A vibrant party-table classic of long-grain rice parboiled in seasoned meat stock, then stir-fried with curry, diced liver and a confetti of carrots, peas, sweet corn and green beans. Its yellow-green hue and crisp vegetables set it apart from the tomato-red jollof it sits beside.
Nigerian fried rice took the idea of stir-fried rice and reimagined it through a local lens, swapping soy sauce for curry powder and cooking the grains in rich meat stock laced with liver. It became a fixture of Nigerian celebration, and today no proper wedding, Christmas or birthday spread feels complete without a great steaming tray of it beside the jollof.
Warm and aromatic with curry and thyme, the rice grains fluffy and savoury from the meat stock. Bright vegetables give little snaps of sweetness and crunch, while the liver adds a rich, mineral depth. It tastes festive, layered and unmistakably Nigerian.
Parboiling the rice in seasoned stock seasons each grain from within and keeps it firm so it does not turn mushy when stir-fried. A quick, high-heat toss preserves the colour and crunch of the vegetables rather than stewing them.
Variations
Made with shrimp or gizzards instead of liver, with green pepper added, or in a lighter version without meat for the rice
On the Palate
Where Nigerian Fried Rice sits in the Nigerian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 6
How it's made
8 steps · 25 min
- 120 min
Boil chicken or beef with onion, curry, thyme and seasoning, reserving the well-flavoured stock.
- 212 min
Parboil the long-grain rice in the meat stock until just tender, then drain.
Watch outPull the rice while the grains are still firm with a hard core — it keeps cooking in the wok, and mushy parboiled rice will never fry into separate grains.
- 34 min
Dice the liver and fry quickly in a little oil until just cooked, then set aside.
- 45 min
Dice carrots, green beans and any other firm vegetables into small even pieces.
- 54 min
Heat oil in a wide pan or wok, add the vegetables with curry and stir-fry briefly to keep them crisp.
Watch outStir-fry the vegetables fast over high heat so they stay bright and crunchy — low heat stews them limp and grey.
- 62 min
Add the cooked liver, sweet corn and peas and toss to combine.
- 74 min
Fold in the parboiled rice, adjusting seasoning and adding a splash of stock if dry.
Watch outFold the rice in and toss until the colour is even and everything is piping hot, breaking up any clumps as you go.
- 84 min
Stir-fry over high heat until everything is hot and evenly coloured, then serve with fried plantain and chicken.
