Jollof rice

Jollof rice is rice simmered in a spiced sauce of tomato, onion and scotch bonnet pepper until the grains take on its colour and flavour. It is a one-pot dish made across West Africa and is most closely associated with Nigeria and Ghana, where it is served at weddings, parties and other celebrations. The name is often linked to the Jolof Empire, a Wolof state in what is now Senegal and The Gambia, but the dish is shared rather than owned, and cooks in Nigeria and Ghana in particular argue about whose version is best.

What it really is

Onion, scotch bonnet and tomato are blended into a smooth paste, then fried in vegetable oil with tomato paste until the oil separates from the sauce and the colour deepens. Rice goes in next, with water or stock and seasoning, and the pot is covered and simmered until the grains are tender and have absorbed the sauce. Parboiled long-grain rice is common because it keeps its shape. The rice cooks in the sauce rather than beside it, so each grain carries the colour and heat. Recipes vary widely in spice, herbs and how long the sauce is fried, so one kitchen's jollof can taste very different from another's.

How it's served

• Hot, on a plate or in a large shared dish at parties.
• Often with grilled or fried chicken, beef or fish, fried plantain, or a green salad.
• Served with pepper sauce on the side for guests who want more heat.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the dish as jollof rice and state the protein it comes with, such as grilled chicken or beef, and price the protein separately.
• Say whether the rice is mild or hot, since the heat of scotch bonnet varies from kitchen to kitchen.
• The rice itself has none of the main allergens, but check the stock: a stock cube or broth can contain wheat, celery, soy or mustard.
• State whether the rice is cooked with stock or water, since that decides whether it suits vegetarian guests.
• Fried or breaded chicken and fish carry wheat in the coating, so name it with the protein and not as part of the rice.