Asian Rice in African Pots

Savannah red rice, recipe below

West and Central Africans cultivated two types of rice (one coarse and red, the other very small and white). The Portuguese introduced Asian rice from the Far East, which most likely complemented rather than substituted for the two types of rice indigenous to Africa. Groups between Cape Verde and the Gold Coast cultivated large amounts of rice. In fact, they cultivated so much rice that they became known as the people of the Rice Coast. Large numbers of Africans were imported to low country South Carolina and Georgia to work the colonies’ large rice plantations. With roots in the sub-Saharan communal rice-based culinary culture, enslaved Africans introduced many rice dishes which became creolized versions of African dishes. Some classic examples are mulatto rice and Savannah red rice. Below is a recipe for Savannah red rice:

Savannah red rice recipe:

Ingredients

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup bell pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons vegan butter

1 cup sausage or vegetarian sausage

1 can crushed tomatoes with juice

1 tablespoon hot sauce

1 cup tomato sauce

1 cup water

3 vegetable bouillon cubes

Salt and pepper

1 cup uncooked brown or white rice

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the onion, pepper, and sausage until everything is lightly browned. Add the tomatoes, hot sauce, tomato sauce, water and bouillon cubes. Season the mix with salt and pepper as needed. Stir in the rice. Pour everything into a greased casserole dish and bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes.