The Overhyped Meal (Nigerian Salad)

Nigerian salad is a special dish prepared with a mixture of shredded cabbage, carrots, green peas, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, sweet corn, and mayonnaise. Sometimes, some people add boiled eggs and corned beef or chicken. It is often served at parties and special occasions.

Call me a strange guy or a bush guy; I don't care. In fact, tell me that I'm one in a million people who doesn't eat salad; I don't mind. I just don't like it. Many years ago, when I learned about this salad, some eat it with Jollof rice, some fried. The first time I tried it, I felt this weird taste. What came to my mind was, what do people actually enjoy in this vegetable and cream this people call salad? It's not as if it's sweet or has any savory taste. Since then, I've decided not to eat it again. I attended several ceremonies where they serve fried rice and Jollof rice with salad. I humbly tell them not to add salad to mine. The fact that a lot of people actually like it, I find it strange. I think it's overhyped.

The first thing I don't fancy about it is the cream. I don't know how others find it enjoyable; it tastes somehow to me. I remembered the time I was at my cousin's place. They prepared Jollof rice; they had discussed earlier that they were going to cook Jollof rice and salad. They asked then whether I liked it or not. I clearly made my intention clear: "I don't eat salad." When the food was done, everybody in the family was served with the Jollof rice and salad, and I was the only odd person among the family of seven. I'm the eighth person with a plate of Jollof rice without salad. On this very day, everybody urged me to try it. I told them it's as if I haven't before; I just don't like it. They called me several names. On that, I accepted them. It actually seems somehow to me how they are eating the cream with the rice. I love my rice like that; just put the meat or fish and serve the food.

Another thing I find strange is the sliced cabbage. I've tried it with the cream before, I mean the complete salad, and also just the cabbage. I didn't like the taste. The day my cousins prepared it, the way they were eating the cabbage made me wonder. Is it the same cabbage I tasted? They were eating it as if they were eating snacks or candies or some sweet biscuits and told me to try it too. I don't know if I'm the only person on earth who doesn't like salad, but I know I don't like it. Some people say they don't know the planet I came from because of salad. So if you want to give me salad containing boiled eggs, corned beef, or chicken, I only want these three on my food; leave the rest out. To some, it's the best delicacy, but to me, it's just an overhyped meal.

Image by Monika Grabkowska

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