Njanga Rice, also called Crayfish Rice, Palm Oil Jollof Rice, Palm Oil Rice, or Native Jollof Rice, is rice cooked with dried crayfish and red palm oil. The result is smoky, spicy, and deeply flavorful.
What is Njanga?
“Njanga” is the Cameroonian name for dried crayfish—small shrimp or prawns that have been dried. Crayfish adds a salty, slightly earthy umami to dishes. Combined with red palm oil, chili (or habanero), a crayfish or seasoning cube, and rice, it creates a rich, aromatic meal.
How To Make Jollof Rice With Palm Oil (One-Pot Method)
1. Heat the palm oil in a pot and sauté chopped onions until translucent. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they shrink and their acidity softens. Stir in blended garlic and coarsely blended crayfish to release their aromas and form the dish’s flavor base.
2. Add washed rice and stir to coat the grains in the sauce.
3. Pour in water, season with salt, bouillon or seasoning cubes, add smoked or dried fish, and add a whole or halved habanero pepper depending on your heat preference. Cover and simmer on low until the rice is cooked through.
4. When the rice is done, keep the pot covered and let it rest for about 5 minutes to settle.
5. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve warm.
How to Make Njanga (Crayfish) Rice — Pre-Cooked Rice Method
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 35 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients for pre-cooked Njanga Rice:
- 4 cups boiled rice
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- ½ cup red palm oil
- 1 crayfish seasoning cube (Maggi crevette or similar)
- 2 chili peppers or 1 habanero
- 1 stem green onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- ¼ cup dried crayfish, coarsely broken
Method:
Chop the onion, tomatoes, chili and green onion. Heat the palm oil in a clean pot, add the onions and fry until soft. Add tomatoes and cook until they shrink and the sharpness mellows, about 5–7 minutes. Stir in the crayfish, garlic, chili and green onion—frying the crayfish and garlic in hot oil unlocks a wonderful aroma.
Add the cooked rice and gently toss to combine without mashing the grains. Adjust seasoning if needed, then serve.
What does Njanga Rice taste like? It is smoky, spicy, and fragrant from the red palm oil. For many, including me, the smell and flavor of palm oil rice evoke a sense of home and comfort. Njanga Rice pairs nicely with slices of avocado or fried plantain.
Watch How to Make Jollof Rice With Palm Oil
There is a video demonstration below showing the one-pot method. The video walks through each step so you can follow along.
If you try this recipe, please leave a rating. Your feedback helps others find the recipe and I always enjoy hearing from readers.
Njanga Rice – Jollof Rice with Palm Oil
Ingredients
- ¾ cup crayfish loosely packed
- 5-7 cloves garlic
- ¾ cup red palm oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
- 3 cups jasmine rice
- 5 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 2 cups smoked fish bones removed
- 1 habanero pepper
Instructions
- Pulse the dried crayfish in a blender until coarsely broken. Do not grind into a powder.
- Blend the garlic into a paste.
- Heat a non-stick pot on high and add the palm oil. After about 3 minutes, add the chopped onions and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they shrink, about 7 minutes. (While the tomato cooks, wash the rice and set aside.)
- Stir in the blended garlic so it releases its aroma.
- Add the crushed crayfish and stir for about 30 seconds.
- Add the washed rice and stir to combine.
- Pour in 5 cups of water, add 1 teaspoon salt, 3 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder, and ½ teaspoon ground white pepper. Stir to combine.
- Add the smoked fish and the whole habanero pepper. If you prefer more heat, cut the habanero in half before adding it; adding it whole keeps the dish milder.
- Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and cook for 40 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pot rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Fluff the rice with a fork and serve warm.
Notes
1. Crayfish is dried shrimp commonly sold in West African stores. You can buy it whole or ground—whole is preferable to check freshness.
2. Red palm oil is a deeply colored, nutritious oil extracted from palm fruit. It’s widely used in West African cooking and available at African grocers.
3. I use jasmine rice for its fragrance, but any long-grain rice will work. Adjust the water amount if your chosen rice requires it.
4. Watch the recipe video for a step-by-step walkthrough.
5. Nutritional values are estimates.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 27 g |
Protein: 16 g |
Fat: 30 g