Jollof Rice
All Nigerians are probably very familiar with the ‘Jollof wars’ by now and though which country’s Jollof rice is the best remains a topic of passionate debate, there is one interesting fact about Jollof rice that might be unknown by many – Jollof rice is actually of foreign origin. The origins of Jollof rice can be traced to the Senegambian region that was ruled by the Jolof empire.
Fried Rice
This probably wouldn’t come as a shock to many but Fried rice is another food with foreign origin that has been adopted by Nigerians to become one of the popular Nigerian cuisines. The exact origins of fried rice has actually been lost to history but it is believed to be of Chinese origin, invented sometime within the Sui Dynasty (589 – 618 AD), in the city of Yangzhou in the eastern Jiangsu province.
Coconut Rice
Over time, this dish has become a beloved dish of many seeking something different from the conventional white rice. Coconut rice is typically prepared by soaking white rice in coconut milk or cooking it with coconut flakes. Though coconut rice is found in many cultures of the world, it is believed to have its origins in the South Asia, Southeast Asia and Latin America regions.
Corn Soup
This is locally referred to as ‘Omi Ukpopka’ and is a common food of the Afemai people in northern Edo state. Though the Afemai’s people’s version of the meal is exclusive to them, the origin of meal ‘corn soup’ can actually be traced to the Native Americans. Corn soup was a popular dish of the Native Americans mainly due to the fact that corn was a staple crop for many Native American tribes. Asides the Nigerian ‘Omi Ukpoka’, there are other variations of the corn soup which include: creamed corn soup, sweet corn soup, corn crab soup, Chinese sweet corn soup, dried Indian corn soup, Mexican corn soup and Tibetan style corn soup.
by damilola Ojo.
*Which other Nigerian meal has foreign origin?
Good to know
ReplyDeleteAkara (meat ball) from Brazil . Spaghetti meals from Italy. And we cook it so wrongly here, it's meant to be cooked half done
DeletePlease anon, akara isn't meat ball.
DeleteAnonymous nope akara is of African origin, it was taken to Brazil by the African slaves.
DeleteMeatpie, is of British origin
How is akara meat balls?
DeleteCoconut rice is a lie jare. Lagosians have long made variations of a lot of things with coconut. Indigenous lagosians have coconut in abundance which you see all over the beaches. You may say other's got their inspiration from abroad. But not Lagosians with coconut rice or anything to do with coconut. Since even my great grand father was small, coconut was used with rice and used to make delicious treats.
ReplyDeleteWow I can see my tribe up there, proudly Afemai
ReplyDeleteFor real? Moh
DeleteWow I can see my tribe up there, proudly Afemai
ReplyDeleteFrijon,frijoada - brazillian
ReplyDeleteWe eat that every Easter in my mum's family. Brazilian quarters of Lagos island
DeleteJollof rice and fried rice?i LOVE but coconut rice?Can't deal abeg.I Hate it with passion,it's smell abi aroma disgusts me.Corn soup?i have never tasted it and not ready to yet,maybe when i grow up
ReplyDeleteSeriously?
DeleteCoconut rice disgusts you?😲😲😲
DeleteAh lucile for real oo.my brother's wife is from fuga edo state and she has triiiiied to make me taste the soup,but i fitint
DeletePure nigerian the smell of coconut rice can make me puke.i know i'm that only one that doesn't like coconut rice,my friends in school then call me weirdo
Deletednt bliv dt of coconut rice
ReplyDeleteEwa Aganyin popular beans and stew meal popular in Lagos originated from Togo.
ReplyDeleteI don't belive that jellofrice matter ooo
ReplyDeleteIf I use my hard earned salary to buy cloth and come to your occasion and end up not eating jellof rice, my dear forget the friendship cos that will be the day I quit the relationship. You can't imagine the kind of hot tears I shed anytime i don't get to eat rice in an occasion. Jellof is bea
ReplyDeleteFor Pete's same, it is not jellof.. it is JOllof!!!!!
DeleteKhai
Awww.I never knew oh.but if jolof rice originated from the oyibos,how come they don't eat it?and I'm also sure they don't know how to prepare it.I'm confused.
ReplyDeleteJollof Rice is foreign meaning that it is not Nigerian and in this case it comes from another African country known as Senegal. They were the Wollof people who cook thiz rice till today. Nigerians and Ghanaians have adopted it and made it popular.
DeleteThanks for the explanation anon.
DeleteSdk first daughter you're so dumb,foreign doesn't always mean oyinbo.senegal and Gambia are Africans
DeleteI love chinese corn soup. Well, dts the only one i know and have tasted.
ReplyDeleteI love coconut rice with that its flavour. Chai.
ReplyDeleteLet me look for money for my sis to cook for us tomorrow.
It is well. It is good to know our food has foreign origins
don't know
ReplyDelete#GOAT™
Coconut rice is a traditional meal for the Efiks.
ReplyDeletethat is why you hear in every trad marriage there is always 'Edesi Isip'
Nigerians does not use chilling pepper in their cuisine! The writer should try again.
ReplyDeleteCorn soup i remember so well, usually prepared by my grandmother nene
ReplyDeleteoyibos here cook jollof o but with plenty curry and they don't fry their tomato
ReplyDeleteOyinbo people don't know how to cook jolloff rice,they don't even know how to eat it except for few who are married to Nigerians or have Nigerian friends that they attend owanbe parties together.i think you are talking about curry rice and that is actually Indian cuisine as well as curry goat sauce.oyinbo people hardly eat rice...they eat bread alot
DeleteThere is schzwan rice which is very similar to Jollof rice .i think that's what The anonymous is talking about
Delete