RECIPE FOR SUCCESS (THE OVER-SALTED/BURNT JOLLOF RICE SOLUTION)

Jollof rice is loved by many Nigerians. I know Nigerians who eat jollof rice practically everyday. I know people who crash owambes just to eat jollof rice. I know men who have cheated on their wives just because
of jollof rice (maybe not) and I also know relationships that have been destroyed just because the significant other cooked an over-salted/burnt jollof rice. Burnt jollof rice can be forgiven because you know, there's that smoky/burnt flavour it gives to the unburnt part of the food. I think the problem isn't as much the fact that the jollof rice burnt as much as it is the fact that you wasted so much jollof rice, especially when you scrape the burnt part and see the quantity. It hurts, really.

Over-salted jollof rice on the other hand is almost unforgivable, but for the fact that we are children of God, it really is unforgivable. Do you know the deception behind serving somebody a plate of jollof rice looking like this:

only for them to taste it and alas! It's over-salted. Lord have mercy!

Well, I've got good news for you, there's hope for you if you believe that someday you just might be able to cook an irresistible pot of jollof rice.

Let me give you some tips on how to manage salt issues:

1.  Parboil your rice with some salt until it's almost cooked.
2. Sieve it and taste the rice. If it tastes good enough to eat with stew, you're good to go.
3. Prepare your sauce. Add all your spices but DO NOT ADD SALT
4. Pour your boiled rice into the sauce. remember not to add too much water because the rice is cooked already.
5. Taste the rice and sauce mix. Remember to turn down the heat while you're at it.
6. Consider that the deficient ingredient just might be your spices or tomatoes or onions before considering salt.
7. If determined that your dish needs more salt, add it a little quantity at a time. Use your hands to add the salt please. Our ancestors were not stupid.
8. Repeat action until you have your desired taste. That action is called "salt to taste"
9. Don't pour the salt directly from the bottle. Strong thing can occur.
10. If you fail, keep trying. Practice. Practice. Practice.

Those steps above look simple but I assure you, it's going to take a lot of practice. I don't want anyone coming to tell me after first try "Jesam, I tried your method it didn't work and now I'm having issues in my relationship"....Don't you have taste buds? Why did you serve something you haven't mastered?

It's imperative you keep practicing until the day you get it right, and make sure you observe all the mistakes and corrections you made. Understanding the process that gave you the desired result will help you get more desired results; all you just have to do is repeat the process.


If you must succeed at whatever you do, especially as a musician who does conscious music, you must practice. Christian music artistes need to stop pushing responsibility on the Holy Spirit and do their job. If you don't practice you become a mediocre. Put in work. Practice your instruments. Train your voice. Practice those runs. Practice in front of the mirror. Practice your Grammys acceptance speech. Practice. Practice. Practice. It's an integral part of preparation. Practice makes perfect. Practice sharpens your talent.


Today's recipe for success: PRACTICE

Photo credit: Google.com


Best wishes
Jesam.