Vegan Mofo 2018 Post 11: Jollof Pasta

Jollof pasta and the mistake beside them.

We head to Nigeria--the seventh most populated country and twentieth largest economy in the world respectively-- is in the western part of Africa and is supposedly the place my father's side of the family hails. So the ancestral ties are weaved deep into this part of the region, where Igbo and Yoruba ethnicities still have a strong residual history and present. There are over five hundred languages spoken here, some extinct, abundances of tourist attractions like waterfalls, rain forests, and landmarks, and literature, film (Nollywood), and art are much respected. Realist artists such as Chiamonwu Joy and Oresegun Olumide are bringing clout and inspiration with their commendable rendering techniques.

As for Nigerian cuisine, herbs and spices provide variety to favorite items like groundnut and chili peppers.

Now I would be lying if omitting countless trials and tribulations that have occurred during the creating process of my foods during this month of experimentation. Along with my Jollof Pasta, I attempted moin moin and failed miserably. They are black eyed peas pureed with onions, garlic, and spices, turned into steamed buns. Well, let's just say this would have worked out better with ramekins, a pan of water, and foil instead of pouring the batter into muffin tins and hoping for the best. This wasn't my proudest plate moment. Still, the pasta (a quicker choice than the standard rice) was a delicious choice. Essentially, the idea is to throw everything in a pot and allow all the flavors to marry together. It is definitely different.


Jollof Pasta Ingredients and Preparation

2 cup pasta
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 bay leaf
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small red bell pepper
1/2 small white onion
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon
1 teaspoon black pepper (or white if you have it)

Bring pasta to boil. Drain pasta, reserving the pasta water.
In a skillet, combine olive oil, bay leaf, diced tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, thyme, curry powder, coriander, garlic, bouillon, and black or white pepper together.
Add pasta and pasta water, cooking for an additional few minutes or so.