The samples of jollof rice at the festival in Washington, D.C. were prepared by chefs from the D.C. metro area, hailing from six countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and — for the first time since the competition began in 2017 — the United States.

One of the most famous dishes across West Africa is Jollof Rice — fragrant rice cooked down with spices, tomatoes and meat. But which version is best? A traveling festival aims to find out.

(Image credit: Claire Harbage/NPR)

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