Riz Gras

Riz Gras (Burkinabè Fat Rice)

Burkina Faso's beloved one-pot rice, cooked in a rich tomato-and-beef broth until each grain is red, glossy and savoury. The meat and vegetables are lifted out first and served on top of the rice.

Prep

25 min

Cook

90 min

Total

115 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •400 g (14 oz) beef chuck or brisket, cut into large chunks; bone-in beef shin also works
• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) long-grain rice, such as parboiled or Thai jasmine; rinse until water runs clear
• •80 ml (⅓ cup) vegetable or palm oil, palm oil gives a deeper colour and flavour if available
• •3 tbsp tomato paste, concentrated purée
• •4 whole onions, 2 finely chopped, 2 cut into quarters
• •400 g (14 oz) tinned chopped tomatoes, or 4 ripe fresh tomatoes, blended
• •2 whole carrots, peeled and cut into thick batons
• •300 g (10½ oz) green cabbage, cut into large wedges
• •1.2 l (5 cups) water or beef stock, approximately; adjust to your rice
• •4 cloves garlic, crushed
• •1 tsp ground ginger, or 10 g fresh ginger, grated
• •1 tsp ground chilli, or to taste; Burkina Faso likes it gently hot
• •2 whole stock cubes, beef or all-purpose
• •2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• •1 tsp black pepper

Steps

1. 1 Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs almost clear, then leave it to drain thoroughly.
2. 2 Heat the oil in a large heavy pot (a cast-iron or thick-based pot is ideal) over medium-high heat. Add the beef chunks in a single layer and brown them well on all sides, about 8 minutes. Work in batches if needed so the meat fries rather than steams.
3. 3 Add the 2 chopped onions, garlic, ginger, chilli, black pepper and salt. Stir and cook until the onions soften and turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. 4 Stir in the tomato paste and cook it for 2 minutes, letting it darken slightly - this cooks out the raw tinny taste and deepens the red colour.
5. 5 Add the tinned tomatoes, stock cubes and 1.2 litres (5 cups) of water or stock. Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 45 minutes, until the beef is tender and a knife slides into it with no resistance. Check occasionally and add a splash more water if the pot looks dry.
6. 6 Add the carrot batons, cabbage wedges and quartered onions to the pot. Simmer, covered, for a further 10 minutes - the vegetables should be tender but still hold their shape.
7. 7 Lift out the meat and vegetables with a slotted spoon and set them aside on a plate, keeping them warm. Taste the remaining broth and adjust the salt - it should be noticeably well seasoned, as the rice will absorb it.
8. 8 Add the drained rice to the broth. The liquid should sit about 2 cm (¾ inch) above the rice; add a little more hot water if needed, or lift some out with a spoon if there is too much.
9. 9 Bring back to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook undisturbed for 15–18 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time.
10. 10 Turn off the heat and let the pot stand, still covered, for 10 minutes. The rice is done when every grain is tender, separate and stained deep red, with no pooling liquid at the bottom of the pot.
11. 11 Fluff the rice with a fork, then mound it on a large platter. Arrange the beef, carrots, cabbage and onions on top and serve hot.