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Dunni Obata: #Jollofgate – In Defence of Jamie Oliver’s Recipe

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Twice, I asked myself whether I should do this or not, and the answer came in three times. DO IT!

Twitter has been on fire for the past 24 hours, and #jollofgate is trending. If you are still wondering what #jollofgate is, I am tempted to ask if you are living under a rock, because your nation’s “honour” has been trampled upon by the one and only Jamie Oliver. Of course as a true patriot, you need to weigh into the conversation to defend it (insert eye-roll).{See Jamie Oliver’s recipe here}

Why am I daring to sacrifice my neck on the altar of Jollof rice, considering its faithful followers have their swords drawn out in attack, against anyone with a dissenting voice?

1. For once, the world, or should I say the world according to social media is talking about Nigerian food. I knew the day would come, but I didn’t think it would be 2014. The phrase “if no one is talking about you, you are not important, comes to mind here. According to our friends over at Hollywood, any kind of publicity is good for you, and to that I say, thanks Jamie. No, seriously… I owe you one.

I have been reading people’s Twitter feeds for hours now, and seeing so many folks saying they were going to try Jollof rice for the holidays made me do the happy dance. I am sure if we query Google to release data about searches made on Jollof Rice for the past 24-48hours, the results would go through the roof. YES! Again, Thanks Jamie. He made his Jollof rice, more popular than Jollof rice itself. Take that to the bank. It is no mean feat. Food Bloggers like me would kill (okay, not that extreme), for that kind of notoriety on a novel re-creation of an old classic. Like with the Katy Perry song – “this is how we do” – Respect!

Jamie’s Twist on the Classic Jollof Rice

2. I have been faced with this kind of situation before, somewhat on a very small scale, because I was the “Yoruba” woman who dared to cook food and blog about it. According to some people, I had no business doing so, because I am not one of them. I don’t know what it is, but when someone who is not considered “one of us” (even amongst Nigerians) dares to put their own interpretation on a dish, the claws and knives come out. I refer you to Chef Fregz’s BN Cuisine post on Edikang Ikong months ago.{Click here if you missed it} Someone should have warned Jamie Oliver. The argument for the preservation of culture is a strong one, and not one I will easily cast aside, but have we asked ourselves how many of these cultural food tips have any basis to them. I have been guilty of simply passing them on like a robot. “Don’t cut Oha leaves with a knife, or it would be bitter. False. I have debunked that myth so many times. Onions are the enemy in traditional soups, even in the stock? Oh really? Why is that? It affects the taste. Sure it does, because they told you so. Don’t cook Ewedu leaves with the stems, or it would reduce its viscosity. Nope, it does not. I have come to think that theory was invented by our great grandmothers as a punishment for naughty children, and it has stuck over generations. Everyone who cooks ewedu is aware of how tedious the process is, have we ever asked why it shouldn’t be cooked with the stems? As an Act of Rebellion in my early teens, I tried it out behind my mother’s back and smiled with mischief when she didn’t notice. Today is the first time I am ever speaking about it. Sorry Mum, circa 1998, that Ewedu was blended, stems and all.

3. May I remind all the Twitter Placard carriers that Jollof did NOT originate from Nigeria/Ghana? Actually the SeneGambians who own the dish should have asked for all our heads decades ago, because our “interpretation” of Jollof rice is a far cry from theirs. In the same vein, Chinese people, all how many billion strong of them, should ask us to apologise for turning their Fried Rice into something they won’t recognise, with all the curry powder, even Martians would turn away from the green colour.

4. Beyonce has the Beygency, Justin Bieber has Beliebers, Lady Gaga has, oh dear, what are her fans called again? Anyway, as with music, fashion, Hollywood, we serious foodies have our own icons, and Jamie Oliver is high on the list. We adore him, and you don’t just “come for him”, without hearing from some of us, especially when your backlash has no basis. He represents how a regular average Joe came into the game, wide eyed with no privilege of a fancy background, just on the back of talent and passion for food, has built an empire. £200 million and counting. To many of us, he is what our dreams look like. With the clout of his name, he has brought the spotlight to many serious food problems all over the world, and is an instrument of change and bringing joy through food. No, this is not kissing arse. Remind yourself of the last time you came to Don Jazzy, DBanj, Genevieve, Omotola, Rita Dominic’s, Tiwa Savage’s defence.

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Please follow me and let us dissect a recipe that clearly states “Jamie’s Twist” on Jollof rice. Please, let us not show ourselves up as a continent of people who cannot read. Remember the phrase “If you want to hide something from Africans, put it in a book”.

Appearance
First, the cherry tomatoes. Last I checked, the old way of cooking Jollof rice by the Iya Alase’s involves slicing firm tomatoes and onion rings just before the pot is taken off the heat. Many don’t even know the history of how Jollof rice is prepared in Nigeria. Image of Jollof rice I prepared months ago. Similar pictures with sliced tomatoes and onions, abound all over the internet.

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Okay, he added parsley, I say Jamie gets a pass. We use Bay Leaves and dried Thyme in our Jollof rice. Also, Iwuk Edesi (native jollof rice), is cooked with a fragrant herb – Efinrin/Nchawu/Ntong/Scent Leaf. Image below. Iwuk Edesi is also cooked with shredded smoked fish. Jamie, shredded some chicken breast into his dish.

10441253_10203982366139642_7564622328418350341_nThere are many variations of Jollof rice with people adding vegetables such as peas, runner beans, sweetcorn etc. They haven’t been accused of sacrilege or blasphemy.

Ingredients
Ground coriander – he gets another pass, it was used to season the chicken. Many of the people screaming blue murder, have eaten Jollof rice at parties with nutmeg in it, numerous times. It is a tip passed on by popular caterers.

Look through the list of ingredients, nothing seems amiss. The lemon wedge – which I wondered what it was doing there, but hey, tons of people add a dash of lemon to even the most unlikely of dishes. Nothing the world hasn’t seen before.

He did not put “Maggi” – if i hear? So, if you are let’s say allergic to MSG, you should not cook Jollof rice?

Method of Preparation
I still can’t find any problem. I advocate for parboiling the rice first, and mixing with a rich pepper stew, because that is how I was taught by the experts. On the other hand, there is the other method for cooking jollof rice which starts and ends as a one pot dish, which Jamie deployed.

So, the problem is just how it looks? Really! One point Uncle Cousin Jamie, you forgot the ginger, “o wa very very important Sir” (it is very important). Hehehehe

We are a stagnant continent for lots of reasons. The unwillingness to embrace change or accept something different, is largely responsible, and we find this attitude prevalent in very many areas. The Chinese have the most popular cuisine today, and it is not due to their population strength. Their food has been set free like a bird leaving the nest, gaining its own wings and soaring.

We have eaten the same types of food for centuries, there are not that many “Nigerian/Ghanian” ways to cook Jollof rice. We have been there done that, we all have the T-shirt. I think it is time we loosen the chains, and let the world experience what we have to offer. The more the “twists”, the better. Maybe one day in twenty years time, a food blogger would hire a British logo designer, and she would not tell her, sorry no icons exist for food items from Africa. Can’t you use the other well recognised food icons I designed for you? Who outside of your people would recognise the icon for “Egusee”? What is that by the way, do pumpkins grow in Africa too? Can’t I just use an image of women looking into a big bubbling pot over a coal fire? Story for another day.

Thank You Jamie Oliver. #Jollofgate……..The ministry is moving.

Photo Credit: Dunni Obata | Jamie Oliver

I'm an IT Project Manager by day and a cook the rest of the time. I love entertaining, and one of my bad habits is feeding people, so guests beware. When I'm not cooking, I'm watching Food Network, American TV series and National Geographic in that order. When I want peace and quiet, I curl up on the sofa and read a good book I'm very passionate about Nigerian food. I believe our food has a lot to offer globally, and with the right exposure, it can stand proud alongside food from other cultures. I'm hoping to get us all fired up and talking about Nigerian cooking irrespective of whatever part of the world you live in. Welcome to Dooney's Kitchen

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