African delights

[lorilei]

It's time again for lorilei to do another one of her odd little International dinner parties. This time, I've decided upon an African theme. I'm not isolating myself to a particular region because I'd like to experience a variety of dishes.

Thus far, I'm definitely making harissa as an appetizer (to be served Tunisian style with french bread). I'm also contemplating an eggplant dish from Sudan.

Any expertise in this area? I have a couple of cookbook sources so far, but would be very interested in any suggestions all of you have http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif You've been so helpful with Jamaica and Greece!

I've discovered a couple of websites, as well... and will check out SOAR one of these days (though I always seem to have trouble with the accuracy of their recipes):

This site looks great: www.cbel.com/African_Recipes/ (http://www.cbel.com/African_Recipes/)

[This message has been edited by lorilei (edited 01-26-2001).]

[slknight]

We have a friend who served in the Peace Corps in Ghana. He made "fufu" for us one night. It is a traditional dish there. I think it's made of cassava or yams, but I know you can substitute a lot of the ingredients. I don't know what recipe he used, but let me see what I can find.

[ewatkins]

I don't have a recipe handy, but peanut soup is very African.

[BarrieCov]

My friend from Benin once made us a delicious lamb stew done with a sauce made out of ground peanuts and tomatoes. It sounds strange, but the combination is great. Sorry, no recipe, but maybe SOAR can help. Also, it's nice that your theme coincides with the upcoming Black History Month!!

[This message has been edited by BarrieCov (edited 01-26-2001).]

[Susann]

Lorelei-Every year, my eleventh grade class makes a family recipe cookbook. One of the teachers at my school is from Western Nigeria and here is the recipe he contributed...

Ilasa Soup
preparations: Slice young okra leaf (okra) into small sizes. Put little piece of kaun in water and heat until boiling. At boiling, put the sliced okra leaf and continue the boiling until the leaf is soft enough. Put desired quantity of fish. Add ground mellon. Add salt insittu. Boil for some more and the soup is ready.

This soup is eated with solid food like iyan which is made by boiling yams (African yams)and pounding hte boiled yams in a mortar made from wood.It may also be eated with Amala, another solid food made from yam flour.

[mightyh]

I don't have any recipes, but what about Ethiopian. I've been to a restaurant and it's a lot of fun for a crowd, as you eat communally off this spongy bread upon which the "dishes" are spooned.

[lorilei]

Originally posted by BarrieCov:
Also, it's nice that your theme coincides with the upcoming Black History Month!!

Ah! An unconscious decision -- but wonderful nevertheless!

I'm excited about some of the suggestions so far -- keep them coming!

mightyh - I've actually been doing quite a bit of reading about Ethiopian cooking and feasting. Fascinating stuff! I'm hoping to integrate some of their customs into our meal...


[This message has been edited by lorilei (edited 01-26-2001).]

[Gail]

Went through my stuff and found that all of my African recipes are either from North Africa only or sound suspiciously Americanized, coming from Betty Crocker. Since I'm sure you have more than your share of Tunisian and Moroccan recipes, I'm not including any... well, other than the last one, which I kinda threw in for laughs...

Knowing your affinity for seafood and garlic, let's start with:

SOMALI CRABMEAT STEW

Serves 4

3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon chilli pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
5 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 lb lump crabmeat, canned, fresh or frozen

Melt the butter in a frying pan and sauté the onion, garlic, coriander, salt, ginger, pepper and cumin, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to brown. Add the tomatoes ans simmer until they become soft. Add the crabmeat and sauté over low heat for 20 minutes; then serve hot with plain rice.

GARLIC FRIED FISH STEAKS

Algeria

6 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon tarragon
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
pinch cayenne
2 lbs fish steaks (any kind)
flour
oil for frying
garlic sauce (see below)

Make a paste by thoroughly mixing all the ingredients, except the fish steaks, flour and cooking oil; then rub the steaks with the paste. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Dredge the steaks in flour. Heat oil 1/2 inch deep in a frying pan and fry the steaks until they turn golden brown; then serve hot with the garlic sauce.

GARLIC SAUCE

Taratoor (Syria and Lebanon)

2 heads of garlic, peeled
salt to taste
1/3 cup olive or vegetable oil
1/3 cup lemon juice

Place all the ingredients in a blender and purée until a creamy sauce is produced. Store in a jar or bottle with a tight-filling lid and refrigerate until ready to use. (LOOK MA, NO VAMPIRES!)

GARLIC MEATBALLS

Muththawin (Algeria)

Serves 8 to 10

4 tablespons butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 lb beef, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 head garlic, peeled and crushed
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch cayenne
1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup rice, rinsed
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 can chickpeas (19 oz or 540 ml), undrained

In a saucepan, melt the butter and sauté the onions until brown. Add the cubed meat, half the garlic, salt and pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon and the cayenne. Sauté for a few minutes. Add water to a depth of one inch and bring to a boil; then cover and simmer over medium heat for 45 minutes.

In the meantime, thoroughly mix the ground beef, rice, parsley, egg, and the remaining garlic, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Form into small meatballs; then gently place the meatballs in the simmering saucepan. Bring to a boil, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the tomato paste and the chickpeas; then simmer over a medium heat until the meatballs are done.

CHICKPEAS WITH TOMATOES AND SWEET PEPPERS

Libya

2 cups chickpeas, soaked for 24 hours; then drained and split
1/2 cup olive oil
2 medium sweet red pepper, chopped into small pieces
1 small hot pepper, finely chopped
1 large onion, chopped into small pieces
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 lb tomatoes, chopped into small pieces
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon tarragon

In a pot, cover the chickpeas with about an inch of water, then soak over medium heat for about an hour or until the chickpeas are tender. (Add more water if necessary.)

In the meantime, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat; then add the sweet and hot peppers, onion and garlic. Stir-fry until all the vegetables turn limp; then stir in the remaining ingredients and cover the saucepan. turn the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes; then stir in the chickpeas and simmer for a further ten minutes just before serving.

Note: If a thicker stew is desired, the chickpeas can be drained after being cooked.

(From: From the Land of Figs and Olives)

DJAJ M'KALLI

Chicken with Lemon and Olives

3 chickens (preferably dead)
6 - 8 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbl salt
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp turmeric (see Lori, I TOLD you, you needed turmeric)
1 tsp black pepper
pinch saffron (make sure it doesn't pinch back)
salt
3 med onions, grated
1 stick butter
2 - 3 garlic cloves, crushed
approx 1 quart water
1/2 jar Greek Kalamata olives
2 pickled lemons (see below)

Clean and remove all fat from chickens. Rub with a mixture of garlic cloves and salt. Put in a large pot and cover with water. Let stand for 1 hour, the remove chickens from water (Ah... nothing like relaxing in a nice, soothing garlic bath...) Rub chickens with mixture of oil, ginger, turmeric, black pepper, saffron and salt. (Apparently the chickens get a massage after their bath.) Allow to marinate for a few hours or overnight in refrigerator. To cook, place chicken in pot and add onions, butter, garlic and water. Bring to a boil, simmer until tender. When almost done, add olives and lemons, after washing brine off lemons. When chickens are done, remove from pot and boil down sauce until fairly thick. Return chickens to sauce and reheat before serving.

(3 chickens?? Either Moroccans are hungry little devils or the recipe is designed to serve an Embassyful!!)

PICKLED LEMONS

(Must be made 2 weeks before using)

lemons
Salt

Quarter lemons, leaving one end attached. Fill a glass or stoneware jar that has a tight fitting lid with salt. Put in as many lemons as will fit snugly (a cozy lemon is a happy lemon.) Let stand for at least two weeks before using. (You, on the other hand, may sit.)


(From: You Be the Judge, recipe submitted by The Embassy of Morocco, Washington, DC)

BTW, although I hope BarrieCov locates an authentic African version of fufu, by the time it made it to the Caribbean, it seems to have been reduced to plantains. THAT version, I've got, but we'll save it for another Caribbean meal... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[SusieO]

I'm sure this is far from authentic, but Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home has a wonderful recipe for African Pineapple Peanut Stew. Let me know if you're interested, and I'd be happy to post.

Gail: It seems most humane to make sure the chicken is dead before you clean and cook it. Still laughing hysterically . . .

[Natasha]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by SusieO:
I'm sure this is far from authentic, but Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home has a wonderful recipe for African Pineapple Peanut Stew. Let me know if you're interested, and I'd be happy to post.

Susie,
Would you please post it? Thanks so much!

[SusieO]

Here ya go:

African Pineapple Peanut Stew

1 cup chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 bunch kale or Swiss chard (4 cups sliced)
2 cups undrained canned crushed pineapple (20 oz can)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
salt to taste

garnish:
crushed skinless peanuts
chopped scallions

In a covered saucepan, saute the onions and garlic in the oil for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are lightly browned. While the onions saute, wash the kale or Swiss chard. Remove and discard the large stems and any blemished leaves. Stack the leaves on a cutting surface and slice crosswise into 1-inch thick slices.

Add the pineapple and its juice to the onions and bring to a simmer. Stir in the kale or chard, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until just tender. Mix in the peanut butter, Tabasco, and cilantro and simmer for 5 minutes. Add salt to taste and serve.

They suggest you serve over rice, millet or couscous, topped with crushed peanuts and chopped scallions.

This one of my favorite meals. However, my husband who loves peanut butter, loves pineapple, loves greens and loves Tabasco, hates this dish. I have to make it for myself when he's not around. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif

[AndreaU]

I don't have a recipe but there must be one out there somewhere... I once tried a soup called Spicy Moroccan Lentil Soup. It had a wonderful blend of exotic spices and the consistency was great (not thin like a broth, but not too thick like a chowder- Goldilocks would have loved it!). I did find a link from the website Eat Ethnic which has information on African cuisine by country, so maybe you could pick & choose from different regions. http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/Cookbook/about_cb_wh.html
I'm interested to know what you make & how it turns out!

[lorilei]

Thanks again everyone.
I'm beginning to get a feel for what I want to do... though I haven't solidified a menu yet.

Still looking for beverage recipes -- and maybe desserts. Any ideas?

[emilycat]

Lorilei,

My Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant specializes in numerous ethnic cuisines, and has two chapters on Africa, north and south.
I have a recipe for Melktert, or a South African Milk Tart, which is apparently "the quintessential Afrikaans dessert, Sweet Bastela, a "Creamy Layered Pastry of crisp filo layered with ground almonds and egg custard," and Moroccan Date Cake. There's also a recipe for Ginger Soft Drink, which is a variation of the many "homemade ginger beers brewed all over sub-Saharan Africa."

If you'd like any of these, I'd be glad to post the recipes...and I was wondering...how big of an ordeal are your theme dinners? Who are the lucky invitees? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Emily

[lorilei]

Emily -

I'd be interested in taking a look at any one of those recipes, if it's not too much trouble! I traditionally collect a HUGE pile of recipes, and then sort through them to compose a menu when I'm fairly satisfied with my stack http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

The theme dinners got started when I began inviting family members over for dinner after Paul and I got married. It got to be such great fun that we started alternating dinner parties with one of my cousins. Paul and I chose to have enthnic themes for our dinners, which have gone over really well.

We usually try to read up on the country we've chosen to cook food from. I decorate thematically and try to serve the dishes traditionally (for Ethiopian cuisine, this might mean eating with our fingers). We play international music that fits the theme, and try to find wines from the area as well.

I've gotten quite fond of doing all of the research that goes into the dinners. And I really love entertaining -- so it's a nice twist on a familiar theme http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[tovie]

Originally posted by lorilei:
Thanks again everyone.
I'm beginning to get a feel for what I want to do... though I haven't solidified a menu yet.

Still looking for beverage recipes -- and maybe desserts. Any ideas?

I did an African themed dinner for kids at church several years ago. Here's several dessert recipes. The banana cream recipe would have come from research at the library into African cooking but I'm not so sure where the cookie recipes came from, so their origins could be dubious (bg) But they're both pretty good, although a little different.

Chilled Banana Cream

Egg Custard
8 oz milk
2 eggs
2 Tbs caster sugar
2-3 drops vanilla

Banana Cream
2 very ripe bananas
1 Tbs sugar
8 oz whipped cream

Heat milk almost to boiling, then break eggs into it. Add 2 Tbs caster sugar and vanilla and mix well. Simmer slowly, stirring constantly until thickened. Set aside. Combine egg custard, bananas and 1 Tbs sugar. Carefully blend in whipped cream. Freeze.

(Note: this is really good <g> but the custard tends to curdle/separate when you start adding ingredients to the hot milk. It sometimes takes me two tries to get it right. I would beat the eggs before adding to milk. You also need to remember to remove from fridge in advance to serving so it'll soften enough to scoop.)

Peanut Cakes
Nigeria

1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup finely ground unsalted peanuts
1/2 cup finely ground coconut
1 egg white
1 Tbs milk

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients, coconut and half of peanuts. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Roll dough 1/4" thick and cut into shapes. Place on greased cookie sheets 2" apart. Beat egg white with milk and brush on cookies. Sprinkle with remaining peanuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Sweet Potato Cookies
Senegal

1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1/4 cup butter
1/8 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 cup honey
1 egg
1/2 cup raw sweet potato, grated
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs water

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Cream butter and sugar. Add lemon zest, nutmeg, honey and egg, then grated sweet potato. Blend in dry ingredients. Drop by Tablespoonful onto ungreased cookie sheets 2" apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Mix powdered sugar with lemon juice and water and drizzle over cooled cookies.

I don't have a recipe for them, but there's also a spicy wine cookie that you might look for if you're interested, I think it's spelled soetkoekies, has red wine and a whole bunch of spices in it.

And please, Emilycat, post those other dessert recipes. I've got a whole new batch of kids and I'll be doing Africa again the end of February and I would love to play around with new recipes.

Tovie

[lorilei]

tovie -

How did your kids like the desserts? Interested in hearing opinions from the toughtest of critics, kids http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[emilycat]

Here you are!

South African Milk Tart

Melkterts are the quintessential Afrikaans desssert. The melktert is to South Africa as apple pie is to America. The crust given here is light and puffy. I suggest rolling it out to fit a baking sheet or pizza pan, but if you use a smaller or larger pan, it will still be fine -- thicker, thinner, larger, smaller, oddle shaped, or crudely made are all okay. In South Africa, melktert is sometimes made with puff pastry.

Serves 12

Crust
2 1/2 cups unbleached white flour, plus extra for rolling
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 c. butter
1 c. sour cream

Custard
2 c. milk
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. unbleached white flour
5 eggs
1/4 t. salt
1 t. pure vanilla extract
1 t. pure almond extract

2 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
For the crust, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or knoife until the flour resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in the sour cream to form a soft dough. Dust the dough with flour and form it into a ball.
On a generously floured surface, roll out the dough to fit an 11x13-inch baking sheet or a 14-inch round pizza pan. It will be thicker than a usual pie crust. Carefully lift the dough and lay it out flat on the unoiled pan. Crimp the edges by pinching them to form a rim. Pierce the dough with a fork in several places. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until crisp and golden.
Meanwhile, make the custard by heating the milk to boiling. Combine the sugar, flour, eggs and salt in a blender. When the milk begins to foam, pour it slowly into the whirling blender. Pour the custard back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thickened. Remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Set aside.
When the crust has baked, spread the custard filling evenly over it. Generously sprinkle the top with cinnamon and brown sugar. Return the tart to the oven for about 15 minutes, until the brown sugar melts and the top of the custard is firm.
Serve the milk tart warm or cold.

Ginger Soft Drink

Many variations of homemade giner beers (soft drinks) are brewed all over sub-Saharan Africa. Fresh ginger makes a spicy drink, cooling in summer, warming in winter, and always refreshing and energizing. Fruit juices other than the citrus called for below, such as pineapple, apricot or guava, make interesting variations in its flavor. When using other fruits, I always add the juice of a couple of limes or lemons.
This recipe makes a concentrate that can be diluted with plain or sparkling water. Make a batch and try it -- ir you like it, you'll love it.

Yields 3 quarts of concentrate

6 c. boiling water
1 c. grated peeled fresh ginger root
1 c. sugar
2 t. whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
1/2 c. fresh lime or lemon juice
1 c. orange juice
8 c. cool water

Pour the boiling water over the grated ginger root, sugar cloves, and cinnamon in a large nonreactive pot or bowl (enamel, glass or stainless steel). Cover and set aside in a warm place, in the sun if possible, for at least an hour.
Strain the liquid through a fine sieve or cloth. Add the juices and water. Set aside in a warm place for another hour or so. Gently strain the liquid again, taking care not to disturb the sediment at the bottom. Store in the refrigerator in a large nonreactive container. A glass gallon jar or jug works well.
Serve warm, chilled, or on ice, either as is or diluted with water or sparkling water. A squeeze of fresh lime juice in each glass of ginger drink is the cat's meow.

Sweet Bastela

Creamy Layered Pastry

This ledgendary pastry of crisp filo layered with ground almonds and egg custard is a delicious and attractive dessert. Bastela is similar to the French pastry Napoleon.

Yields 6 servings

2 cups milk
1/4 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 t. pure vanilla extract
1 t. cinnamon

10 filo pastry sheets
3 T. butter, melted

2 T. raspberry or strawberry conserve
1/2 c. coarsely chopped almonds
confectioners' sugar

In a heavy sauce pan, heat the milk and sugar to scalding. Whirl the eggs in a blender while slowly pouring in the hot milk. Add the vanilla and cinnamon. If the custard doesn't thicken enough to coat a spoon, return it to the pan and reheat gently, stirring constantly until it thickens. Should the custard curdle slightly while thickening, simpley blend it again. Refrigerate the custard.
Using a 7- or 8- inch plate as a guide, cut two circles from each sheet of the filo. On buttered baking pans, stack the filo sheets, four sheets to a stack, brushing ever second sheet with melted butter. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, until the filo is golden brown.
Assemble the bastela. Begin with one pair of filo circles. Spread all of the conserve evenly over this bottom layer of filo and sprinkle on a few of the chopped almonds. Add another pair of filo circles, some almonds, and some of the egg custard. Continue to layer the filo, almonds and custard until all of the ingredients are used. End with a pair of filo circles.
Sprinkle the pastry with confectioners' sugear, cut it into six wedges, and serve immediately.

Note: Bastela is best served right after it is prepared, but if necessary to delay serving, refrigerate it and then cut it into wedges just befor serving. It will keep for one or two days in the refrigerator.


Moroccan Date Cake
Yields 8 to 10 servings

1/2 c. butter
1/4 -1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 t. baking powder
1 c. unbleached white flour
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. ground cloves
1/2 c. milk
1/2 t. pure vanilla extracct
1 c. pitted, chopped dates
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

fresh whipped cream

Preheat the oven to 325
Cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs. Combine the baking powder, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, beating well. Mix in the milk and vanilla. Beat well. Add the chopped dates and walnuts and stir again to distribute them evenly.
Butter and flour a 9-inch cake pan. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Whew! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

[lorilei]

Thank you Emily!
The recipes look scrumptious! I'm particularly interested in the ginger "brew". Have you tried this? Is it wonderful?

[emilycat]

You're very welcome!

Actually, I haven't tried it, but I love ginger with a passion, so I'm going to give it a shot, too. It does sound wonderful, doesn't it?

[tovie]

Originally posted by lorilei:
tovie -

How did your kids like the desserts? Interested in hearing opinions from the toughtest of critics, kids http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

LOL. Yes, they're tough. (g) Well, I have a rule that I don't want to hear any "yuck" or "gross" until they've actually tasted something and didn't like it. Then they can say whatever they want about it (g) especially since I've made things that I'm glad to yell yuck right along with them.

The frozen banana stuff was, I think, the most popular thing I ever made. They loved it. They liked the peanut cookies too. The sweet potato ones didn't go over as well, but I'm not sure if it was actually that they didn't like the cookie or that they couldn't get over the idea of sweet potatoes in a cookie. The adults all liked the sweet potato cookies and I did too.

A lot of the time, I won't tell them what's in dishes until after they've tasted them and decided whether or not they liked them. Groundnut stew comes to mind. They were asking for seconds and thirds when I said it had tomatoes and peanut butter in it and they all went "yuck!" And then I say, if you don't like it, how come that's your third helping? (g)

Tovie

[mightyh]

I'm watching Father Dominic make bread on PBS and this show is about:

#204 -- Out of Africa
This episode is an exploration of some of the bread traditions of Africa. Father Dom introduces viewers to Ambasha, an Ethiopian spice bread, and spicy Kenyan Samosas. Also in this episode, Father Dom showcases an original bread recipe that was inspired by a southern favorite-sweet potatoes. African restaurants can be found in most U.S. cities today. In this program, we take viewers to an Ethiopian restaurant where we witness an African coffee ceremony and share in the preparation of authentic African bread.

Check out www.breaking-bread.com (http://www.breaking-bread.com) if you're interested in more... not sure if they show all the recipes, though.

[lorilei]

Thanks for the heads up... I'll hop over this afternoon and check out the website.

[tovie]

Thank you, Emilycat, for taking the time to post those dessert recipes :-) Now, which one to try...

Eenie, meenie, miney...

Tovie

[Anne]

Hi Lorilei. When I lived in west Africa the most common dish I came across was a boiled, seasoned greens stew. It was made by frying very finely chopped greens (about a quart) in palm oil with finely chopped onions and smoked/dried meat or fish. After the greens were very well sauted a little water was added along with a chicken bullion cube, a small can of tomatoe paste, salt, and hot peppers and cooking continued for about an hour. The greens were usually sweet potatoe, casava, or collards. The meat, if available, was goat or deer. I don't know what kind of peppers were used but I have never found any in this country that are even close to being as hot - the small Thai peppers would probably be the best substitute. The stew was always served with rice. I came to love this food and ate it almost daily. When I got back to this country I considered straight tabasco sauce an acceptable chip dip.

[Susann]

Lorelei-Forgot I had this cookbook titled The World In Your Kitchen. Do you still need suggestions? Here is another dessert recipes-

Docono (Semolina dessert) from Guinea. Serves 2-4

3 tbs semolina
1-2 tbs sugar
2 1/2 c milk
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 bananas, sliced

Place the semolina in a mixing bowl togetherw with the sugar and pour enough cold milk to make a paste. Now put the rest of the milk on to boil. When it reaches boiling point, pour it into the semolina paste, a lttle at a time, stirring constantly so that the mixture is smooth. Return this now to the saucepan and bring it to the boil, stirring frequently to prevent catching. Let the semolina simmer for 5-10 minutes and then take it off the heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Serve at once, or leave it to cool.

The book also has recipes for sweet potato pudding and banana bread. There are also many starters, snacks, soups, main dishes and side dishes-all vegetarian. If you still need some ideas, let me know and I will post away!!!!

[Britin]

Lorilei,

It looks like you got quite a few really good suggestions, but I just had to post this in case you want to try it or save it for another time. Maybe someone else will use it too. I was very disappointed to find that this soup was so fat laden. I have been meaning to experiment with lightening it up. I used to go to this restaurant for lunch and get this soup every time once the waitress told me it was vegetable based with just a little peanut butter and not very fattening. After about three or four months, when my coworkers could not believe there was no cream in it and that it was light, we were horrified when a different waitress brought us a copy of the recipe. I was so thrilled to get it because it is unbelievably good. I feel guilty even posting this on the CL BB, but it would be fantastic if a lightening expert was successful in reducing the fat without taking away from the taste.

If anyone is successful in lightening this before I get a chance, please let me know.* Exported from MasterCook *

Spicy West African Peanut Soup - Tatnuck

Recipe By :Jack L. Corey, Chef
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00

2 ea Spanish onions -- large, diced
3 stalks celery -- chopped
2 ea carrots -- large, peeled and diced
1/2 c shallots -- diced
4 ea garlic clove -- crushed
2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 T peanut oil
3 T curry powder
4 c vegetable stock -- fresh
15 ea plum tomatoes -- very ripe, seeded and chopped
1 c peanut butter -- creamy
1/2 c heavy cream
salt -- to taste
pepper -- to taste
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1 dash Tabasco sauce
cilantro -- chopped

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Add the chopped onions, celery, carrots, shallots, garlic, and cayenne pepper.

Sauté for approx. 15 minutes. Stir in the curry powder, salt, and pepper and toss for another 2 minutes.

Lower the flame and add the tomatoes and the vegetable stock. Simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly then puree in a food processor.

Return the soup to low flame and stir in peanut butter, Worcestershire, and Tabasco. Slowly wisk in the heavy cream.

Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.

Description:"Soup"
Source:"The Restaurant at Tatnuck Bookseller & Son"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 349 Calories; 24g Fat (58.0% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 17mg Cholesterol; 803mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 4 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : You can add chicken or shrimp to this soup and serve it as a main course over rice or pasta.

[lorilei]

Thanks Susann and Britin - Our dinner won't be for another few weeks, so it's great to have extra suggestions...Thanks!

I'm bound to try the peanut soup, whether I use it for our dinner party or not. It looks delish. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[diane]

I backpacked through Africa several years ago. The food was wonderful. I bought a cookbook from a local spice lady in Tanzania. When I get home, I will look at some of the recipes. It looks like you already have alot of great suggestions. I don't remember if you have one for a flat bread they serve with most dinner. I think that is in the book. Let me know if you want me to look for the recipe and post it.
Have fun. Let us know what you cooked.

[dlaboriel]

Bumping. Saw a recent request for African recipes.

[Salsera]

I currently live and work in Guinea, but have previously lived and travelled in other parts of Africa -- Malawi, South Africa, Mozambique, Uganda, Tanzania and Senegal. I have recipes from all these places as well as a couple of African cookbooks. If there's a particular type of dish you're looking for, let me know and I'll do some research.

My favorites come from West Africa.....fried plantains, joloff rice, poulet yassa (Senegalese specialty, chicken marinated in a lemon and onion sauce -- yumm!), cheboudienne (also Senegalese, rice baked with fish and veggies, spicy and delicious!), mafe (meat and/or veggies in peanut sauce). Guinean cooks make wonderful rice and sauce too.

As for desserts, they don't feature strongly in the cuisine of most sub-Saharan African countries. People usually just eat fruit, since there are so many luscious delicious varieties around. However, I've gotten creative......tropical fruit crepes, mango custard, guava mousse, coconut rice pudding....

Let me know if any of this appeals!

[Cooky]

Somewhere on this board is the subject of Plantain. You might want to look that up, its rather simple to prepare.

I make a delicious Fofo, but its rather hard to explain. Fofo is like a soft bread. I make it with farina and bisquick. I boil lightly salted hot water (about 6c) in my largest cast iron skillet. I add farina (about 2c) and stir for about 3 mins so it don't lump, then add bisquick a little at a time until all the water is absorbed. You need a good wooden spoon and it becomes rather hard to stir. The end result is the consistancy of mashed potatoes. I make this to scoop a soup with. But there are many versions of Fofo.

[lorilei]

Originally posted by Salsera
[...] poulet yassa (Senegalese specialty, chicken marinated in a lemon and onion sauce -- yumm!), cheboudienne (also Senegalese, rice baked with fish and veggies, spicy and delicious!), mafe (meat and/or veggies in peanut sauce). Guinean cooks make wonderful rice and sauce too.

As for desserts, they don't feature strongly in the cuisine of most sub-Saharan African countries. People usually just eat fruit, since there are so many luscious delicious varieties around. However, I've gotten creative......tropical fruit crepes, mango custard, guava mousse, coconut rice pudding....

Let me know if any of this appeals!


Wow. I can't believe this thread made it back from 2001. That seems so long ago...

In any case, I'm still always VERY interested in a variety of ethnic recipes, and some of yours sound wonderful. In particular, I would LOVE to hear about the poulet yassa and cheboudienne!!