Page 102 - LKM70

FOOD
Ingredients:
4 Persons Serving
2 cups of Rice (Long grains)
1 Medium- sized Ginger (Paste) 1 Medium – sized clove Garlic 1- Medium- sized Green Pepper 2- Large Onion Bulbs 100gms of Tomatoes 100mls of Vegetable Oil 50g of Cooking Margarine 250mls of Chicken stock
4 Medium sized Scotch bonnet 4 Large sized Bell Pepper 100g of Tinned Tomatoes Paste 1tbsp each of Curry and thyme Any protein of choice
Salt to taste
Everyone loves Jollof rice. No wonder, jollof rice is the reason for the 3rd world war that never happened as the global battle for ‘taste supremacy’ continues amongst Ghanaians and Nigerians with very strong emotions. Prince Charles of Wales had to comment, without taking sides of course, during his 2018 West African Tour, “Having also visited The Gambia and Ghana over the past week, our visit to Nigeria may perhaps provide an invaluable opportunity to compare – if one ever dares do such a thing! – the relative merits of each country’s Jollof rice... however, for fear of sparking a diplomatic incident, I suspect I shall have to let you draw your own conclusions about which country’s Jollof we found to be the most delicious!”
You can also ask CNN’s Richard Quest what his conclusion was, as he had to cover this one of a kind battle of delica- cy supremacy.
The social media, went agog with hashtags like JollofWars, #Jollofgate, #BringbackourJollof and countless tweets on Twitter after it caught the Jollof fever which was so heated. Popular UK based chef, Jamie Oliver, then made
How to Prepare
Slice the 20gms of the tomatoes into rings and blend the remaining 80gms with scotch bonnet, bell pepper, and one onion bulb into a smooth paste and set aside. Dice the remaining onion bulb and set aside.
Pre-heat a medium-sized pot on the burner and add the vegetable oil, gin- ger paste and garlic powder, a handful of the diced onion, your blended pepper, tomato paste, seasoning cubes and margarine, as well as, about 50mls of the stock, curry, thyme and white pepper; stir thoroughly and slow cook for about 5-10 minutes or until it thickens.
Wash your rice grains to reduce the starch, and stir-fry it into your thickened sauce, until the rice absorbs the sauce. Allow the mix to simmer for 2 minutes and add the remaining stock, add your sliced onions and simmer for 5 mins.
Stir thoroughly so the rice does not get burnt.
To the mix add 200mls of water, taste for
the mistake of wading into the Jollof-af- fair and nearly got incinerated on social media for it, with memes and comments flooding in from Africans in diaspora and across the continent, expressing their emotions about this epic face-off.
Jollof rice on the plate is another bat- tlefield only you and your fork tines can best explain, as the saying goes the taste of the pudding is in the eating!
While the Nigerian Jollof rice gives you the woodsy spicy punch, reminiscent
of the ‘Naija Owanbes’, the Ghanaians Jollof is replete with a robust African taste only Shito dressing can deliver. The Senegalese Ceebu-Jen, bathes your palate with the rich taste of Fish dipped in peanut oil, you just keep digging
for more, not to talk of Cameroonians ‘ndole’ laced Jollof. Wherever you are on the planet; West African Jollof rice beckons on your palate to have an au- thentic African cuisine experience.
Seeing as this dish evokes such robust emotions, I am sure your palate is whet and ready to experience it. From Africa to the world; we present to you our very own recipe of Jollof Rice – The UBA Melt- ing Pot Way!
salt and other spices, if inadequate add till you get your preferred taste, then cover and allow the rice to soften to your preferred consistency. I preferred, mine, soft without being mushy.
Just before the water dries up, pour your sliced tomato rings and allow it to simmer with the rice; at this point, turn down the heat, so that it slow cooks till the water dries-up.
It is best served hot alongside your preferred protein. From grilled fish, to barbecued beef or mutton or chicken, or snail, one thing is assured your Jollof rice is a winner all the way. You can dress with Shito in a side dish or cole- slaw, vegetable salad, moi-moi- (bean pudding), fried plantain, ndole, the list is endless; so, feel free to exercise your creativity.
Personally, I prefer my serving with a sweet wine, so I go for a Red or any Merlot Sauvignon, but, since you are the chef here, please treat your guest to your preferred drink.
Nutritional Facts Per 100g Serving
Calories 204.4
Total Fat
Saturated Fat 0.6g
Trans Fat 0.2g Cholesterol 0mg
Micronutrients & Vitamins
%Daily Value*
12%
Sodium Potassium Vitamin A Vitamin C Calcium Iron
248.6mg 10% 125.8mg 4%
13.5% 46.3% 1.6% 5.2%
Total Carbohydrates 30.2g 10%
Dietary Fibre Sugar
Protein
On the Jollof wars amongst our compatriots of the Sub-Saharan Africa, we will provide you with an update as soon as the jury’s verdict is out. From all of us in the house, we say ‘Nos regocijamos con la UBA, seguimos siendo el LEÓN que ERES’ Adiós por ahora.
0.9g 4% 1.5g
2.8g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet
102 | The Lion King | Commemorative Edition | January - April 2019
The battle for taste supremacy