Seasonal Nigerian Jollof – A traditional one, a classic one.
There are dishes like these, the once that you have known since you have grown up. They are there like the old but dear piece of furniture that has always been around without questions asked, part of the family inventory and part of life but mostly always there. Giving that feeling of home, comfort, love and belonging. Jollof rice is just that, a traditional Nigerian dish savory and diverse in the way it is cooked, flavored served and even eaten. The first savory dish introduced to this blog had to be dear to my heart, deeply rooted in cultural traditions of my heritage and my childhood, a recipe that evokes all the feelings I look for in recipes.
Jollof has been part of Nigerian culture for a long time, eaten in many parts of the country and depending on familial traditions, local produces and the seasons, it is cooked and served in various ways that make its versatility clear and its flavors exciting. A rich dish that adapts to the flavors of the season, the aromas of local produce and carries the essences of tradition. Burnt into my mind as a piece of home, childhood and love this dish has been part of my life for a long time.
In tiny steps I have been exploring these dishes and cooking them on my own bit by bit with the help and insight of friends, aunts, my parents and many more, who have shared their little secrets and insights in how to make these wonderful dishes. And as I continue to explore these unique foods, I have made them my own adding my very own unique kinks and twists to create something unique and new. Something to pass along, to evoke the same feelings of home, belonging and love. And so, I share this little piece of home with you and your families and I hope you will enjoy the dish just as much as I do.
Seasonal Nigerian Jollof – A traditional one, a classic one.
Author:
A Sweet Point of View
Prep time:
20 mins
Cook time:
65 mins
Total time:
1 hour 25 mins
Serves:
12
A classic Nigerian dish with seasonal Pumpkins
Ingredients
2 medium sized Onions
450 grams of parboiled short grain rice
500 ml of diced and canned tomato’s
4 garlic cloves
3 small red jalapeno peppers
3 small green peppers
200 g Cherry Tomatoes
3 tbsp. Thyme
1 tbsp. black Pepper
1 tbsp. Oregano
1 tbsp. powdered sweet red pepper
500 ml vegetable or chicken stock
1 Hokkaido Pumpkin
Instructions
Dice the onions, garlics and green peppers and jalapeno peppers. Now add oil to the pan and fry the onions, garlic and jalapeno peppers for 15 minutes. Then add the diced tomatoes, washed rice and vegetable or chicken stock.
Let the rice cook on medium heat for about 60 minutes.
In the meanwhile, cute the Hokkaido pumpkin and take out the seeds. Cut the Cherry tomato’s as well.
Put them on a pan and drizzle olive oil and salt on the pumpkin. Now put the pumpkins and tomatoes in the oven and bake them at 280°C for about 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.
While cooking the rice stir it from time to time and cook until the rice is tender. Now add the roasted Hokkaido Pumpkin and Cherries on top and enjoy.
3.5.3251
