Liberian jollof rice starts with a base of blended tomatoes, onions and peppers, which are cooked down into a thick, fragrant sauce. The raw rice goes in and slowly absorbs all those flavours as it cooks. The result is rice that is bright orange-red on the outside, with a crispy, caramelised crust at the bottom of the pot called 'party jollof' - the most prized bite of all.
Different West African countries all claim their jollof is the best, and it has become a fun, friendly debate - a 'jollof war' - between Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and others. Each country has its own twist: different spices, different levels of smokiness, different things added to the pot. Liberian jollof often includes a small amount of smoked fish or meat for extra depth.
Jollof rice is almost always served with something alongside it - fried plantain, a small salad, a piece of grilled chicken or fish, or a spoonful of spicy pepper sauce. It is the kind of dish that fills the whole house with an incredible smell while it cooks. In Liberia, the scent of jollof rice means a celebration is coming.