🇸🇱 Sierra Leonean Cuisine

Benachin

One-Pot Rice

Prep Time 1 hour

Servings 6

Difficulty Medium

Calories 456 kcal

A fragrant one-pot rice dish cooked with smoked fish, vegetables, and tomato sauce, closely related to jollof but with a distinctive smoky flavor from dried fish.

Ingredients

3 cups rice, washed
300g smoked fish
4 large tomatoes, blended
2 carrots, diced
1 small cabbage, quartered
1 eggplant, cubed
2 onions, chopped
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 scotch bonnet peppers
2 bouillon cubes
Salt to taste
4 cups water

Instructions

1 Heat oil in a heavy pot, fry onions until golden.
2 Add tomato paste and blended tomatoes, cook 15 minutes.
3 Add smoked fish, carrots, eggplant, cabbage, scotch bonnet, and bouillon.
4 Pour in water and bring to a boil.
5 Add washed rice, stir once, and cover tightly.
6 Cook on low heat 30-35 minutes until rice is tender and water absorbed.
7 Let rest 10 minutes, then gently mix and serve.

Did You Know?

Benachin literally means "one pot" in Wolof — and the crispy rice stuck to the bottom of the pot, called "xoon," is the most fought-over part of the meal.