Jollof rice – ever present. Wedding, funeral, homecoming, celebration, birth, death, life. I’m not sure what other dish has this power or magic in West Africa. Literature often mimics life so that the instances that show up on the page are likely to have happened. I’ve began to look out for food – particularly Jollof mentions – as I read these days. The texts I reference are: Without a Silver Spoon, Paperback edition Eddie Iro published by Spectrum, 1991 Americanah, Hardback published by Farafina, 2013 ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ (HOAYS), Paperback edition published by Farafina, 2014 Jollof Rice as...
2017 World Jollof Weekend…
…kicks off this Friday. I’m thrilled to be collaborating with Eat.Drink.Lagos for activities over the weekend. This is a celebration of all things Jollof over three days. Supper club | Friday, 18th August We begin with a special New Nigerian Kitchen Jollof menu at SaoCafe. Join us…. Tickets available here Workshop/ Exhibition | Saturday, 19th August We screen my Jollof documentary – exploring its history, context, recipes and everything in between. As well as eat Jollof, enjoy some Jollof photos just like last year… Jollof Festival | Sunday, 20th August The festival will be at the historic Jaekel House at...
Around West Africa in ‘Jollof’ Names
Interesting, I find – Jollof goes by only four names across the coast of West Africa, three of which are repeated in use – Jollof, Riz au Gras (aka Riz Gras), Thieboudienne; one – Benachin is used in only one country – Gambia. I looked at the names in 16 of the 18 countries, excluding the islands of Saint Helen and Sao Tome & Principe. The conclusions I’ve reached on the names/ reference numbers is based on Google search. The first version had the name in Niger as Riz Au Graz,Riz Gras for short and a Nigerien corrected me so...
#SundayRice: Kilishi Jollof Rice
Kilishi – Nigerian beef Jerky has been on my mind for the last few weeks. I’ve been reading a bit about the Afro-Brazilian culinary connections and came across Arroz de hauca, Hausa rice which is white rice cooked till soft and served with beef jerky and a few other sides, served to the gods and important in Candomble – the Afro-Brazilian oral religion that’s a blend of traditional Yoruba worship, Catholicism and other religions. My recipe is a super simple recipe that involves kilishi, cut up into small bits, vegetables and cooked (leftover too) Jollof rice. I begin my slicing onions...
Remembering WJRD 2016: ‘Jollof in the Arts’
I’m a huge fan of Jollof Rice…but you know that already. I’m an even bigger fan of celebrating Nigerian cuisine and that underscored the theme of last year’s World Jollof Rice Day celebration. I organised – with Maggi as the key sponsor – a Jollof in the Arts event. The idea was to explore Jollof Rice in Literature and also as a medium for art :). This involved a number of things: A Jollof installation which I put together featuring essential components of the Jollof experience from the cooking pot to the ingredients and utensils An exhibition with Jollof art...
On Mingau: Drink, Porridge & More
I’ve always been fascinated by Mingau. By always, I mean since I learnt about it, about it’s existence. In trying to find out more about it, to classify it and understand it, I happened upon lots of Brazilian/ Portuguese references. Mingau, from the old Tupi mina’u means ‘that which is soaked‘. To this end, there is Mingau of different cereals and grains, contrary to my first thought about it being a cassava-specific dish. My concern though is Tapioca Mingau. So what is Tapioca? Tapioca is a starch extract from the cassava root. It travelled the world thanks to the Portuguese...
Exploring Personal Geographies of Food: Mangoes
I’m obsessed with geography – I’ve always been. What if I can’t read maps that well, what if? And no, don’t say ‘You’re a geologist’ because I, more than anyone else should know that. I’ve almost always loved the contours that define spaces, the grids that govern some cities and making, finding my way. I collect maps – hanging on my wall, folded in old suitcases, remnants of trips whose memories remain on the tongue and in my head. Straight As in Geography, from the time of Mrs Eju, my geography teacher in FGC Warri till Liverpool and beyond. I...
Nigerian Seasonal Produce: Golden Melons #8
‘Nigerian Seasonal Produce’ is a monthly column published on the last Saturday of each month. In this column, a writer explores a specific seasonal fruit, vegetable or leafy green assigned by the editors of Kitchen Butterfly and based on the Nigerian Seasonal Produce Calendar. Our author this month is Minjiba – writer at Minjiba Cookey and in my mind, OmNomLagos. I love her writing, full of wit and heart and her photography. In this piece, she explores the Golden Melon and its unique characteristics – confident, revealing, refreshing and more. If there ever existed a fruit that has mastered the art of...
Pepperfruit-cured Salmon
Yes. Pepper fruit cured. I knew I wanted to use it for the way I thought the spicy seeds would cut the chewy fish and add aroma. My desire would be to cure white, local fish but this is a good place to begin. And I’m glad to say it worked. Take some processed pepper fruit and combine it with sugar and salt which serve dual purposes of flavouring and preservation. Fish works well. I’d love to try this with beef too, in a kilishi/ jerky style manner! I think peanuts and pepper fruit would make an awesome combo but...