{{Short description|Heritage varieties of rice grown in southwest Nigeria}} [[File:Ofada rise with fried plantain and beaf.jpg|thumb|Ofada rice (upper right) served in traditional style with fried plantain and beef]] thumb|Ofada rice
'''Ofada rice''' is a Nigerian dish. It is the name of an indigenous rice from a small community called Ofada, located in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State. It is not exclusively grown in the community, but it is an indigenous rice grown in southwest Nigeria which is named after the Ofada community.<ref name="tribuneonlineng.com">{{Cite news |date=2019-03-16 |title=Have you had a taste of Ofada rice? |url=https://tribuneonlineng.com/have-you-had-a-taste-of-ofada-rice/ |access-date=2022-04-07 |newspaper=Nigerian Tribune|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-04-07 |title=Ofada rice originated from my domain – Olu of Igbein |url=https://dailytrust.com/ofada-rice-originated-from-my-domain-olu-of-igbein |access-date=2022-06-01 |newspaper=Daily Trust|language=en }}{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> It is used in making a variety of dishes. Ofada rice are mostly blends, and some of the rice varieties in the blends are not indigenous to Africa; however, they usually also contain African rice. It is grown almost exclusively in Ogun State,<ref name="Gyimah-Brempong Johnson Takeshima 2016"/> a state in southwestern Nigeria.<ref name="tribuneonlineng.com"/> Ofada rice is grown on free-draining soil where the water table is permanently below the root of the plant.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Udevi |first=Obiamaka Angela |date=2019-03-18 |title=Origin of Nigerian Foods: Ofada Rice |url=https://articles.connectnigeria.com/origin-of-nigerian-foods-ofada-rice/ |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=Connect Nigeria |language=en-GB}}</ref>
==Overview== Ofada rice are mostly blends, and usually contain ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice) as well as the more common ''Oryza sativa'' Asian rice, and may be categorized as either brown/red Ofada or white Ofada on the basis of unmilled seed colour.<ref name=PrOpCom/><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-07 |title=Ignorance about Ofada Rice |url=https://thesparklightng.com/ignorance-about-ofada-rice/ |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=The Sparklight News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |title=Indigenous rice |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/27797750 |journal=ResearchGate}}</ref> Grain size, shape, and shade vary.<ref name=PrOpCom/>
Ofada rice is unpolished.<ref name="Gyimah-Brempong Johnson Takeshima 2016"/><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=How to clean ofada rice Archives |url=https://sisijemimah.com/tag/how-to-clean-ofada-rice/ |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=Sisi Jemimah |language=en-GB}}</ref> As African rice is more difficult to mill and polish, some or all of the rice bran is left on the grain, which strengthens the flavour and increases the nutritional value. Brown ofada rice is often very highly aromatic, whereas white ofada rice is typically non-aromatic.<ref name="Gyimah-Brempong Johnson Takeshima 2016"/> They are also known for swelling in size when cooked.<ref name="Gyimah-Brempong Johnson Takeshima 2016"/> It is sometimes processed using fermentation, which adds an aromatic quality to the product.<ref name="Gyimah-Brempong Johnson Takeshima 2016"/>
Ofada rice is typically priced higher compared to other available rice, and it has been regarded as a sign of status symbolism by some people.<ref name="Gyimah-Brempong Johnson Takeshima 2016"/><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ogunleke |first1=A. O. |last2=Baiyegunhi |first2=Lloyd J. S. |date=2019 |title=Effect of households' dietary knowledge on local (ofada) rice consumption in southwest Nigeria |url=https://www.academia.edu/59737807 |journal=Journal of Ethnic Foods |volume=6 |issue=1 |doi=10.1186/s42779-019-0023-5 |s2cid=209452799 |issn=2352-6181|doi-access=free }}</ref> In contemporary times, it is sometimes served at classy parties.<ref name="Gyimah-Brempong Johnson Takeshima 2016"/> It is also sold as street food by vendors, often pre wrapped up in Ewe Eran leaf, then served with the special Ayamashe sauce or Ofada stew with egg, beef, ponmo, chicken and or fish.
==History== One of the major types of rice grown in Nigeria is called Ofada rice. This variety got its name from the fact that it was grown and processed in the South-West Nigerian villages of Ofada and other rice-producing villages. The crop was first grown in Abeokuta, Ogun State, and introduced through missionary activities between the 1850s and 1970s. From there, it was spread to the Lagos region in Epe and Okitipupa; from there, it was moved to Ogoja and Abakaliki provinces after the Second World War; and finally, it was spread across the Sahara and to northern Nigeria via the Trans-Saharan trade. The unique taste and aroma of the variety makes it more popular than other local varieties with distinct taste when cooked.<ref name="Gyimah-Brempong Johnson Takeshima 2016"/>
==Etymology== Ofada rice is named after the town Ofada, where its cultivation first occurred.<ref name="Gyimah-Brempong Johnson Takeshima 2016"/> Ofada is a town located in Ogun state.<ref name="Gyimah-Brempong Johnson Takeshima 2016"/>
==Preparation== Ofada rice is traditionally served in an uma leaf, with a sauce of atarodo (spicy) and tatase (sweet) pepper, onion, locust beans, palm oil, and meat. It is a festive meal rather than an everyday type of food for most Nigerians but it is an everyday street food for the towns of Ikenne and Ilisan in Ogun state.<ref name="PrOpCom">PrOpCom Making Nigerian Agricultural Markets Work for the Poor Monograph Series # 26 DEFINITION OF OFADA RICE QUALITIES THROUGH VARIETAL IDENTIFICATION AND TESTING By National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI) Badeggi P.M.B. 8, Bida, Niger State, Nigeria (J. C. Anounye, N. Danbaba, A.S. Gana and M. E. Abo) And Africa Rice Centre, (WARDA), c/o International Institute of Tropical Agriculture. PMB 5320, Oyo Road, Ibadan, Nigeria (G. Gregorio, O.A. Oladimeji, B. Athanson, O. Ajayi, and F.E. Nwilene ) August, 2007 [http://www.propcommaikarfi.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/26-Definition-of-Ofada-Rice-qualities-through-varietal-identification-ans-testing-8-071.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160823021250/http://www.propcommaikarfi.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/26-Definition-of-Ofada-Rice-qualities-through-varietal-identification-ans-testing-8-071.pdf |date=2016-08-23 }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=admin |date=2021-08-22 |title=How To Cook Ofada Rice {{!}} Ofada Rice Recipe |url=https://theonlinecook.com/how-to-cook-ofada-rice-ofada-rice-recipe/ |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=The Online Cook |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-11-23 |title=How to Cook Brown or Ofada Rice Perfectly |url=https://9jafoodie.com/cook-brown-ofada-rice-perfectly/ |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=9jafoodie {{!}} Nigerian Food Recipes |language=en-US}}</ref> It is also often served along with a vegetable stew that may contain locust beans as an ingredient.<ref name="Gyimah-Brempong Johnson Takeshima 2016"/> It is often served with ayamase stew or obe-ata-iru, both specially prepared for ofada rice consumption.
== Ofada stew == Ofada stew is a local dish which originated from the southern part of Nigeria. Ofada stew is otherwise known as ''ata dindin''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-12-08 |title=Obe Ata Dindin - Ofada Sauce |url=https://sisijemimah.com/2015/12/08/obe-ata-dindin-ofada-stew/ |access-date=2022-06-05 |website=Sisi Jemimah |language=en-GB}}</ref>
Ingredients for making ofada stew are unripe habanero peppers (''atarodo''), unripe ''tatashe'' peppers or green bell peppers, locust bean seasoning (''iru'' or ''ogiri''), red palm oil, onions, crayfish, assorted meat and fish, beef, shaki (cow tripe), dry fish, and stock fish.<ref name="tribuneonlineng.com"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=O |first=Lois |date=2018-05-23 |title=How to Make Ofada Stew (Nigerian Ofada Sauce Recipe) |url=https://www.yummymedley.com/ofada-stew/ |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=Yummy Medley |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-01-09 |title=Ofada Stew Recipe (How To Make Ofada Stew) |url=https://www.myactivekitchen.com/ofada-stew-recipe/ |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=My Active Kitchen |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=says |first=Green Bell Peppers Stew-My Diaspora Kitchen |date=2019-06-06 |title=The Real Ofada Stew Recipe |url=https://www.mydiasporakitchen.com/real-ofada-stew-recipe/ |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=My Diaspora Kitchen |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-06-16 |title=Ofada Stew (Ayamase Stew) |url=https://lowcarbafrica.com/ofada-stew-ayamase-stew/ |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=Low Carb Africa |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-08-05 |title=How to pepare Ayamase stew (ofada stew) |url=https://cheflolaskitchen.com/ayamase-stew-ofada-stew/ |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=Chef Lola's Kitchen |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Ofada sauce == Ayamase, also known as ofada sauce, is a stew made with palm oil similar to ofada stew except it is made from green bell peppers which give the soup a unique taste.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-09-27 |title=How to Make Ayamase (Ofada Stew/Sauce) |url=https://9jafoodie.com/ayamase-ofada-stewsauce/ |access-date=2022-06-05 |website=9jafoodie {{!}} Nigerian Food Recipes |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-08-04 |title=Ayamase - Ofada Stew |url=https://sisijemimah.com/2015/08/04/ayamase-ofada-stew/ |access-date=2022-06-05 |website=Sisi Jemimah |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-05-15 |title=Ayamase Stew - African Food Network |url=https://afrifoodnetwork.com/recipes/soup-recipes/ayamase-stew/ |access-date=2022-06-05 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-08-05 |title=How to pepare Ayamase stew (ofada stew) |url=https://cheflolaskitchen.com/ayamase-stew-ofada-stew/ |access-date=2022-07-23 |website=Chef Lola's Kitchen |language=en-US}}</ref>
==References== <references> <ref name="Gyimah-Brempong Johnson Takeshima 2016">{{cite book | last1=Gyimah-Brempong | first1=K. |author-link1=Kwabena Gyimah-Brempong| last2=Johnson | first2=M. | last3=Takeshima | first3=H. | title=The Nigerian Rice Economy: Policy Options for Transforming Production, Marketing, and Trade | publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press | year=2016 | isbn=978-0-8122-9375-3 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tp3QDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA30 | pages=30–31}}</ref> </references>
== External links == {{Commons category|Ofada rice}} * {{Wikibooks-inline|Cookbook:Cuisine of Nigeria}}
{{Nigeria topics}} {{Cuisine of Africa}} {{Lists of prepared foods}} {{Cuisine}} {{Rice dishes}}
Category:Nigerian rice dishes Category:Yoruba cuisine