West African Wedding Food, A Family Affair

West African Black-eyed peas, roasted chicken, and Jollof rice, traditional and vegetarian recipes below



On special occasions, like a wedding, the Congolese entertained their guests with a banquet complete with rice, roasted and dressed venison, fowl, and milk. Similarly, an Igbo hostess cooked stewed meat and duck but served it with foofoo instead of rice. Africans held a belief that an honorable person showed reverence to God, community leaders, friends, and family through the use of music and food. As a result, West African incorporated music and food into their wedding celebrations. For example, a week before the day of a wedding in West Africa, the bride’s family organizes a family meeting to solicit contribution for the wedding feast. Some contribute palm oil, rice, fish, and firewood. But the message is clear; the bride’s family had the charge of providing great food on the wedding day for their guest and especially the groom’s family. Here is a recipe for jollof rice which made all over West Africa sometimes with fish or chicken. There is also a link to a vegetarian version.



Jollof Rice Recipe:



Ingredients

Oil for frying (palm or regular vegetable oil)

1 chicken

1 or 2 finely chopped onions

salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper according to taste

Flavoring:

chopped chili pepper

2 or 3 crushed cloves of garlic

bay leaf

curry powder

2 cups of chicken or beef stock or Maggi cubes or vegan substitutes

3 ripe tomatoes, chopped

bell pepper or sweet green pepper, chopped

green peas or string beans

(carrots/cabbage chopped)

four cups rice

4 tbsp can tomato paste

2 tbsp dried shrimp or crayfish or vegan substitute

Garnishes: fresh parsley and cilantro chopped and lettuce shredded



Method

Heat oil and brown chicken or fish. Remove the meat and add the onions, the salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic, bay leaf and curry in the oil. Fry for a moment and add vegetables. Fry the mixture until the onions become tender. Add the stock and the chicken and boil for about 20 minutes. Then add the dried shrimps/crayfish and the chili and bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Put the rice in a separate saucepan. Add water and tomato paste. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes until the rice is done (add warm water or broth if necessary). Adjust seasoning. Serve with garnishes according to taste.



Vegetarian-jollof-rice recipe: http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/vegetarian-jollof-rice-401724