Palm Oil Rice

As Nigerians, we should somehow be thankful that despite how expensive things have become and with food prices reaching the roof, rice is still being served on many occasions from weddings to funerals no matter the ambiance of the event.

There is hardly an event you attend and there is no rice on the menu even if the quantity being served is small. It appears Nigerians have somehow legalized eating rice at every function, we even debate periodically that occasion rice is sweeter than home-cooked rice 😂.

Surprisingly, the quality of food being served at an occasion feeds into our perception of the host and our assessment of the event. I recall meeting someone who described one event as being successful because there was a wide variety of food on display and the rice portions were generously served with sizable proteins. Needless to say, I marveled at such indices of success.

Yet, in this rice-crazy Nigeria, I have never been served Palm Oil Rice at any event before and it appears it is hardly on the menu of most public functions. A few persons I know who considered including it on their occasion's menu were rebuked by others who assumed serving Palm Oil Rice at an event, to be a sign of lack.

I do not know what factors informed that reasoning but I vehemently disagree. Every rice meal has the potential of appearing rich or poor depending on how it is being cooked. No particular rice should be monopolized as being poor or being served due to a small budget because in the Nigerian market today, rice is already an expensive food.

But for God who graciously provides for us, in this challenging economy, many of us would be unable to afford rice. However, since God did not spare His Son Jesus but delivered Him up for us all, He has also with Him, freely given us all things including the ability to buy, cook and eat rice (Romans 8:32). God has been faithful in ensuring we are fed daily with diverse meals in big and small rations.

Meanwhile, those people shamming Palm Oil Rice, have you seen it recently? Palm Oil Rice has been upgraded. You should see the proteinous obstructions a plate of Palm Oil Rice contains when a Chef decides to be creative about cooking that "common" rice. A correct plate of Palm Oil Rice surpasses an ordinary plate of Fried Rice and could probably be reserved for VIPs at an event.

Maybe you've looked down on Palm Oil Rice because of how you prepare it, but all that can change if you carefully follow the steps in the recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

●Washed rice

●Palm oil

●Chopped onions

●Chopped scotch bonnet peppers

●Salt

●Maggi

●Ground crayfish

●Cayenne or black pepper

●Dried Fish (deboned and cut into bits)

●Soft Pommo (cow skin) boiled and cut into small chunks

●Beef or chicken broth

●Water

●Coarsely chopped scent leaves

METHOD

●Set a pot on low heat and once it is hot, add in some palm oil.

●To the hot palm oil, add in one after the other stirring as you go, the chopped onions, chopped scotch bonnet peppers, salt, Maggi, crayfish, and some cayenne or black peppers if you like the extra heat.

●Add to the mixture, the deboned dried fish and the boiled pommo. Stir well to mix thoroughly.

●Next, pour in some beef or chicken broth. I used beef broth to prepare mine but if you don't have this, you can use chicken or beef seasoning cubes to give the meal that extra oomph.

●Finally, add your washed rice and some water just to the level of the rice.

●Before you cover and allow to cook, taste the rice mixture and reinforce it with the condiments used earlier if necessary.

●Once the rice is tender as desired, throw in your coarsely chopped scent leaves, mix thoroughly and take the pot off the heat.

●You can now enjoy your rice with any protein of choice. I served mine with fried beef.

Christmas is around the corner and the commotion to eat rice would be on a surge. You can take a break from popular rice dishes and make this Palm Oil Rice to share with family and friends. Who knows, it might become your family's favourite rice dish. Shopping for this meal is economically compassionate and it's simple and chic to prepare. Also, you have the creative right to add in other accompaniments besides the dried fish and pommo.

Palm Oil Rice is good food and every good gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights (James 1:17), Who will never change because of popular assumptions or economic challenges. Ignore those counter opinions, go ahead and make this rice, share it, eat it and enjoy ❤️.