lengths, over the rice, cover again and cook for 10 minutes more until the rice is tender and the vegetables are steamed. Fork everything through.

7. 7

   Serve straight away. Cool any leftover rice quickly and refrigerate within an hour.