This jollof versus fried rice war has gone on long enough, and to be honest, it is quite unnecessary. Because why on earth do you want to pitch two bad bitches against each other?
In my opinion, fried rice and Jollof are like bread and beans. They are nice individually, but when they come together, they make magic happen.
This is why I honestly don’t understand this war, but to clearly set the records straight, we’ll review in this article the deliciousness that is fried rice and jollof rice.
Jollof rice, the MVP of Owambe
If you don’t know jollof rice by now, then I’m tempted to ask, have you been living under a rock? This bad guy has been the topic of discussion at Twitter tables. The magnet to owambe parties; without him, your party can never make sense literally.
Delicately made with the finest grains of rice, freshest tomatoes, pepper and orishirishi condiments to add that needed ‘hmm’, jollof rice is the influencer. Everyone is fighting to have him. Just ask Ghana and Nigeria; they have been trying to claim him for years.
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Even though research and history have shown that Jollof has its origins in the Wolof kingdom, which was a part of Senegal between the 12th and the 13th centuries, this has not stopped several African countries from waging online wars in his name.
But as the proper bad boy that he is, Jollof found his way into our hearts and hasn’t left since.
Jollof has now become the staple dish for parties and events in Nigeria and Ghana; in fact, it is the staple dish for celebration.
In Nigeria, Jollof is loved by all, irrespective of tongue, class, or creed.
Meet Fried Rice, Owambe’s Bad Bish
Contrary to popular belief, fried rice has been around for a long time. Even longer than jollof.
SEE: Owambe: The Real Life of the Party
Fried rice finds its origin in China, which explains why it doesn’t last.
Historians believe that the dish may have originated in the city of Yangzhou, which is in the eastern province of Jiangsu. In fact, there is a type of fried rice that is known as Yang Zhou fried rice. It has been a favorite in Chinese kitchens since the Sui Dynasty (589-618 AD).
The original fried rice is usually made with leftover rice and a mix of many ingredients such as peppers, eggs, vegetables, seafood, or meat. It is often eaten by itself or as an accompaniment to another dish.
It is one of those dishes that wasn’t made to be alone — a spooning dish. Many variations of fried rice have sprung up in different parts of the world.
And in West Africa, you can trust that we came up with ours.
Nigerian fried rice is made with meats, mixed veggies (carrots, peas, sweet corn, green beans), and spices. What makes this recipe authentic is the use of liver as the protein of choice.
Like jollof rice, it is a common feature at parties. Always there to support Jollof and give it the moral support it needs.
Who is the Goat of Owanbes in Nigeria?
This is truly difficult, and as stated earlier, we simply cannot pitch two bad commandos against each other.
As we have now discovered, fried rice is actually older than jollof; she has just been humble all this while. This is why too much humility is bad, it leads to disrespect.
I can’t say exactly when fried rice found her way to Nigeria but somehow, she also, like Jollof, has crawled her way into our parties, our plates, our homes, and our hearts.
I believe when fried rice got here, she decided to find a friend that is gonna stick close. So she found Jollof rice. This is why it is so sad that people always try to make enemies out of them. Like, have you eaten fried rice and jollof rice?
However, the best part is they give each other moral support. If jollof rice is not well prepared, fried rice is there to pick up the slack, and vice versa. Especially when they go with their shared concubines plantain and chicken. Heaven!
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I must admit that sometimes fried rice can be a handful. Unlike jollof rice, it’s quite difficult to prepare and doesn’t last long even with preservation. But what do you expect from an international dish?
Jollof, however, ages like fine wine. It can be frozen and warmed the next day and it would taste even better.
By the way, have you tried Jollof rice and wine?
READ:
In conclusion…
Fried rice and Jollof rice have a special place in our hearts. They both complement each other and it is time to bring this war to rest.
Let’s just stick to reminding Ghanaians and the rest of Africa, that Nigerian jollof is king. Thanks and God bless.
