Have you had a taste of Ofada rice?

Ofada rice is indigenous rice from a small community called  Ofada in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State. Ofada rice is high in fiber. It also has some nutritional properties such as phosphorus, zinc and folate, which according to nutritionists, are good sources of energy and are helpful for bone development.

The grains of Ofada are stripped with strong peculiar flavor and taste when cooked. The brown rice is not only served as a special delicacy at ceremonies or parties, it has become one of the favourites in families’ meal time table.

If you have not added Ofada meal to your menu list, do not hesitate to do so as a taste of Ofada rice will make you ask for more.

This delicious variety of rice is mostly enjoyed with a special sauce. It is made with unripe pepper, locust beans and assorted fish and meat. The brown rice is cooked the same way rice is cooked generally but you have to carefully rinse it in order to remove stones from it.

Preparation of Ofada rice

Carefully pick stones and dirt from the Ofada rice as it is not yet clinically processed like the parboiled rice.

-Pour the rice into a bowl, repeatedly wash with water till the water is clean.

-Boil water to cook the rice

-Parboil to remove starch.

-After parboiling, add little quantity of water to avoid burning. When  it is soft enough, take it off heat and drain in a colander.

• Delicious Calabar white soup

Ingredients for Ofada Stew

• Unripe habanero peppers (atarodo)
• Unripe tatashe peppers or green bell peppers
• Locust bean seasoning (Iru)/ Ogiri
• Red palm oil
• Onions
• Crayfish
• Assorted meat and fish: beef
• Shaki (cow tripe)
• Dry fish
• Stock fish

Before cooking Ofada stew wash and remove seeds and then blend the unripe rodo and tatase with onions.

Grind the crayfish and the locust beans seasoning with a dry mill.

Cooking

1. Boil meat and fish with the stock cube till it cooks well.
2. Pour the blended pepper into a separate pot and cook to dry the water.
3. Pour palm oil into a clean dry pot and heat till it turns slightly brown. Put the oil down from the cooker and allow it to cool, thereafter, add the boiled pepper.
4. Now, you can add the grounded crayfish and locust beans, ogiri, meat and fish and stir well.
5. Add salt to taste, leave to simmer. It is ready to be served.

Serve your Ofada on banana or uma leaves. A look at it is irresistible while a taste would make you ask for more.