My Favorite Sierra Leone /African cuisine.

Jollof Rice

This is little history on the Jollof Rice/ Fufu two of my favorite African cusine. One often hears that Jollof Rice (or Jolof Rice, Djolof Rice) is know in west Africa as on of it dish; indeed it is often made by Sierra Leoneans, Liberians Nigerians. However, it has its origins among the Wolof people of Senegal and Gambia who make a rice and fish dish they call Ceebu Jën. Since Nigeria has the largest population of any African country, it's safe to say that most of the people who make and eat Jollof Rice are probably Nigerian.

There are many variations of Jollof Rice. The most common basic ingredients are: rice, tomatoes and tomato paste, onion, salt, and red pepper. Beyond that, nearly any kind of meat, fish, vegetable, or spice can be added

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Jollof Rice

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1½ cups cooked rice
• 1 green chili, seeded and chopped (green pepper can be substituted)
• 1 cup meat or vegetable stock

Procedure

1. Cook the rice according to 
2. package directions.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion until soft, but not browned.
4. Add the tomato paste and chili and cook on medium heat while stirring, about 2 minutes.
5. Add the rice and continue stirring.
6. Add the stock and bring the mixture to a boil.
7. Reduce heat to medium and cook until almost all of the stock has evaporated. Serve.

How to Make Fufu Fufu Flour is a specialty flour specifically formulated to produce fufu, a close resemblance of dumpling. It can also be used for frying meats, fish and poultry as well as thickening gravy, soup or stew. Fresh tropical produce such as plantain, cocoyam (Ghanaian word for edo, taro or tubers of the elephant's ear plant) and cassava are processed and turned into powder. These are blended together in the manufacture of Tropiway Plantain Fufu Flour and Tropiway Cocoyam Fufu Flour. Ingredients: Tropiway Plantain Fufu Flour contains plantain, cassava, granular potatoes, BHT to preserve and protect flavor. FD&C Yellow No. 5. Color added. Tropiway Cocoyam Fufu Flour contains dehydrated tubers of the elephant's ear plant and cassava. Preparing Fufu: Unlike the traditional method of preparing fufu, Tropiway Fufu Flour is very easy to prepare. Simply add water to flour and stir into a paste in a saucepan. Place over heat and knead with a wooden spoon. Check for thickness and consistency. If fufu is too soft while cooking, add some more flour. On the other hand, if it is too stiff add a little bit of water. Serving Fufu: You may serve fufu with your favorite soup or stew. Here is a recipe for Beef (light) soup. The ingredients are not quantified. Just use your sense of imagination and creativity and cook to satisfy yourself. INGREDIENTS: Meat, fresh tomatoes, onion, salt, and ground red pepper are all the ingredients you need. METHOD: Cut meat into small pieces, wash and put them in a clean pot. Add chopped onions and tomatoes and just a little bit of salt and pepper to taste. Add enough water to bring the soup to a boil. Check for taste and add more water, salt or pepper whichever seems to be insufficient. Allow soup to cook till meat is tender. SOUP FLAVORS: The following alternatives may be used to obtain different soup flavors-: PEANUT BUTTER SOUP To be more exotic, add some smooth peanut butter to the soup while it is still cooking. This is called Peanut butter soup. MIXED VEGETABLE SOUP Blend a can of mixed vegetables and add to the soup and you have a vegetable soup.

African Stew

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fish fillets, thinly sliced (although it won't be authentic Nigerian, chicken may be substituted for fish)
• Salt, to taste
• Pinch of thyme
• ¼ cup red bell pepper, minced
• ¾ cup tomato paste (6-ounce can)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cups water
• ¼ cup peanut or vegetable oil
• 1 chicken bouillon cube

Procedure

1. Season fish fillets with salt and thyme. Set aside.
2. Place the pepper, tomato paste, onion, and water in a large pot.
3. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.
4. Add the oil and bouillon cube. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.
5. Add the seasoned fish fillets and simmer for 10 minutes. (If using chicken, simmer for 20 minutes.) Serve with rice.

Serves at least 8.
People living in the cities tend to buy their food from "chop bars" (bars that sell food), street vendors, hawkers (peddlers who shout what they are selling), or from restaurants. They may purchase dishes such as ukwaka , a steamed pudding made from corn and ripe plantains, and moin-moin , a steamed cake of ground dried beans and fish. These dishes may be served with jollof rice (a spicy tomato-based rice), cassava, yams, okro , beans, plantains, or kebabs.
Nigerian stews, such as ikokore (made with fish and yams), are typically spicy and eaten with rice, yams, cassava, and corn. Peppers and chilies are used regularly in dishes and as a relish. A Yoruba Proverb says, "The man that eats no pepper is weak, pepper is the staff of life..."