DISH – Jollof Rice
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup oil (vegetable/canola/coconut, not olive oil)
- 6 medium-sized fresh plum/Roma tomatoes, chopped, OR a 400-gram tin of tomatoes
- 6 fresh, red poblano peppers (or 4 large red bell peppers), seeds discarded
- 3 medium-sized red onions (1 sliced thinly, 2 roughly chopped), divided
- 1/2 to 1 hot pepper, or to taste (yellow Scotch bonnets are my favourite)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons (Caribbean/Jamaican-style) curry powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 5 to 6 cups stock (vegetable, chicken, or beef) or water, divided
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter (optional), divided
- 4 cups uncooked converted long-grain rice or golden sella basmati, rinsed
- Salt, to taste
- Black and white pepper, to taste
Optional sides – Salad, boiled or fried egg, chicken, fish, fried plaintain
Directions
- In a blender, combine tomatoes, red poblano (or bell) peppers, chopped onions, and Scotch bonnets with 2 cups of stock, blend till smooth, about a minute or two. You should have roughly 6 cups of blended mix. Pour into a large pot/ pan and bring to the boil then turn down and let simmer, partly covered for 10 – 12 minutes
- In a large pan, heat oil and add the sliced onions. Season with a pinch of salt, stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the bay leaves, curry powder and dried thyme and a pinch of black pepper for 3 – 4 minutes on medium heat. Then add the tomato paste – stir for another 2 minutes. Add the reduced tomato-pepper-Scotch bonnet mixture, stir, and set on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes till reduced by half, with the lid partly on. This is the stew that will define the pot.
- Add 4 cups of the stock to the cooked tomato sauce and bring it to boil for 1 – 2 minutes.
- Add the rinsed rice and butter, stir, cover with a double piece of foil/baking or parchment paper and put a lid on the pan—this will seal in the steam and lock in the flavor. Turn down the heat and cook on the lowest possible heat for 30 minutes, stirring half way through.
- Stir rice—taste and adjust as required. If rice isn’t soft enough/ needs additional cooking, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of stock or water, stir through and continue to steam, on low till cooked through.
- To make Party Rice, you’ll need one more step. Now Party Rice is essentially Smoky Jollof Rice, traditionally cooked over an open fire. However, you can achieve the same results on the stove top. Here’s how: Once the rice is cooked, turn up the heat with the lid on and leave to “burn” for 3 to 5 minutes. You’ll hear the rice crackle and snap and it will smell toasted. Turn off the heat and leave with the lid on to “rest” till ready to serve. The longer the lid stays on, the smokier. Let the party begin!
Orality
Orality for some Indigenous peoples is how stories and knowledge have and continue to be passed down through generations. Consider the following questions to help you reflect:
Is there a story that accompanies this dish? If so, what is the story?
No, not really. The only story that might be connected is:
As a baby and toddler, although I do not remember, I could eat almost everything no fish, egg, meat, cheese… The only thing I could eat as food was rice milk. I do not know if there is a connection between rice milk and rice being my favorite food but when I found that out, I thought it was cool.
Why did you choose it, what does this dish mean to you? What does the food signify? Why is it significant?
It is my favorite food and the type of food that can improve my mood.
What relationship do you have to it?
Has been my favorite food since childhood
Who taught you how to make it?
My mom taught me how to make it
Interconnectedness
Please take some time to reflect on the Indigenous knowledges which have been shared with you this semester in GNED128. Using your food item / recipe, please consider the relationship you have to this food. What interconnections are you able to make between your food item / recipe and the Indigenous knowledges shared with you?
I chose this food Item because no matter how little of it there is a connection or relationship between me and this food that has been created through experiences that I have faced and knowledge that has been passed down. This is similar to the idea that in the indigenous culture everything has some type of meaning or connection that has been passed down or created through experiences.