How Jollof rice became West Africa’s iconic dish and a point of banter between Africans

If you recently stumbled across what is loosely known as “African Twitter,” or other African social media spaces, you might have seen repeated mentions of Jollof rice. Jollof rice is a spiced dish, simmered in reduced tomatoes, onions, peppers, and different seasonings depending on where it’s made. The dark-orange spicy rice dish can be eaten by itself, but also be enjoyed along with side dishes, including fried plantains.