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Jollof Rice Arancini with Egusi Centre

Jollof Rice Arancini with Egusi Centre is one of the most creative Nigerian gourmet fusion dishes — the Italian stuffed rice ball technique applied to Nigerian ingredients. Cold Jollof Rice is formed into balls, each one filled with a rich, nutty Egusi and smoked fish centre, breadcrumbed and deep-fried to a perfect golden crust.

Jollof Rice Arancini with Egusi Centre, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 3 big cups of leftover cold Jollof Rice (Recipe #128) — cold Jollof is essential as it binds much better than warm
  • 2 big eggs, beaten with a fork
  • 2 big cups of fine breadcrumbs
  • Vegetable oil for deep-frying FOR THE EGUSI FILLING:
  • 1 big cup of ground egusi, fried in 1 cooking spoon of palm oil with ground crayfish, blended Atarodo and seasoning until a very thick, dry paste forms
  • 2 big handfuls of shredded smoked catfish, very finely flaked and deboned
  • Salt and seasoning to taste

Method

  1. 01

    Preparing the Egusi Filling. Fry ground egusi in palm oil with ground crayfish, blended Atarodo and seasoning cube until a very thick, cohesive, almost dry paste forms — much thicker than regular Egusi Soup. Stir in the finely flaked smoked catfish. Mix well. Allow to cool completely. The filling must be cool and stiff enough to hold its shape.

  2. 02

    Forming the Arancini. Take a generous tablespoon of cold Jollof Rice in your palm. Press and flatten into a disc. Place a small teaspoon of Egusi filling in the centre. Bring the edges of the rice disc up around the filling and press firmly to seal into a ball. Roll firmly between both palms until a compact, smooth ball forms. Repeat until all the rice is used — you should get 12 to 16 balls.

  3. 03

    Breadcrumbing. Dip each arancini ball into the beaten egg, ensuring complete coverage. Roll thoroughly in breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere well. For extra crunch, dip in egg again and roll in breadcrumbs a second time.

  4. 04

    Deep-Frying. Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat until hot. Test with a breadcrumb — it should sizzle immediately. Fry the arancini in batches for 3 to 4 minutes, turning gently, until deep golden-brown all over. Drain on paper towels.

  5. 05

    Serving. Serve immediately while the exterior is at maximum crispiness and the Jollof centre is warm.

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