Jollof rice: identity of culture

In Africa, food serves as a symbol of solidarity and community rather than just as a means of subsistence. My family is required to eat together, which is customary in African households and represents harmony and serenity. The traditional foods handed down from one generation to the next express our identity and reflect our culture and beliefs. (Vatika Sibal, 2018)

Because Africa is so diverse and has five different subregions (Northern, Eastern, Western, Middle East, and Southern), there are interesting differences between countries' diets and food styles.

For instance, there has been competition between Ghana and Nigeria over Jollof taste for decades, but no consensus has been reached on which jollof rice tastes best (yet!). There are minor variations between these two Jollof kinds of rice despite the fact that the main components of this dish are rice, tomato paste, onions, scotch bonnet peppers, salt, spices, and vegetable oil.

The first distinction between Ghana and Nigerian Jollof is the type of rice grain utilized. While basmati (aromatic) rice is used to make Jollof in Ghana, long grain parboiled rice is used to make Jollof in Nigeria.

The cooking technique is the second distinction. Before adding it to the stew that has been cooked, the Jollof long grain rice in Nigeria is parboiled* and given two washings to get rid of the starchy content. Jollof basmati rice isn't parboiled in Ghana since doing so would make it soggy; instead, it is simply added to a tomato stew that has already been made. (Ref: demandafrica.com)

As a Ghanaian, I adore the smokey jollof rice my mother makes with fresh chili pepper sauce.

*What does parboil mean? It refers to meals that have undergone a preliminary cooking process of partial or semi-boiling.

Written by Margaret Mensah, West Africa Intern Associate.

Photo credits: Annie Spratt.