AI-generated image
Nigerian fried rice
Curry-and-thyme seasoned rice tossed with carrots, green beans, sweetcorn, peas and spring onions
Nigerian fried rice sits next to jollof at nearly every party buffet from Abuja to Port Harcourt, its pale yellow colour and confetti of vegetables making the two a classic pair on one plate. It owes nothing to Chinese fried rice: the grains are first boiled in stock with curry powder and thyme, then tossed in a hot pan with small diced vegetables. Party versions often hide liver or prawns; this one stays fully vegetable and serves well with fried plantain, moi moi or a spicy pepper sauce. Chef's tip: cut every vegetable to the size of a pea so they cook in the same couple of minutes and each spoonful gets a bit of everything.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the rice
For the vegetables
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Bring 2 ½ cups vegetable stock, 2 tsp curry powder (Nigerian style), 1 tsp dried thyme and ½ tsp ground turmeric to the boil in a saucepan. Add 12 ½ oz long-grain parboiled rice (easy-cook), cover, and simmer over a low heat until the liquid has gone and the grains are tender but still firm.
18 minStep 2: Spread the rice on a tray and leave it to steam off for a few minutes so the grains dry and separate. A common mistake is frying warm, wet rice straight from the pot: it turns to clumps in the pan.
Step 3: Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a large wok or wide frying pan over a high heat. Fry 1 onion and 2 cloves garlic for 1 minute until they smell sweet.
1 minStep 4: Add 2 carrots and 3 ½ oz green beans and stir-fry until they turn brighter and lose their raw crunch.
3 minStep 5: Add 3 ½ oz sweetcorn, 2 ⅞ oz frozen peas, 1 green bell pepper and ½ scotch bonnet chilli if using, and stir-fry for 1 minute more.
1 minStep 6: Tip in the rice and toss over a high heat, folding from the bottom, until hot through and you can hear the grains crackling against the pan. Season with ½ tsp ground white pepper and 1 tsp salt.
4 minStep 7: Scatter over 4 spring onions, toss once more and serve hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 440 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 76 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nigerian fried rice take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of long-grain parboiled rice (easy-cook)?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of vegetable stock?
- Chicken stock, same amount (not vegetarian).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Masala ugali
Ugali, East Africa's staple of maize meal cooked into a stiff porridge, given a lift with toasted cumin, butter, fresh coriander and green chilli. Stir it hard and keep it soft. Serve hot with sukumawiki or any stew.
Paneer biryani
A mild, creamy biryani: rice and husked green gram roasted in ghee, then cooked in coconut milk with peas, carrots, potatoes, peanuts and cashews, and finished with soft fried paneer and a fresh coriander yogurt. Serve hot, garnished with more fried cashews and paneer.
Plain cooked rice
Two reliable ways to cook plain rice. Method 1 lets the rice soak up all its water, for soft, fluffy rice to serve with curry and dal. Method 2 boils it in plenty of water and drains it, giving separate grains for fried rice, pilau and salads. Soaking first helps the grains cook evenly.
