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Dish

Stir-Fried Rice

Also called Stir fry rice

Rice dish

What it is

Cooked rice tossed quickly over high heat with vegetables and a protein, so the vegetables stay crisp and the grains take on a slight char. Unlike jollof, the rice is cooked first and the frying is the final short step.

Key ingredients

  • Cooked rice
  • Bell peppers
  • Onions
  • Cabbage or green beans
  • Chicken, beef or shrimp
  • Vegetable oil
  • Seasoning and spices

A list of what goes in, not a recipe. Quantities and method vary by household.

How it is eaten

Served hot straight from the pan as a main dish, on its own or with grilled meat or fish.

Cultural significance

Stir-frying is how many Nigerian households use leftover rice, and the method has become a staple of quick weekday cooking and of the vegetable-heavy plates favoured in city kitchens. It is a technique more than a fixed recipe, so the seasoning shifts between curry, soy sauce and plain pepper depending on the cook.

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