flipConakry Jollof Rice (Riz Gras)
Conakry Jollof Rice (Riz Gras)
Why this dish? In the early 1970s, Abbey Lincoln traveled to Africa and was welcomed in Guinea, Conakry, where she was given the name Aminata Moseka. This jollof-style rice (red rice with fish and oil, akin to jollof) evokes the generous cuisine she discovered there, at a time when she was reconnecting her African American art to her rediscovered African roots.
Rice cooked in a red broth of tomato, onion, and spices, perfumed with fish, colorful and spicy — the great sharing dish of West Africa, served in a single platter where everyone eats from.
When I went over there, to Guinea, they received me as one of their own and gave me a name, Aminata Moseka. We ate together, from the same big dish, that fragrant red rice — and I felt something close inside me, like a circle. All my life I had sung for my people; there, I tasted where we came from. You eat it with your fingers, from the side in front of you, and you thank the woman who cooked.
- •Rice — one large bowl (base)
- •Fresh or smoked fish — according to guests (protein)
- •Tomato and tomato paste — generously (red broth)
- •Onion — several (aromatic)
- •Oil (red palm or peanut) — as needed (body and color)
- •Chili, garlic, ginger — to taste (spices)
Conakry Jollof Rice (Riz Gras)
Rice cooked in a red broth of tomato, onion, and spices, perfumed with fish, colorful and spicy — the great sharing dish of West Africa, served in a single platter where everyone eats from.
Why this dish? In the early 1970s, Abbey Lincoln traveled to Africa and was welcomed in Guinea, Conakry, where she was given the name Aminata Moseka. This jollof-style rice (red rice with fish and oil, akin to jollof) evokes the generous cuisine she discovered there, at a time when she was reconnecting her African American art to her rediscovered African roots.
When I went over there, to Guinea, they received me as one of their own and gave me a name, Aminata Moseka. We ate together, from the same big dish, that fragrant red rice — and I felt something close inside me, like a circle. All my life I had sung for my people; there, I tasted where we came from. You eat it with your fingers, from the side in front of you, and you thank the woman who cooked.
Ingredients (period version)
- Rice — one large bowl (base)
- Fresh or smoked fish — according to guests (protein)
- Tomato and tomato paste — generously (red broth)
- Onion — several (aromatic)
- Oil (red palm or peanut) — as needed (body and color)
- Chili, garlic, ginger — to taste (spices)
Ingredients
- Long-grain rice (basmati or fragrant) — 400 g (base)
- Firm fish fillets (grouper, sea bream) — 600 g (protein)
- Crushed tomatoes + 2 tbsp tomato paste — 400 g (red broth)
- Onions — 2 large, sliced (aromatic)
- Peanut oil (or a bit of red palm oil) — 4 tbsp (body and color)
- Garlic, ginger, chili, bay leaf, bouillon cube — to taste (spices and stock)
Method
- Season the fish with garlic, ginger, and a little chili; sear briefly and set aside.
- Sauté the onions in oil, add garlic, ginger, tomatoes, and paste; let reduce for 15 minutes into a thick red sauce.
- Add water or broth, bay leaf, and chili; season with salt.
- Pour in the rinsed rice, cover, and cook over low heat until all liquid is absorbed.
- Place the fish on top of the rice at the end to warm through, then serve in a large communal platter.
How it was made : Jollof-style rice (red rice with tomato and fish or meat) is a staple of West African cuisine, of which the famous Senegalese thiéboudienne and jollof are cousins. It is cooked in a single large pot and served in one platter placed on the ground or a mat, around which the family sits to eat together, each taking from the portion in front of them.
The contemporary twist : Plate an individual dome-shaped portion with glazed fish on top, for a restaurant presentation — while noting that the true tradition is the shared communal dish.
Sources : Jessica B. Harris, The Africa Cookbook: Tastes of a Continent (1998) · Biographical note: Abbey Lincoln's stay in Guinea and the name Aminata Moseka (1970s)
Abbey Lincoln · Charactorium
