Savannah Red Rice (Easy Microwave Recipe)

Savannah Red Rice Gullah Cuisine — Savannah Red Rice is one of the most popular dishes in Gullah cuisine.

Savannah Red Rice, also known as Charleston Red Rice, or even Gullah Red Rice, is a tomato and spice-infused rice dish from coastal South Carolina and Georgia. Savannah Red Rice originates with the Gullah people, a subculture of African-Americans who have maintained a lot of West African traditions. Although many recipes for Gullah Red Rice call for sausage or boiled it on the stove, my easy recipe for Savannah Red Rice is not only low fat but also easy because it’s made in the microwave. If you like tomato and rice dishes, be sure to continue reading to learn how to make my easy recipe for Savannah Red Rice in the microwave.

Savannah Red Rice History

Savannah Red Rice originates with the Gullah (or Geechee) people, a subculture of African-Americans who live in coastal South Carolina and Georgia. They are descended from slaves imported from the Senegambia region of Africa (modern-day Senegal and The Gambia) because of their rice-growing expertise. They developed an English-based Creole language called Gullah: in fact, Supreme Court Chief Justice Clarence Thomas’ first language is Gullah. Aside from maintaining their linguistic heritage, they have also maintained their culinary heritage: Gullah cuisine is known for its use of seafood, rice, and ginger. Gullah red rice, one of the Gullah people’s most famous dishes, is thought to be based on Jollof Rice, a West African rice dish which also includes tomato, vegetables, and spices. However, nowadays many versions of Savannah Red Rice have come to include sausage.

Easy Savannah Red Rice

I was first introduced to Gullah Red Rice by Ms. Phyllis Stokes, owner of SouthernFrugal.com and of the Youtube Channel Phyllis Stokes. After watching her version, I knew I had to try it.

My understanding is that original recipes for Gullah Red Rice did not include sausage, so I left it out: it would be much lower in fat that way anyway. I reviewed other recipes, and I concluded that the general idea was to cook rice with tomatoes and spices, the key ingredients being molasses and ginger.

Easy Savannah Red Rice Microwave Ingredients — Making Savannah Red Rice in the microwave is easy.

The first time I made Gullah Red Rice in the microwave, I remember guessing a bit as to what proportions I needed: I was imagining something sweet yet spiced in the way that pumpkin pie is full of spices but is still sweet and not hot. I knew I needed molasses, but that could be bitter, especially my blackstrap molasses, so I decided to add a bit of ketchup. While the ketchup is not authentic, it’s a good way to add a bit of sweetness. I also knew that ginger was a key ingredient: since it would be my first time using ground ginger, I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, when I had my first bite of my easy microwave Charleston Red Rice, it was amazing, unlike anything I had ever had before: sweet from the tomato and ketchup, spiced from the spices and ginger, yet smokey from the molasses. I was hooked from the first bite.

If you want to try something different, follow my easy microwave recipe for Savannah Red Rice.

For a closer look, take a look at my Savannah Red Rice YouTube Video:

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charleston_red_rice

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jollof_rice

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gullah

Savannah Red Rice (Easy Microwave Version) Recipe: