CNF: SMOKY JELLOF

GENERATED USING META AI

Today was supposed to be a nice Sunday evening with dinner with my family. I had invited almost everyone. My cousin Rita, all my siblings, including my elder sister with her fiancee, my parents and uncle Caleb. I assured them that I was going to prepare my special delicacy, jollof rice mixed with snail sauce and fried chicken.

I was not familiar with cooking that much but how hard can it be, I thought to myself. I watched some short YouTube videos the night before. Although I didn't make it to the end as sleep beckoned unto me. But it wasn't that hard right? Mum makes jellof almost every weekend for us so it shouldn't be that difficult, I said to myself. How I’d known pride goes before a fall.

I walked into the kitchen like an armed warrior preparing for war. The ingredients were perfectly sprayed out on the small kitchen counter. A subtle song played in the background. I grabbed the apron that was hanging on the wall and began cooking. First of all,I took out a medium sized pot from the cabinet, rinsed it, washed my rice and put it into it, just like I saw online. Everything was going smoothly. I began to feel very confident about my cooking skills the more I progressed.

But then, things took a different turn the moment I decided to multi-task. With the rice still on the fire, boiling. I decided to quickly run down to the nearest store and buy an ingredient I forgot to buy earlier.

“It wont take time, highest 10 minutes” I said to myself

It took thirty minutes. I came back to the smell of something burning. I quickly ran to the kitchen and behold, black smoke was literally coming out from the pot. I sucked in a breath. I watched as my efforts went up in flames or rather smoke. Panic flooded my entire system, especially as the fire alarm kept on blaring dangerously.

I quickly removed the pot off the stove and turned off the fire. Everywhere was filled with smoke. I struggled to breathe with the smoke. Instinctively, I reached for the windows, opening all of them to let the fresh air in. This was a disaster. I stared at the pot of rice which was now completely black. What was I going to do?

Across from me, my neighbor peeped through her window, the one directly across from mine. Curiosity and concern brimming in her eyes. She probably thought I had burned down the kitchen with the amount of smoke she was seeing. To crown it all, the snail I was supposed to use for the snail sauce was just lying bare in the fridge still looking fresh and abandoned.

Things were definitely not going as I’d thought it would. I considered cancelling the dinner but the universe seemed to be working against me. Because immediately the thought crossed my mind, my sister called.

“ We're almost there,” she chirped.

I nearly screamed. This was a huge problem. Just as I was about to have a mental breakdown. My neighbour Cynthia, came knocking on my door.

“What's happening?” She asked

I explained everything to her, leaving no detail behind. She laughed at me so hard, I felt ashamed of myself.

“Mama Cynthia, did you come here to laugh at my dilemma” I wined.

“I’m sorry my dear, it's just, everything you said is so hilarious “ she said, still chuckling lightly.

“Okay okay’ she raised her hands up in surrender seeing my obvious displeasure at her behavior.

“Let's fix this, “ she finally offered.

We threw away the burnt rice, and quickly began boiling another round. Smaller this time but still enough for everyone. Mama Cynthia quickly handled the snail. Steaming them shortly with enough pepper and little spice before proceeding to fry it. She poured it into the sizzling hot oil, and did her magic like a professional chef. She brought some of her leftover stew to enhance the taste of the jollof.

I was just garnishing the already plated foods with some vegetables I had bribed my siblings earlier to wash and chop quickly when the doorbell rang. I wiped my hands clean, took in a deep breath and walked towards the door.

“Wow I love this aroma” my youngest sibling, Emma, the number one food lover in our family said almost immediately.

I chuckled nervously.

The dinner was a big win. Everyone loved the meal. They raved on and on about it. I received compliments from left right and center. My eldest sister and her fiancee even asked for takeaway. I could only smile and nod like I had done it all. If only they knew.

Just as I was about to clear the plates from the dining table. My baby cousin suddenly said out loud

“Didn't the rice burn earlier? I saw the black pot outside”

I froze. Everyone turned to look at me.

Silence filled the dining as they all looked at me expectantly, probably waiting for some sort of explanation.

“Well, that was me experimenting on another kind of jellof rice. You know, smoky jellof” I replied , laughing nervously.

Everyone laughed along with me and just like that, the moment passed.