Some meals stay with you long after childhood ends. They are more than food on a plate. They carry memories, emotions, and moments that shaped who you became.
For me, two meals that remind me of my childhood are fried ripe plantain with beans stew and jollof rice with fried chicken.
Whenever I eat them, they bring back memories of my mother, my home, and the experiences that shaped my early years.
Fried Ripe Plantain and Beans: A Meal That Carried Comfort
Fried ripe plantain with beans stew has always been my favorite meal. But the reason it means so much to me goes beyond taste.
When I was in primary one, I experienced something that changed a part of my childhood. During a lunch break at school, I was heading toward the canteen to get something to eat. I was moving quickly across the school compound when another girl, who was older and much bigger than I, ran into me with force.
The impact caused me to fall badly.
I broke my left leg, and the injury affected the other leg as well. The experience was painful and frightening for a young child. Because of the severity of the injury, I could not return to school for an entire year. I spent that year mostly in bed, unable to walk and unable to live the normal life of a child my age.
It was a difficult time.
But during that period, my mother found a way to comfort me.
She often prepared my favorite meal—fried ripe plantain with beans stew. At the time, I did not fully understand why she kept making it for me. I enjoyed eating it. It was the one thing that made those painful days feel lighter.
I Understood as I Grew Older
Looking back now as an adult, I understand what she was doing.
She was trying to give me comfort in the only ways she could. Even though she could not remove the pain or make the injury disappear, she could create moments that made me feel loved and cared for.
Today, whenever I eat fried plantain with beans stew, I remember that year. It reminds me of the pain I endured, but it also reminds me of the love that surrounded me during that time. It reminds me that even in difficult moments, someone was there caring for me.
And it reminds me that I eventually walked again.
The Afternoons with My Mother and Sister
Beyond the injury, fried ripe plantain also reminds me of some of the warmest memories from my childhood.
My parents have only two daughters, my sister and I, and I am the youngest. Many afternoons, my mother would gather us around while she fried ripe plantain in the kitchen. We would sit nearby talking, laughing, and enjoying the moment together.
Those were simple moments, but they were filled with warmth.
The smell of frying plantain, the laughter in the room, and the conversations we shared created memories that have stayed with me for years. Whenever I think about those afternoons, I feel grateful for the bond we had with our mother.
It was beautiful then, and it remains a beautiful memory now.
Jollof Rice with Fried Chicken
The second of the meals that remind me of my childhood is jollof rice with fried chicken.
It has always been one of my favorite foods, and my mother knew that. She often made it for me when I was growing up. Over time, my love for the dish pushed me to learn how to cook it myself.
I practiced making jollof rice so many times that eventually I became very good at it.
One day, I prepared jollof rice for my mother. When she tasted it, she was surprised and impressed. She even asked how I had prepared it because the flavor stood out to her.
That moment meant a lot to me.
For the first time, I felt proud that I had created something my mother truly enjoyed. It was also a reminder that children sometimes grow into roles where they can give something meaningful back to their parents.
That experience stayed with me.
Food as Memory, Love, and Connection
Experiences like these taught me something important about food.
- Food is never just about survival. It is not simply about filling your stomach.
- Food can be a language of love.
- It can be a way parents comfort their children during difficult times.
- It can create moments of bonding between family members.
- It can carry memories that last long after childhood ends.
Sometimes one meal is enough to take you back to another time in your life.
Whenever I eat fried plantain with beans stew or jollof rice with fried chicken, I remember my childhood—the difficult moments, the loving care of my mother, and the memories we created together.
My childhood was not perfect. But many of the memories connected to food remind me of the love that existed within my family.
And for that, I remain deeply grateful.
