I started making meals for the family when I was in basic 5 and all thanks to my mom who made sure I was always close to her in the kitchen as the elder sister in the house. I first learnt how to cook white rice and it took me weeks to know the quantity of salt to be added into the pot.
Before then, it was my mom who would instruct me to call on her when I had washed the rice inside the pot and added the exact water to cook it, only for her to come and add salt. I would wonder how she knew the required quantity of salt for 5 cups of rice which was enough to feed 5 people in the family.
Before I started cooking rice on my own at such an age, the food was my favourite and I didn't get tired of eating it 7 times a day and 4 weeks a month. If rice is the only meal available in the world, I wouldn't mind because of my love for it. Many times, my dad would tease and say, "I hope this rice you eat every day will not grow on your head."
Being kids, my parents gave us the free will to choose what to eat every day and when we chose something they didn't want, they would beg us and promise to eat it the following day while we settled for what they wished to eat. On other days, we eat the exact meal we chose as children because it is what they want too. On days when we aren't asked what to eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and my mom asked my dad instead, when he mentions rice, I would be excited and would jump around the house, sharing the news with my siblings and kids of my age.
I just couldn't understand the connection between me and the food because when it comes to other foods, I frown at them especially yam and beans which mom would make all the time; I only pick out the yams, leaving the beans for whoever would want to eat. I hate beans then 😒
I would meet my younger siblings and bribe them to choose rice peradventure they asked us what to eat even after eating rice for breakfast or lunch that same day. I just enjoy eating rice whichever way it is being prepared.
I love how rice can be prepared in different ways and not consumed the same thing over and over as it is also boring and tiring at some point. So, this is why I go for either concoction rice or Jollof rice in which all spicy ingredients are added into it and I just need to add vegetables and proteins to it, like plantain, egg, fried fish/meat or chicken.
Whenever I go out to treat myself, I still go for rice, either white, fried or jollof rice because when I have thought over what to go for and have not come to a conclusion, I choose the meal to prevent myself from being stuck deciding on what to eat. The only method with which to eat rice which I haven't tasted yet is coconut rice and I heard it's delicious. That is something I am willing to try out someday when I have the chance.
I was surprised a few months ago how I went for a week and some days without tasting rice because it is something that hasn't happened to me for the years I have been eating rice. For someone who has always eaten rice every day, sometimes, twice daily and turned to one who didn't taste it for over a week was kinda strange to me. This was because I had other things I was eating which didn't leave room or a chance to make rice. When I realised it was over a week, I decided to prepare it again and since then, I haven't stopped eating rice daily.
It's either I prepare white rice with fried stew/vegetables and proteins (egg, meat or fish), or take my time to prepare jollof rice with chicken and some other times, I add some spaghetti or macaroni so it wouldn't be all rice alone. I can eat rice every day without getting tired of it as it has been my all-time favourite from a younger age.
I wonder how rice hasn't grown on my head as my dad would tease me then 😄 but I heard that too much rice as it contains starch causes diabetes and I am trying to reduce my intake now. However, I used to parboil my rice to remove the excess starch in it before cooking properly.
I found this initiative from the #Indiaunited community and decided to jump right at it. If you are interested in joining, here is the contest post to read the rules for participating.
All images are mine