Food, The Gap

Nigeria jollof vs Ghana jollof: The battle for culinary supremacy

Nigeria jollof vs Ghana jollof: The battle for culinary supremacy

Hellooooooo, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to this sensational battle. This titillating contest. It is the Jollof Wars, featuring the Nigeria Jollof vs Ghana Jollof. A battle for the palate that pits these neighbouring countries against each other in a battle for supremacy to determine whose delicacy triggers the better savoury orgasm.

Chinedu Ikedieze GIF

With its deep-red colour, seductive aroma and spicy flavour, Jollof rice is the undisputed monarch of West African kitchens. No self-respecting owambe will be caught dead without jollof rice on its menu; it is a beloved culinary treasure, worshipped from the depths of our hearts and souls.

However, the mere whisper of the word “Jollof” can easily start an intra-continental war in the wrong circle because the battle of the Nigeria Jollof vs Ghana Jollof has been going on for decades. Nigerians claim that the grains in Ghana Jollof rice are too starchy. Ghanaians clap back, saying that Nigerian Jollof grains are too fat and tasteless.

Nigerians are much more forward and on the offensive in this debate, using a lot of memes, videos, pictures and gifs to throw shade on the Ghanaian Jollof. They even went as far as trying to get Mark Zuckerberg to decide whose dish tastes better. The Ghanaians are stuck playing defence, trying to block and launch counter-attacks at the Nigerian defence.

With all of these, you’d be surprised to learn that Jollof rice did not originate from either noise makers.

Wow GIF | Tenor | Diy dog costumes, I need to know, Fear of the lord

Yeah, you read that right. Imagine fighting over something that is not yours. SMH.

ALSO READ: Top 10 best meals to serve at Nigerian weddings

History of jollof rice

The origins of Jollof rice can be traced as far back as the 14th century to the ancient Wolof Empire. And yes, you’re right to scratch your head and wonder why that sounds like Jollof because that’s where the name comes from.

The Wollof Empire, which was also called the Jolof Empire, spanned across parts of today’s Gambia, Mauritania and Senegal. Rice farming was a lucrative business in this region, giving life to Jollof, which started as a dish called thieboudienne cooled with rice, fish, shellfish and vegetables. As the empire grew and expanded, the people of Wolof (Wolofians?) dispersed to settle in different parts of West Africa. And as they did, they took their sumptuous dish with them.

So, can you see now, oh ye self-appointed Nigeria Jollof vs Ghana Jollof champions? The food doesn’t even belong to you, but of course, you people will not let that stop you. If there is one thing Nigerians are good at, it’s taking what is not ours, making it our own and getting personal about it.

Nigeria Jollof vs Ghana Jollof: Background of the feud

Almost every West African country today has at least one variation of Jollof rice, a phenomenon that both unites and divides the region. Each country adds its own interpretation and twist, which is perhaps the root of the fierce competition across social media, at parties and at side chats. In fact, Black Foodie website, a platform that explores culture and food through a black lens, describes the debate as “one of the most interesting and heated food debates amongst the diaspora… it’s the most epic food beef of all time.”

The main contenders in this debate are Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Cameroon. The Gambia and Senegal, who are among the initial protagonists of the dish, are laid-back and are rarely seen in the Jollof controversy fighting ring; they were content to give it to the world, without any strings attached.

Truly, not all heroes wear capes. Some fly flags. Cheers!

Nigeria and Ghana, however, who are merely benefactors of this grand gesture, are the ones who have taken it upon themselves to engage in a bloodless war of attrition over whose Jollof rice is better. But what is the main difference between them?

Nigeria Jollof vs Ghana Jollof: Differences between both dishes

Key ingredients in Jollof rice

These are the common ingredients for preparing Jollof rice:

  • Rice
  • Tomatoes
  • Onions
  • Tomato paste
  • Salt
  • Scotch bonnet peppers
  • Vegetable oil
  • Spices

Additional ingredients may include assorted vegetables and different local spices, based on preference.

ALSO READ: Top 20 most common foods in Nigeria

Nigerian Jollof Rice

The most important difference in the Nigeria Jollof vs Ghana Jollof debate is the type of rice grain used. Nigerian Jollof rice is prepared with long-grain parboiled rice, imported from Asian countries and not native to the country. The second difference is the style of cooking. The grains in Nigerian Jollof have to be parboiled and washed at least twice to get rid of the excess starch.

Nigerian jollof - Nigeria jollof vs Ghana jollof: The battle for culinary supremacy | skabash.com

Party Jollof rice, the king of owambes, is a popular trademark in Nigerian parties; it is legendary for its smoky taste and tangy aroma. This is caused by cooking it over firewood and allowing it to burn at the bottom for the smoky flavour, which is why wars have been fought over who gets to scrape the bottom of the pot after parties.

The bay leaf is a powerful spice used in cooking the Nigerian Jollof, adding to its rich smoky flavour.

Ghanaian Jollof Rice

Ghana Jollof is made from basmati rice, aka Thai Jasmine rice, long slender-grained rice with a higher starch content than the long-grained parboiled rice. Basmati also has a characteristic aromatic smell, and like the long-grained rice, the basmati is not native to Ghana; it is imported from Asian countries, especially India.

Ghana Jollof - Nigeria jollof vs Ghana jollof: The battle for culinary supremacy | skabash.com

Unlike long-grained rice, basmati rice is not parboiled; this makes it soggy. So, to prevent this, Ghanaians prepare tomato stew and meat stock which is used for cooking the rice at once. Ghana Jollof is also spicier than the Nigeria Jollof because the former uses shito, an oily condiment made with hot peppers, ginger, shrimp and onion, instead of bay leaf like the latter.

And unlike the Nigerian Jollof, Ghanaian Jollof rice does not have a party version that is cooked over firewood. This, I think, gives Nigeria a bonus point in the Nigeria Jollof vs Ghana Jollof debate… hey! Stop throwing things at me! I’m Nigerian, remember? What were you expecting? That I’d pick Ghana?

Verdict on Nigeria vs Ghana Jollof feud

Despite the heated rivalry that this debate has caused, which sometimes seems to border on outright war, there has never actually been any clear winner announced. Yes, different people give different answers, but it is all based on personal opinions. There is no Jollof League in which these countries contest to see whose is better and sweeter; it is all a matter of taste. And taste is relative.

However, there have been times when this feud has been put aside for more important matters, such as in 2014 when Jamie Oliver, a celebrity chef, cooked Jollof rice and shared his recipe on his website. The Nigeria Jollof vs Ghana Jollof fight was temporarily suspended; in fact, all of West Africa forgot that they had a Jollof War going on, dropped all they were doing and assembled to charge Oliver’s website. They might spend all the time pressing each other’s neck over whose Jollof was best in West Africa, but they would be damned if they allowed an outsider to mess with their culinary treasure.

And Oliver sef no try, because why would you add lemon, coriander and parsley to Jollof rice?

Nigeria jollof vs Ghana jollof: The battle for culinary supremacy | skabash.com
Egbami! Wetin be this?

Despite stressing that his recipe was his own take on Jollof, hashtags like #jollofgate were unleashed on Twitter because Africans were concerned that if they allowed this to slide, cultural misappropriation could make Oliver’s version the official Jollof rice.

Imagine the sacrilege.

ALSO READ: Top 10 weird food combinations in Nigeria

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A couple of unexpected turns in life found Jimmy with a metaphorical pen in hand, churning out content and living in his head so much that he knighted himself the Pen Dragon. He is also an avid reader, gamer, drummer, full-blown metalhead, and all-round fun gi
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