What is Jollof Rice?
A piquant seasoned rice dish that's a medley of rice, tomatoes, and spices. It is eaten generally as a main dish with the addition of chicken, and as a side dish in most West African countries and is also a staple at parties, weddings, funerals & just about every family gathering.
"With its seductive aroma, deep-red colour and spicy flavour, Jollof rice is the undisputed queen of West African kitchens. It's our beloved culinary treasure and a dish from our very heart and soul. But just whisper the word "Jollof" in West Africa and you could easily start a fiery feud of passion. That's because determining which West African nation makes Jollof best is an ongoing matter of local pride and contention.
Jollof rice is to West Africa what paella is to Spain, risotto to Italy, biriyani to India and fried rice to China. As a child growing up in Ghana, I gobbled Jollof down at family gatherings, birthdays, coming-of-age ceremonies, engagement parties and weddings. Enjoyed as a main meal, this rich, mouth-watering dish consists of rice cooked in a flavourful sauce of tomatoes, onions and aromatic spices. These base ingredients are often layered with ginger, garlic, thyme, grains of selim (a West African spice), tomato puree, curry powder and Scotch bonnet chillies, though the exact components and preparation differ from country to country; even from house to house."
So who makes the best Jollof? (Ghana obviously)
There has been a ongoing Jollof War in West Africa , mainly between Nigeria & Ghana, with both nations laying claim to the best Jollof!
Nigerian food writer Jiji Majiri Ugboma believes that "the Jollof feud between Ghana and Nigeria is arguably the most heated food debate amongst any diaspora"
The preparation of Jollof can take quite some time and requires a lot of ingredients, my new Suya Gold Jollof Rice Spice Blend contains everything you need to make an authentic Ghana Jollof in no time!
You may notice some darkened rice at the bottom, these are known as "unders" in Ghana and are often fought over around the dinner table, crunchy and delicious so don't discard the "unders"!
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