Simple tomato jollof
English-language edition | October 2026 | bernard.ink
Simple tomato jollof
Serves 4 | About 15 minutes preparation + 35-45 minutes cooking. This is an original teaching recipe inspired by Jollof Day, not the recipe printed in the book. Adults manage the cooking.
Ingredients
- 300 g long-grain white rice, rinsed
- 1 medium onion, chopped; 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
- 400 g chopped tinned tomatoes; 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp mild curry powder; 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 400 ml hot low-salt vegetable stock; extra hot water if needed
Adult steps
- Blend the onion, pepper and tomatoes until smooth. An adult handles the blender.
- Heat oil in a heavy pan. Add tomato purée; stir for 2 minutes. Add blended vegetables, curry powder and thyme; cook gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring, until thickened.
- Stir in the rinsed rice and stock. Bring to a gentle boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Check near the end: add a little hot water if dry and continue until the rice is tender.
- Turn off the heat and rest, covered, for 5 minutes. An adult checks the rice is cooked and portions are cool enough to taste.
Adult: keep children away from heat, knives, hot liquids and electrical equipment. Check allergies and stock ingredients before cooking; wash hands and food-preparation surfaces.
Teacher notes
Purpose and preparation
20 minutes for discussion; allow a separate cooking session. Read instructions and recognise how food can bring people together.
Read the book aloud first. Have one copy available to revisit words and pictures. Pupil pages are suitable for black-and-white printing.
Suggested responses
Recipe quantities make about four portions. Rice brands, pan size and heat affect water and timing: an adult checks tenderness. This is a proposed teaching recipe, not a kitchen-tested reproduction of Bernard's family recipe. Families have many jollof variations.
Support and stretch
Support: Use a no-cook sorting activity with ingredient pictures and an empty measuring jug.
Stretch: Ask why the order matters; compare a written instruction with the story.
Teaching links
England KS1 English: discuss vocabulary and information. US Grade 1 SL.1.2: answer questions about information presented orally.
These are suggested links, not an accredited lesson or a complete curriculum. Grade 1 links do not apply automatically to younger children.
Before classroom cooking, follow your school's food hygiene and allergy procedures. Serve promptly. Cool leftover rice quickly, ideally within one hour; refrigerate, use within 24 hours and reheat only once until steaming hot throughout. Children can count ingredients or help lay the table away from cooking hazards.