Riz Gras: The Savory Rice Dish That Feeds a Nation

Riz gras is a traditional national dish of Burkina Faso. The dish is a combination of rice cooked in spices, chicken sauce, and vegetables and served with marinated fried tilapia. 

To enjoy this rice, eat with your hands!

Background and Origin

Riz gras is popular in West Africa, particularly in the francophone territories like Guinea, Senegal, Benin, Togo, and Burkina Faso. Typically, locals prepare riz gras with a lot of oil, hence the name, which means fat rice. 

However, each of these countries has its own version of this unique dish that looks similar to jollof rice, a popular dish famous in Nigeria and Ghana.

In other recipes, you can prepare riz grass with fresh tomatoes, while others don’t add tomatoes. The process of cooking in other countries includes adding fish to the pot while others serve it separately. 

In this recipe, we want to focus on the recipe from Burkina Faso.

Stay tuned.

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How to Prepare Burkinabè Riz Gras

Key Ingredients

• 5 fresh habanero peppers
• 5 tomatoes, blended
• 2 Onions, chopped
• 4 Garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 7 Chicken drumsticks
• 2 tbsp ginger paste
• Fresh basil 
• 1 Maggi
• 2 cups hot water
• 2 Cups Basmati Rice
• 2 Bay leaves

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Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Blend the fresh pepper, one onion, and garlic cloves.
2. In hot oil, sauté the other chopped onion for 2 minutes on medium heat.
3. Add the blended mixture and cook for 10 minutes. 
4. Steam the chicken in garlic, ginger, onion, and fresh basil while the sauce boils. This could take about 20 minutes on low heat. Once it’s almost ready, sprinkle it with salt.
5. Once the chicken is cooked, transfer its content into the sauce. Add the Maggi cube and stir. Allow the sauce to simmer for 5 minutes. 
6. Add the cups of hot water to the sauce and bring it to a boil on high heat. Add the bay leaves. Wash and add the rice to the pot. Stir, taste, and adjust the salt. Cook on low heat for twenty to thirty minutes. 
7. Serve riz gras alongside salad and fried tilapia. 

Tips for Preparing Riz Gras

• You can add tomato paste to the sauce before adding the chicken if you want some color. You can also do away with fresh tomatoes. 
• Use cold water if you’re not in a hurry. Using hot water is just to speed up the process. 
• Use other parts of the chicken and cube them. This way, it’s easier to cook them together with the rice. 
• You can also add some chopped vegetables, like carrots and green peas. 
• As a side dish, marinate one or two fresh tilapia in spices and fry. Serve alongside riz gras.

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Conclusion

This one-pot dish may look similar to jollof rice and coconut rice, but the process is different. You’ll enjoy and appreciate the taste of riz grass. Remember, to enjoy this West African meal, eat with clean, washed hands.

Happy cooking!