One of the easiest and most flavorful dishes in Nigerian cuisine is none other than the Nigerian fried rice.
Unlike Asian fried rice, you won’t need to use day-old rice to achieve the perfect texture and flavor of this dish.
That’s because it uses a special rice that’s firm enough to absorb savory spices while remaining fluffy!
Top Rice Variety: Parboiled Long-Grain Rice

Parboiled long-grain rice is not really a rice variety per se.
It’s more of a processing method where the rice is partially boiled in the husk before it’s milled.
As a result, it becomes firmer and less likely to become mushy or sticky.
Now, parboiled long-grain rice is actually an umbrella term for any long-grain rice that’s been parboiled.
But based on experience, pretty much all kinds of parboiled long-grain rice will be perfect for Nigerian fried rice.
Reasons to Use Parboiled Long-Grain Rice for Nigerian Fried Rice
Fluffy Texture: Like most fried rice variations, a fluffy rice texture is desired when cooking Nigerian Fried Rice. This makes parboiled long-grain rice, which has firmer grains, the perfect rice for the dish.
Fast Cooking Time: Parboiled rice cooks faster than regular white rice. For home cooks like me, who can’t always spend more than two hours in the kitchen per meal, this is a huge benefit.
Nutrients: Since the parboiling process transfers some nutrients from the rice husk into the grain itself, your meal will be more nutritious if you stick to using parboiled long-grain rice for your Nigerian fried rice.
Rice Runner-Ups

Can’t find parboiled long-grain rice for your Nigerian fried rice?
No worries, I’ve got some rice alternatives ready for those scenarios.
Golden Sella Basmati Rice
Golden Sella Basmati Rice refers to Basmati rice that’s been parboiled.
Technically, this type of rice can also be under the umbrella term “parboiled long-grain rice.”
But, in many grocery stores, you can find specific bags of rice labeled specifically as Golden Sella Basmati Rice.
This rice also has all the parboiled rice qualities I’ve already mentioned above.
Additionally, Basmati rice has a distinct nutty aroma that some people prefer over non-aromatic varieties like long-grain white rice.
Day-Old Long-Grain White Rice
If you can’t get your hands on any kind of parboiled long-grain rice, you can use day-old long-grain white rice instead.
This isn’t exactly the ideal rice for Nigerian fried rice.
After all, there’s more preparation to do.
But based on experience, it’ll work as an alternative in a pinch.
Long-grain white rice becomes drier when it sits overnight or a day in the fridge. And this firmer texture will make it suitable for Nigerian fried rice!
Fried Rice The Nigerian Way
Nigerian fried rice is one of the most unique-tasting fried rice I’ve tried.
Happy to say I’ve now mastered the craft of cooking this delicacy!
It turns out, all you need is the right recipe, and most importantly, the right bag of rice.
Once you have these prerequisites, it’s pretty much impossible to fail to cook this dish!
Easy Homemade Nigerian Fried Rice

Perfect for special occasions or casual dinners alike, this homemade Nigerian fried rice takes less than an hour to make yet delivers a burst of West African flavors and hearty satisfaction!
Ingredients
- 1 cup of parboiled long-grain rice
- 2 cups of beef or vegetable stock
- 1-2 teaspoons of turmeric powder
- A pinch of ginger powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup of green beans (chopped)
- 2 small carrots (chopped)
- 1 bell pepper (chopped)
- 10 ounces of sweet corn (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- 2-3 tablespoons of cooking oil
- ½ pound of beef liver (cut into small cubes)
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
Instructions
- In a pot that’s over medium-high heat, add the measured rice, stock, salt, and a teaspoon of turmeric powder.
- Once the pot boils, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 15 minutes or until the rice has fully absorbed the liquid. Remove the pot from the heat and set it aside.
- In a pan over medium heat, heat a tablespoon of cooking oil.
- Add the beef liver cubes and cook them until they’re browned and cooked through (about 5-7 minutes). Season them with soy sauce and black pepper.
- In the same pan, add 1-2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Let the oil heat up for about 30 seconds, then add the minced garlic.
- Cook the minced garlic for about a minute. After that, add the chopped green beans, bell pepper, and carrots.
- Continue cooking the vegetables for about 5 minutes until they tenderize. Season with spices such as turmeric and ginger powder if preferred.
- Pour the cooked liver, vegetables, and sweet corn into the pot of rice. Mix everything well.
- Cover the pot with a lid and let it cook for 5 minutes over low heat.
- Serve your Nigerian fried rice hot.
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