As Thanksgiving approaches, the anticipation of blending two rich and diverse cultural traditions fills the air with warmth. For many, Thanksgiving Day is a cherished time when family and friends gather together to enjoy delicious comfort food and reconnect with one another.
Being a Black American woman married to a first-generation Nigerian man has allowed us to create a beautiful tapestry of customs and flavors that enrich our holiday celebrations. In the spirit of love and unity, making room at the table for cultural exploration is of paramount importance. This holiday serves as a backdrop for our love.
Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate gratitude, love, and unity. As a couple with diverse backgrounds, it’s essential to embrace and honor each other’s cultural traditions. For my husband and me, this means incorporating both African and African-American elements into our celebration.
Embracing New Flavors and Dishes
One of the most exciting aspects of blending our cultures is the opportunity to explore new flavors and dishes. We incorporate classic Thanksgiving staples like turkey, stuffing, and baked macaroni and cheese while infusing the table with jollof rice, suya, and plantains. Our daughter especially loves puff puff, a traditional snack made of sweetened fried dough and eaten across Africa, and cornbread, a staple in the South.
One of the first things I made for my husband was some good old-fashioned cornbread, made with my no-so-secret ingredients of salted butter and whipped cream cheese to keep it moist, in my favorite cast iron skillet. We were new to our relationship, but he raved about how it was the best he’d ever had. Almost ten years later, and that’s still his most requested dish, especially on Thanksgiving.
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From dating to marriage, sharing a meal is and always will be our favorite way to reconnect and enjoy the pleasures of each other’s company.
A Family Affair: Cooking Together
Thanksgiving is a family affair, and involving both sides of our families in the preparation process is crucial. We host a cooking day where family members from both sides come together to prepare their favorite dishes. It’s a beautiful way for our families to bond, share culinary knowledge, and create new traditions.
Ozichukwu Opara, a senior psychology major and vice president of the Nigerian Student Association, celebrates the holiday with a plethora of relatives. Opara’s favorite Thanksgiving recipe is the sweet spiral ham, inspired greatly by her mother with a twist of her own. In addition to a sweet brown sugar glaze, she said adding pineapple slices gives the ham an extra kick of sweetness.
Sandra Nnanna, a junior majoring in child development serving as historian for the Nigerian Student Association said her favorite Thanksgiving recipe is Jollof Rice, a well-known Nigerian dish. She said she especially enjoys this dish because it gives her special time with her mom and aunt while they prepare the food for the family.
Esther Emelogu, a senior majoring in health science and the event coordinator for the Nigerian Student Association said her favorite Thanksgiving recipe is Egusi soup. As a representation of her cultural heritage as part of the Igbo tribe, she said this dish holds a lot of value to her and her family. She said she looks forward to seeing her parents and eating food this holiday season.
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Here's a sample menu that blends Nigerian and American Thanksgiving dishes:
| Category | Nigerian Dishes | American Dishes |
|---|---|---|
| Main Course | Jollof Rice, Suya | Turkey, Ham |
| Sides | Fried Plantains (Dodo), Egusi Soup | Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing, Macaroni and Cheese, Cornbread |
| Desserts | Puff Puff | Pumpkin Pie, Sweet Potato Pie |
Expressing Gratitude
At the heart of Thanksgiving is the practice of gratitude. In our blended celebration, we take time to express our thanks for our diverse backgrounds, the love that brought us together, and the richness of our cultures.
How to make JOLLOF RICE FOR KIDS
Nigerian-Style Turkey Recipe
If you like a flavorful turkey, go ahead and give this a try even at Christmas.
Ingredients:- 1 fully defrosted or fresh turkey
- 1/2 cup of Nigerian hot pepper
- 1/2 cup of bouillon
- 1/4 cup of garlic powder
- 1/8 cup curry
- 2 teaspoons of thyme
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter
- 2 large onions
- 2 large lemons
- 3 cups of chicken stock
- 8 red potatoes
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Make sure that if your turkey is store-bought and defrosted, that you open it, drain the liquid, remove the gizzards and neck from the inside and pat it dry before you start working with it.
- You can cut off some excess fat if you feel so inclined.
- Put all your dry spices together in a bowl, making sure everything is evenly distributed
- Add the vegetable oil to the dry spices mixture and incorporate it to create a sort of paste (this makes it easier to spread on the turkey).
- Take the mixture and rub directly on the turkey, underneath the skin. Don't forget the legs.
- Take the butter and cut it into 8 even pieces and distribute around the turkey, underneath the skin. Make sure to place one underneath the skin on each leg.
- Cut the onions, lemons and potatoes into quarters
- Stuff half the onions and all the lemon pieces into the turkey
- Put the potatoes and the remaining onions into the roasting pan itself and pour the chicken stock all around them, but not directly onto the turkey
- Cover the turkey with foil and put in the oven. Don't forget to set your timer for the allotted time for your turkey, less 20 minutes
- Be sure to baste your turkey half way through so that you can get all those great juices all over it.
- Check the temperature of the turkey once the timer goes off and if at temperature(180 degrees F), uncover and leave in oven for the remaining 20 minutes to brown.
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