Hilda Baci and her teammates had to use large wooden spoons to stir in a giant steel pot - Photo: BBC
According to Lagos Television, on September 12, Nigerian chef Hilda Bassey - known by her stage name Hilda Baci - began her journey to break the Guinness World Record for the largest pot of jollof rice. This popular West African dish consists of rice simmered in tomato sauce, served with meat or fish.
The event took place for 8 hours at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, witnessed by thousands of spectators and was broadcast live.
5 tons of ingredients to make giant jollof rice pot
In this challenge, the female chef used more than 5 tons of ingredients, including basmati rice, concentrated tomato sauce, cooking oil and onions, all cooked in a giant steel pot with a diameter of up to 6 meters.
Chef Hilda Bassey initially planned to use 250 bags of rice, but later reduced it to 200 bags to ensure she stayed within the 20,000kg limit set by the organizers.
Famous Nigerian chef, Hilda Baci - Photo: BBC
The incident quickly became a social media sensation after a video clip showed the giant red pan being lifted, with one side bent and the legs broken, but luckily no rice spilled out.
Soon after, the giant jollof rice dish - which contained 168kg of goat meat - was divided into small portions and distributed to the audience.
Hilda Baci has 10 assistants, each with giant wooden spoons to stir the rice pot. Among them, Bello Fatima Temitope, 31, shares:
"Nigerians eat jollof rice everywhere - from families, restaurants to parties. It is an easy dish to enjoy, everyone loves its taste and texture. I especially like the tomato flavour."
This rice cooker promises to soon be recognized as the world's largest jollof rice cooker - Photo: Daily Post Nigeria
Although there is a general recipe, jollof rice varies from country to country and even from family to family. In Nigeria, it is often spicy and served with grilled meat.
In Ghana, jollof rice is less spicy, often with carrots and bell peppers, giving it a striking red color. Liberians like to add shrimp and seafood, while some communities in Mali incorporate bananas, giving it a unique sweet and sour flavor.
The origins of jollof rice are said to date back to the ancient Wolof empire, which stretched from present-day Senegal into Mauritania and Gambia.
In the 14th century, the region was known for its rice farming, and people then prepared a dish of rice, fish, seafood, and vegetables called thiebou dieune. With the migration of the Wolof people, this culinary tradition gradually spread throughout West Africa, resulting in many versions of jollof rice.
Hilda Baci and her team prepare giant jollof rice - Photo: Punch
Today, jollof rice is not only a familiar dish but also the center of heated debates, especially between Nigeria and Ghana, when both countries claim their recipe is the best.
Jollof rice fights often erupt on social media and appear in culinary competitions.
Notably, in 2021, Senegal's version of jollof was recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, affirming the long-standing historical and cultural value of this dish.
Jolloff rice in Nigeria - Photo: Food52
Jollof rice in Ghana - Photo: Savory Thoughts
Senegal's jollof rice was recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2021 - Photo: African food box
Chef Hilda Baci won a jollof rice cooking competition in 2021 and became a national phenomenon in 2023 when she set the world record for the longest continuous cooking time - 93 hours and 11 minutes (nearly 4 days).
However, this record was later surpassed by Irish chef Alan Fisher. According to Guinness World Records (GWR), the current record belongs to Evette Quoibia (Australia) with a record of 140 hours and 11 minutes.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nau-noi-com-jollof-sieu-to-de-lap-ky-luc-guinness-the-gioi-20250914202634661.htm
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