In Nigeria, rice is one of the most often consumed foods. It is understandable why it is regarded as a ceremonial dish. Without Nigerian party Jollof rice, what is a “Owambe”? Rice can be prepared using a variety of recipes and techniques. You may recall that it was prepared every Sunday when you were a child. What happens when you have visitors over?
Rice is a staple food in Nigeria and because of this, it is perhaps the most popular food in Nigeria. Unsurprisingly, every tribe, culture and ethnic group in Nigeria eat rice a whole lot, which is why Nigeria’s rice consumption is 6.7 million metric tons annually in 2021. Note that this is not a list of the most popular Nigerian foods but rice dishes.
Types of Rice Dishes in Nigeria
Rice is definitely prepared in so many ways, making it the most versatile dish in Nigeria. In this article, we shall explore the types of rice dishes that are quite common and popular in Nigeria and how they are prepared.
1. Nigerian White Rice and Stew
Nigerian rice and stew is one of the country’s oldest and most popular rice recipes. There are various recipes for Nigerian rice and stew. Stews made with beef, chicken, pork, or fish are all acceptable. You are free to prepare this dish with any type of protein you choose.
You will need 3 cups of rice, depending on the number of persons you are cooking for; groundnut oil, 1 kg of chicken or beef, blended tomatoes, pepper, and onions, sliced onions, 2 seasoning cubes, half a tablespoon of curry and thyme, salt, and 1 sachet of tomato paste to make Nigerian rice and stew.
The first step in making white rice is to rinse it to get rid of any dirt. Then you put it in a pot, cover it with water, and let it precook for a while. Precooked rice should be drained in a sieve and rinsed with water to eliminate excess starch before being put back in the pot with salt and water that is the same level as the rice. relight the pot on fire. Bring the rice down once it has completely dried, then get ready to make the stew.
Steam the pork with curry, herbs, spice, salt, and a little water before making the stew. When the meat is finished, save it and cook it in groundnut oil until browned. Add your diced onions after removing from the oil. Add the tomato and pepper mixture after you’ve added the onions, and then let it cook. Once it begins to boil, add your tomato paste and continue cooking the stew until the tomato flavor is completely gone. Add the meat, spice, and meat stock after you see the oil beginning to float on top of the tomatoes. Use a wooden spoon to stir the ingredients together thoroughly. Permit to simmer for 5 minutes. Rice should now be added to your delectable stew.
2. Nigerian Jollof Rice
As was already mentioned, owanbe is incomplete without Nigerian Jollof rice. The most contentious rice dish in West Africa is this one. West Africans have been at battle for a long time over whose nation has the best Jollof rice recipe. We will discuss the Nigerian Jollof rice in all its splendor in this essay.
You’ll need 3 cups of long grain rice, 3 kitchen spoons, a pre-made tomato stew, chicken, pepper, salt, 3 spice cubes, curry, thyme, and bay leaves to make this recipe. Prepare your tomato stew, wash, cut, and season your meat, then begin preparing your jollof rice. Cook and sauté your meat until it turns golden brown. The rice should be parboiled, rinsed, and placed on a sieve to drain.
When preparing the jollof rice, combine the tomato stew and meat stock in a pot and bring to a boil. Rice, curry, thyme, spice cubes, salt, and pepper should all be added. Make sure the rice and water are both at the same height. Cook for a few minutes on low heat with the lid on the pot. After the water has dried, check to see if the rice is mushy; if not, add a little water. Use a wooden spoon to stir the rice after the water has dried. Your jollof rice from Nigeria is prepared to be served.
3. Nigerian Fried Rice
Nigerian fried rice is another intriguing rice dish. This rice dish is delicious as well as colorful. It is now offered at gatherings alongside jollof rice from Nigeria. It has a variety of recipes and preparation techniques. You can select the one that is ideal for you.
Three cups of long grain rice, one kilogram of chicken, vegetable oil, three carrots, sweet corn, green peas, green pepper, hot dogs, liver, shrimp, seasoning cubes, salt, onions, and one tablespoon each of curry powder and thyme are required to make Nigerian fried rice.
Dice the cooked liver, hotdogs, onions, and carrots before preparing your Nigerian fried rice. Prepare your rice and chop the other vegetables. Rice should be parboiled before any extra starch is removed. Place there to drain in a sieve. Chicken should be cleaned and cooked with onions, cubes of seasoning, curry, thyme, salt, and pepper. When finished, cook it till browned.
Add the seasonings—thyme, curry, pepper, salt—and the chicken stock to another saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. When it begins to boil, add your parboiled rice and cook until the water is completely absorbed. Divide the cooked rice into 4 parts when it is finished. Additionally, divide the components and vegetables into 4 pieces.
A little vegetable oil should be added to the frying pan. Add the onions as it begins to heat up, followed by the diced hotdogs, shrimp, and liver. Cook till golden brown. Pepper, sweet corn, green peas, and carrots should be added. Add the first part of cooked rice after frying for a minute. Fry until it is thoroughly cooked. Fry the subsequent section while moving the initial batch to a cooler. Continue doing this until every portion has been fried. Serve with your Nigerian coleslaw salad and fried chicken.
4. White Coconut Rice
Another rice dish popular in Nigeria is white coconut rice. You can cook this wonderful dish for yourself and your family as a treat. Rice, coconut milk, chicken stock, shrimp, onions, seasoning cubes, black pepper, salt, and green peas for garnishing are all necessary ingredients for making it.
Get the chicken stock, get the coconut milk, get the rice parboiled, and dice the green peas and onions before starting the rice. Cook and peel shrimp if you’re using them. Pour the coconut milk and chicken stock into a pot and add the rice. Seasoning and black pepper should be added. Allow it to boil while covering the pot. Add your parboiled rice and stir once it reaches a boil. Add water and salt. Avoid having a soggy dish by being careful not to add too much water.
Then, cover the saucepan and cook it over medium heat. Add your shrimp as it begins to boil, then continue to cook. Add your onions and vegetables once the water has dried up. When the rice is finished cooking, mix it with a wooden spoon. It’s time for your coconut rice. You have the option of omitting the vegetables from your coconut rice.
5. Coconut Jollof Rice
In Nigeria, coconut rice is known as coconut Jollof rice. You will become addicted to its sweetness with just one taste, I promise. This dish might liven up your day if you’re sick of the typical rice dishes.
Three cups of rice, coconut milk (extracted from the coconut), two tablespoons of tomato stew, one kilogram of chicken, two carrots, two green peas, spice cubes, curry powder, salt, and one tablespoon of black pepper are all required to make coconut jollof rice.
Make the coconut milk, get the tomato stew going, and parboil the rice before you start the rice. Chicken should be cleaned and cooked with spices and diced onions. First, cook the chicken with a little coconut milk before making the coconut jollof rice.
When the chicken is finished cooking, take it from the stock and mix in the leftover coconut milk and rice-cooking water. At this stage, add the tomato stew as well. Add the curry, black pepper, salt, and seasoning cubes. Add the parboiled rice and stir once it begins to boil. Make sure the components are good by tasting it.
Add the vegetables (carrots, green peas) and stir the top when the water on top has dried. Use a wooden spoon to whisk everything together once the rice is cooked. It’s time for your scrumptious Coconut Jollof rice. Serve alongside fried chicken and plantains.
6. Ofada Rice and Stew
Ofada rice and stew is a delicious dish that you will always remember the taste of. The Ofada rice is one of the most popular and exotic Yoruba foods. Usually, bukas and mama put are used to cook it (roadside food sellers). Green bell pepper, green scotch bonnet pepper, assorted meat, assorted dried fish, ground crayfish, and a tablespoon of locust beans (iru), onions, seasoning cubes, salt, and hard-boiled eggs are required to make ofada stew.
Grind the crayfish and locust beans together first, then start the ofada stew. Wash the dried fish, then wash, salt, and cook the various meats with seasoning cubes. Fry the meat and leave it aside after it is finished. Combine one large onion and all the peppers in a blender. After mixing, add the combined ingredients to a pot, then heat to cook out the pepper’s extra liquid.
Following that, add onions to a pot of burning palm oil to which you’ve added palm oil to bleach it. The mixed mixture can then be added and cooked for a few minutes. Add the salt, seasoning cube, crayfish, various meats and fish, and locust beans. Stirring occasionally, simmer for 10 minutes. After that, add the boiled eggs. Your stew with ofada is ready. Serve with your choice of rice, including ofada rice.
7. Nigerian Concoction Rice
The cheapest and simplest rice treat in Nigeria is called Nigerian concoction rice. It is frequently prepared by families looking for a completely new rice dish from traditional rice dishes or by college students on a tight budget.
Other rice dishes popular in Nigeria include egg fried rice, coconut fried rice, banga rice, sinasir (rice pancakes), coconut curry sauce with chicken, vegetables, and rice, and egg fried rice.
8. Tuwo Shinkafa
The northern regions of Nigeria frequently prepare the rice dish tuwo shikkafa. It is typically consumed alongside a variety of soups and stews, such as egusi soup and okra soup. It serves as a substitute for eba, fufu, and semo.
You will need nearby rice and water to make Tuwo Shinkafa. The measurement is based on how many individuals are consuming. First, rinse the rice, then put it in a pot with water and bring to a boil. Rice should be boiled until it is extremely soft and mushy. Ensure that all water has evaporated. Rice can be mashed to create dough by using a wooden spoon. Next, moisten your hands and form rice ball shapes with the mashed rice. It’s time for your Tuwo Shinkafa. Serve warm alongside any delectable soup of your choosing.