Parboiling long-grain rice the Nigerian way
Party jollof is not a pilaf. You are not simmering raw rice in seasoned liquid — you are finishing parboiled rice in a stew that has enough fat and not quite enough water, so the last of it can cook off against the pot and char.
If you skip parboiling, the grain cooks unevenly and the stew evaporates before the rice is done. If you overparboil, you lose the structure that lets the bottom layer catch and crisp into the smoky crust.
Steps
Rinse rice in three changes of cold water until the water runs nearly clear.
Bring a generous pot of water to a rolling boil. Add rice. Cook 7 minutes — firm in the centre, not chalky.
Underparboiled rice turns to mush in the stew; overparboiled rice will not take on smoke.
Drain in a sieve. Do not refresh with cold water.
Transfer directly onto the seasoned stew base. No extra water until you assess.