The role rice plays in the Nigerian culinary landscape
For a country that prides itself on swallow and other indigenous food, Nigeria is fast becoming the largest consumer of rice, second to the Asian continent. The consumption of this grain has brought about its diversity both in texture and mode of preparation, but when did the nation agree to embrace rice as a staple meal of every home?
Rice as we know it came into the Nigerian scenery during 1500 BC in the Niger Delta. The species largely produced then was O.glaberrima Steud, the indigenous red grain rice. Through hybrid breeding and domestication of these rice grains, we now have a variety of rice species. Most popularly eaten amongst Nigerians are, the long grain, short grain and local brown rice.
Not only is Nigeria known as the largest consumer, they are also the largest producer of rice in Africa. This continent-wide fame has influenced the dynamic and role rice plays in the Nigerian food system. In many homes, it has become a daily meal and is even considered the main source of some indigenous meals due to its flexibility. One of such is the popular jollof rice which is normally made with short grain rice. This meal is enjoyed during grand celebrations and has become a hit with both local and international foodies. All across the world, different chefs are trying new recipes for jollof rice making this dish an international sensation across the globe. Also, there’s the “Tuwo Shinkafa” (mashed rice) which is one of the native northern cuisines and is often made with short-grain rice.
Others are the native rice and ofada rice.
Native rice is a meal that is popular amongst the southeast/south region and is usually prepared with palm oil, vegetables and other proteins.
Next is the ofada rice which is native to the southwest. This dish comes with its special sauce of sauteed pepper, locust beans, onion and assorted meat. These dishes are often prepared with either short grain or local brown rice but many prefer the local rice.
There is often a lot of criticism towards the local rice due to its texture and lengthy hours of preparation. This complication is caused by the shafts, stone and dirt still found in the uncleared rice. It takes a lot of intricacies to cook but when prepared, it has an earthy taste that is not only delicious but also rich in nutrients and highly desired by both indigenes and foreigners. Last but not least is the most consumed rice that has garnered popularity over the years, the basmati [long grain] rice. This type of rice is commonly used to prepare other rice varieties like bland, jollof, fried and coconut rice.
One of the main reasons for the popularity of rice in Nigeria is due to its easy-to-prepare nature and versatility. It can be easily prepared in under 10-20 minutes and can be paired with many sauces[pepper stew, curry sauce, beef sauce, etc] and soups[vegetable, egusi, afang, pepper soup etc]. Rice has now become so ingrained in the Nigerian culture that it has special days dedicated to it, such as Sundays which is often tagged “rice and stew” day, and December when the infamous “fried rice and chicken” is prepared to herald the coming of Christmas and the new year.
Conclusion
Although We’ve explored how diverse rice can be, it still begs the question, why always rice? Well, why not rice? Amid a variety of meals that require meticulous preparation, you can always bet on rice either in its bland or garnished form to save the day with its easy-to-prepare nature.
