Rice is a staple food in Nigeria after bread and tea, often served with tomatoes sauce or stew. JOLLOF- rice often served in Nigerian parties became popular especially in Lagos and major cities during the late 80s and 90s, when the Togolese and Ghanians were more in Nigeria even though one of their traditional food was Kokonte a stretchy and starchy pudding made from boiled cassava and pounded till it changes form then served with really hot groundnut soup, okro and light stew with animal protein. They also ate Banku a corn meal. Their jollof rice was quite different, often boiled with the dried leaves of sorghum bicolor the red Guinea corn also known as poro-poro by Yoruba herb sellers.
I can remember back then the two Ghanians living down our street would start selling their cooked jollof rice from 7:00am and before 10 am it's all gone, even though the quantity they cooked is around 16 dericas of rice because they have to carry the whole pot on their heads. That pot served so many people because it was sold in small portions, more expensive than the regular white rice and pepper stew sold by the Yorubas.
These Ghanians also offered catering services for parties but people preferred the Togolese, because they were better at cooking the party jollof that we know today. Alhough the Togos were known for their mashed beans and fried dried pepper palm oil sauce called Ewa-aganyi which is now served in Nigerian parties, although they serve it as mashed beans and peppered gravy not all caterers get the Ewa-aganyi features.
The hype about the party jollof rice all over the world is based on the unique richness of the aroma and taste also because it's from Nigeria! Even though the origin of Jollof rice is believed to be from the ancient Wolof Empire, which encompassed parts of present-day Senegal, Gambia & Mauritius.
The technicalities involved in cooking the Nigerian jollof rice actually makes it impossible for two jollof rice to taste the same cooked by two caterers, even if they use the same ingredients. Not all caterers can get the three features consistently. The curiosity is what makes it less boring to eat which makes guests look forward to it at parties. Some guests can walked pass Jollof rice without the aroma, some may ask to taste it first before serving a large portion. A pro knows a party jollof that passed the three test just by looking and the aroma.
A Nigerian party Jollof must pass these three test:
1. Colour- it must look it.
2. Aroma- It must smell it.
3. Flavour- it must taste like party jollof.
Even though some spice manufacturers have formulated a combination of spices that can help you to achieve the taste and aroma that party jollof rice is known for but it may not generate the rich and natural flavours if not used correctly.
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THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS
A party jollof rice requires precision! all the ingredients must be complete! From the specie of rice, cooking utensils, spices, the heat source and the caterers must have experience or else they will serve your guest half cooked rice because they lack the experience to correct it because it's possible to fix.
Your Rice:
The specie of rice must be right! otherwise it will not soak up the base sauce as it should. if it is too dry, your rice will get burnt before it's done. If your raw rice comes over per boiled it will come out mashy if you add the same quantity of water that you are use to. Only an experienced caterer knows what to do to manipulate that type of rice. Long grain rice is better for party jollof rice.
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Your Tomato Paste:
Although party jollof rice also gets its rich colour from tomato paste but the paste must have the right colour and freshness. Using a product that is about to expire or with dark colour can ruin the outcome of your jollof rice.
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It is a must to add fresh Roma tomatoes, a specie of tomatoes that works well with jollof rice. The best peppers to use is habanero pepper because it's juicy, sweet and not too spicy followed by red bell peppers which can help to cut out the chemical taste most tomato paste comes with also serves as a natural thickener and redness to your base sauce.
Avoid cayenne and chilli peppers if you are not a pro although they also add a good outcome to the aroma by thickening your base sauce, the seeds can make your Jollof rice to taste bitter if it's too much, it can also cause the rice to burn which is an advantage in the hands of a pro.
Your Heat Source:
Back then it was a must to use fire wood for the cooking of jollof rice because it provided a strong steady heat and the smoke from it also gets into the rice thereby giving it a richer smoky aroma and taste, especially if dried fire wood is used thereby limiting the use of flammable such as kerosene or plastics to keep the fire burning. Using too much of those flammables can affect the aroma or taste of jollof rice because it will get in there.
Cooking Gas stove is now used for most party jollof but in the hands of a novice the jollof rice will be missing in either of the three basic features of Nigerian party jollof rice. In fact even in the hands of a pro, jollof rice cooked on other heat source apart from the fire wood can lose one of its features when exposed to air or kept over night.
The Steel Pots:
Today any pot can be used for party jollof but original iron cast steel pots work best because it plays a a non-stick function that prevents your jollof rice from burning before it's done. It also insulates heat within the pot which allows the caterer to correct half cooked rice mixed with cooked rice that occurs due to imbalanced heat source, that is, there is more heat on one side of the pot than the other or the heat source is not strong or high enough enough to reach the top or centre of the rice which can make the top part to be half done. A bad pot cover can also cause this which requires a transparent nylon to cover the rice directly, to insulate the heat after reducing the heat source.
The caterer must also know when to lower the heat source or else your rice will come out with sauce all around it but not inside the rice grain. It will look or taste like stired white rice in tomato stew.
Wooden Utensils:
Every Nigeria caterer knows you don't use metal spoon to stir jollof rice or your rice will get burnt before it's done. You use a turning stick, this is to prevent the rice from burning also to stir up the sauce with the rice comfortably. Then the stirring gives the jollof a slight sticky texture even if you want the rice to be a grainy, so that it will mold fast when you serve it with a mold.
Stirring jollof rice at the right time is key.
Standard Serving:
Jollof rice can be garnished with any Vegetables that will not add any strong taste to it such as green peas, black eye peas etc. after it is done. It is served with any protein but the standard serving goes with Fried peppered chicken with vegetable salad. Some serve with beans cake aka moin-moin or fried plantains but stick with the standard, you sure need the vegetables to digest all that carbohydrates.
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Lily-Rose💜
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