To make jollof, you cook tomatoes, red peppers, onions, garlic and spices into a thick sauce, then add the rice into the same pot so it soaks up all the flavour. The best jollof has a little crispy bit at the bottom of the pot, called 'bottom pot' (or in Nigerian Pidgin, 'party jollof' - because it tastes like a party).
Several countries in West Africa make their own jollof rice. Nigeria and Ghana both think theirs is the best. This has become a famous, friendly online argument - people post photos, write songs about it, and even cook for each other to try and win. It is one of the world's most cheerful food rivalries.
Jollof is almost never eaten alone. It comes with fried plantain (a sweet cousin of the banana, sliced and fried), with chicken or fish, with coleslaw or a fresh salad on the side. The plate is colourful: bright orange rice, golden plantain, green salad, all together.
Lots of countries have a 'party food' - a dish that means a celebration is happening. In Italy it might be pizza. In Mexico, tacos. In Japan, sushi. In Nigeria, it is jollof. If you visit a Nigerian friend's birthday party, you can bet a giant tray of jollof will be coming out of the kitchen.