Jollof Rice

Blend the chopped tomatoes, onion, and red bell pepper together in a blender until you achieve a smooth, uniform puree with no large chunks remaining, then set this tomato base aside for cooking.

Heat the palm oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until shimmering, then add the tomato paste and fry it for two minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens a shade and becomes fragrant.

Pour in the blended tomato puree and cook over medium heat for fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced by about half and the raw tomato flavour has cooked out completely.

Add the rinsed dried shrimp, ground cumin, curry powder, bay leaves, and the pierced scotch bonnet pepper to the reduced sauce, stirring well to distribute the spices evenly throughout the tomato base.

Pour in the water or fish stock, bring to a rolling boil, then add the rinsed rice and salt, stirring once to ensure the rice is evenly submerged and the grains are separated in the liquid.

Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting, cover the pot tightly with aluminium foil and then the lid to trap all the steam inside, and cook for twenty-five minutes without lifting the cover.

Remove from heat and let the pot sit undisturbed for ten minutes, then remove the lid, discard the bay leaves and scotch bonnet, and fluff the rice gently with a fork from the edges to the centre.

Serve the Guinea-Bissau jollof hot on a large platter, with the smoky, tomato-stained rice mounded in the centre and the dried shrimp visible throughout, accompanied by grilled fish or a fresh salad.