FOR THE LOVE OF JOLLOF RICE - The Southwest Farmers Market Way

Houston is home to the largest Nigerian population, which is reflected in our vibrant community spirit & service, numerous Nigerian restaurants & grocery stores, and other thriving small businesses. Finding the best places to buy foods that taste like home can be tricky. The quality and taste of the meals you eat should be of the utmost importance. So, Southwest Farmers Market makes it her business to provide affordable, tasty meals-to-go. 

Every day of the week, the professional cooks at Southwest Farmers Market - SWFM create magic in their kitchens JUST FOR YOU. Sumptuous dishes like Jollof Rice, beans porridge, yam porridge, coconut rice, fried rice, white rice & designer stew, vegetable soup, spaghetti, and many others are made fresh & warm for you to grab and go. Give your taste bud a new experience today!

WHERE WAS JOLLOF RICE FIRST COOKED?  

Jollof Rice was said to have been first cooked in the 14th century by the Wolof tribe of Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritius. For many centuries, it became popular throughout Africa, priding itself as one of Africa's most tasty and most consumed meals.

Ever eaten Southwest Farmers Market's tasty, smoky Jollof Rice before? Say whaatttt? Well, SWFM Cooks are intentional when they make their Nigerian Jollof Rice. With you in mind, they cook every dish like they are cooking for their families while making it accessible & affordable for you to grab & go or cater for your events. SWFM Cooks use ingredients sold at all Southwest Farmers Markets stores. Fresh farm-raised goat meat, stewing hen, and other fresh proteins are optional side dishes to complement your order of Jollof Rice. 

Today, let's talk about the very tasty Southwest Farmers Market smoky Jollof Rice, because it's that African dish that has touched the hearts of many and does not discriminate against your taste buds, irrespective of your race or class. 

Did you ask, "WHAT IS JOLLOF RICE?"

Well, you must know that it's definitely not Louisiana Jambalaya or "Dirty Rice." Jollof Rice is a combination of spices like curry, thyme, and bay leaf, fresh tomatoes, peppers, onions, and long-grain rice (or the rice of your choice). When these ingredients come together like lovers, they create that rich, distinct blend of sumptuous flavors that feeds your body and soul, leaves you reminiscing, and eventually craves for more.

Jollof rice, known for its vibrant colors and spiciness, can be cooked in many ways, regardless of the part of Africa, tribe, or the world you are from or live in. In my opinion, how you cook yours is your prerogative, so long as it has its original vibrant colors and tastes good. But then, Southwest Farmers Market's Jollof Rice you must try. If you've never tasted it before, say whaatt? You gotta try it. (CHECK OUT their ingredients and recipe below)

KEY INGREDIENTS (all sold at SWFM): 

2-3 cups of long-grain rice, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 5-6 fresh Roma tomatoes. 1 small can of tomato paste, 1-2 fresh red onions, 1 tbsp onion powder, 1 Habanero pepper (optional), 1 red bell pepper, 1 tsp powdered garlic, 1 tsp ginger powder, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 tbsp curry powder (fresh leaf optional), 1 tbsp thyme (fresh leaf optional), 4-6 bay leaves (fresh or dried), salt to taste (add responsibly), 1/2 tsp Farmers Choice - Granulated Chicken Flavour Soup Base Mix, and one secret ingredient found within this blog.

*Meat or fish (protein of your choice/optional)* 

RECIPE (3-4 Servings): 

Season and cook, bake, grill, or fry your protein of choice. Wash and blend 5-6 fresh Roma tomatoes. Peel, wash, and chop 2 onions. Save half of the chopped onions. Wash the peppers. Blend all until puree. Add a half cup of vegetable oil in a pot and place it on the stove on medium heat. Add the chopped onions, season with Farmers Choice Mix, and stir. Stir-fry for 3 mins, then add the puree to ry for 10-15 mins or until it no longer tastes raw. Wash 2-3 cups of long-grain rice until non-starchy. Add the washed rice, the rest of the spices (curry, thyme), bay leaves, and 2-3 cups of lukewarm tap or cold water into the pot. Add salt accordingly/responsibly (optional). Stir evenly and taste. Add 1 cup meat broth (great choice, yet optional). Gently stir to reduce or avoid burning. Cover the pot air-tight because it is the steam that will cook the rice perfectly on medium heat. Cook for 20-25 mins. Serve with protein and veggies of your choice,

SWFM tasty Jollof Rice has a unique flavor that stimulates your taste buds while creating a refreshing sensation in the mouth...almost like being kissed for the first time, unexpectedly. Don't take my word for it. Go grab your plate and be kissed more than twice. 

SWFM In-Store-Made Jollof Rice is also known for its vibrant colors and enhanced range of spices that are rich in flavor. The spices are usually well-balanced, giving it a rich, vivid flavor. What makes the fiery and brash nature of SWFM Nigerian jollof rice, loved by many and has her customers going back for more is their timing adding the ingredients. 

Jollof Rice has become a global phenomenon! It has brought millions of diverse people under one roof. It's a part of the African Food Category on the famous show, Jeopardy. There are Jollof Rice Festivals and Contests. Thousands of people, if not millions, look forward to attending and participating in these fun, exciting events annually. There is even the Jollof Rice "War" between Nigerians and Ghanaians. 

Non-Africans always ask, "What is Jollof Rice?" Many of us are quick to respond with beaming pride and excitement to share. I was in my early 20s when I first cooked Jollof Rice, and I remember the joyous looks on my friends' faces when they were savoring every taste and chew. I served it with oven-baked stewed red snapper and mixed veggies. It was a proud moment for me as much as it was for my 20-year-old daughter when she made her first Jollof Rice for her friends. They devoured it and yearned for more. It was served with BBQ wings, fried chicken, and veggies. 

WHAT TO ALSO ENJOY JOLLOF RICE WITH: 

Nigerian suya (meat kebab).

Stewed goat meat, chicken, ribs, or any fish of your choice. 

Fried plantain (stewed or plain). 

Steamed, baked, to stir-fry vegetables of your choice. 

Fried or boiled eggs. 

Don't forget to visit your nearest Southwest Farmers Market African Grocery Store to order your to-go tasty Jollof Rice or buy the ingredients from there to make yours at home. 

Wait!  

What do or would YOU eat with your Jollof Rice? 

By Nkem DenChukwu  

July 30, 2025