A Potjie is a South African Stew type meal cooked in a large three legged pot over coals. It is often cooked as port of a social gathering in much the same way as BBQs are. ...
With a strong Indian influence in its food, how can Mauritius not have great curry? However it’s not the curry you may be used to from Durban or India. Mauritian curry has quite a different flavour, although the base is similar – there’s garlic, onion, fresh curry leaves and turmeric. There isn’t one type of curry in Mauritius – you get everything from...
A Malagasy traditional dish, a pot over the fire with only leafy vegetables. It varies greatly throughout the country. Ro=soup Mazava=Clear. If there is meat, it is of lower quality and small quantity, meat being a big luxury for the Malagasy. If the meat is Zebu, one is to add a small tip of the bump. This recipe has meat, beef, so by...
Vetkoek is a popular pastry in Botswana, and its name can be literally translated to “fat cake.” It is a deep-fried snack that is made of dough, usually with mince fillings. The dough is made up of a mixture of yeast, salt, and flour. The filling is cooked before being placed inside the dough. Another variation of vetkoek is one that is filled...
Assida Zgougou is a very popular dessert in Tunisia. Assida Zgougou is a cream made from seeds of Aleppo pine, not to be confused with stone pine nuts and pine Armand.Traditionally, Tunisians exchange bowls Assida between neighbors and family members, making decorating bowls Assida as important as the taste of the recipe. Many use all kinds of dried fruit to vary the decorative...
This easy semolina cake is popular in Morocco, Egypt and elsewhere in the Arab speaking world. Commonly known as basbousa, in Morocco it may also be called chamia or qalb el luz. A quick, egg free batter moistened with yogurt is scored and decorated, baked until golden, then topped with sugar syrup. Sweet, moist and delicious! You'll find a number of variations for...
From Asia and the Middle East to Africa, Europe, and back, spices have traveled far to find their place in the cuisines of many nations. But there's something very special about the flavors used in Moroccan food. Even though individually the spices seem similar to ones used in other cuisines, Indian per se, it's the unique blend that makes them so distinctively Moroccan....
Though it's North African in origin, these days shakshuka is popular throughout the Middle East (particularly in Israel, where it may as well be one of the national dishes) and in hip neighborhood diners all over the coastal US. Given its versatility, it's easy to see why. It's quick; it's simple; it's easy to scale up or down; and it works for breakfast,...
Baba ghanoush is a Levantine dish of cooked eggplant mixed with tahina, olive oil and various seasonings. The Arabic term means "pampered papa" or "coy daddy", perhaps with reference to a member of a royal harem. The traditional preparation method is for the eggplant to be baked or broiled over an open flame before peeling, so that the pulp is soft and has...
Couscous is one of the staple foods of the Maghrib (western North Africa). Couscous is made from two different sizes of the husked and crushed, but unground, semolina of hard wheat using water to bind them. Semolina is the hard part of the grain of hard wheat (Triticum turgidum var. durum), that resisted the grinding of the relatively primitive medieval millstone. When hard...
Baasto/ Spaghetti can also be served with rice, forming a novelty dish referred to as "Federation". The dish is usually served with equal (whole) portions of rice and spaghetti, split on either side of a large oval plate. It is then layered with assorted stewed meats and vegetables, served with salad and an optional banana. It has been suggested that the name of...
Doro Wat is one of the most famous of all African dishes. You will find it in every Ethiopian restaurant and virtually anyone who is familiar with African cuisine will have heard of it. Another version, though not as commonly known here, is Sik Sik Wat, made with beef. You can directly substitute beef for chicken and follow the same cooking instructions. Doro...
Injera is usually made from the tiny, iron-rich teff. However, teff production is limited to certain middle elevations and regions with adequate rainfall, so it is relatively expensive for the average household. As many farmers in the Ethiopian highlands grow their own subsistence grains, wheat, barley, corn, and/or rice flour are sometimes used to replace some or all of the teff content. Teff...
For main meals, white maize flour is added to the saucepan and stirred into the ugali/posho until the consistency is firm. It is then turned out onto a serving plate and cut into individual slices (or served onto individual plates in the kitchen). Cassava, yam, and African sweet potato are also eaten; the more affluent include white (often called "Irish") potato and rice...
Ingredients vary accord to type of meat used and the region the Biriyani is from. Gosht (of either chicken or mutton) as the prime ingredient with rice. As is common in dishes of the Indian subcontinent, some vegetables are also used when preparing Biriyani. Other vegetables such as corn also may be used depending on the season and availability. Navratan biryani tends to...
Known as ugali in Kenya and Tanzania, this starchy, polenta-like side dish goes by different names in sub-Saharan Africa. In Malawi and Zambia it is called nsima or nshima. The South African name for it is pap or mealie pap. Zimbabweans call it sadza. Ugali is usually served as an accompaniment to meat or vegetable stews, greens or soured milk. To eat ugali,...
Beans are the staple of Burundian cuisine and the typical carbohydrate sources are beans, plantains, bananas and corn. Like many East African cuisines there is a strong Asian influence on Burundian cookery, including the use of hot spices and the prevalence of Chapatis at meals. ...
Cachupa is the quintessential Cape Verdean dish. While there are countless variations, almost all Cachupas have hominy, beans, and potatoes. Some add yucca. Any assortment of vegetables and legumes can be added, depending on availability. For those who can afford it, dried and smoked Portuguese sausages are also added for tremendous “stick to your bones” flavor. Fish, such as tuna and wahoo, is...
In cooking, en brochette refers to food cooked, and sometimes served, on brochettes, or skewers. The French term generally applies to French cuisine, while other terms like shish kebab, satay, or souvlaki describe the same technique in other cuisines. Food served en brochette is generally grilled. The skewer itself, the brochette, can also be used to dip pieces of food in a fondue....
Chicken Yassa is a Senegalese stew which is also known as Yassa au poulet. The chicken is marinated with lemon and mustard for hours before it been cooked. This sauce is popular all over West Africa, it can be found in Gambia, Guinea, Ivory coast and many other African countries. Yassa can also be made with beef, Lamb or fish. The sauce mainly...
Moambe is a traditional African stew. The thick red sauce is made from the fruit of the African oil palm. Chunks of beef, mutton, or chicken are then added to complete the dish. To make moambe, the marinated meat and chopped onions are put in a Dutch oven. The meat is then left to simmer until it becomes golden brown. A few cups...
Chad is a large landlocked country in Central Africa. It is one of the poorest and most corrupted countries of the world and most Westerners probably know nothing about it. As is common in Africa, it is home to over 200 ethnic groups and like many African countries, it unfortunately has a history of civil wars, attempted coups, messy politics and such. Over...
Egusi is one the most widely consumed soups in Nigeria, it’s prepared by most tribes. Egusi is ground up shelled melon seed. Its dry milled and combined with a little water to form a paste. The paste is then combined with seafood and cows meat to make the soup. Egusi is traditionally served with a starch. Possible starch options include Iyan (Pounded yam),...
Ndolé (or N'Dolé, or Ndole) is a hearty soup from Cameroon. It is made from a variety of ingredients that, for the non-African, might seem to be an odd combination. Look for bitterleaf and dried shrimp in international grocery stores. As the name implies, the bitterleaf (also called bitter leaf) adds a distinctive flavor to the soup, but if none is available substitute...
In the North of Portugal we see animals as a whole and, therefore, it is possible to find dishes that honor all cuts of meat, ranging from the noblest ones (loin, belly, ribs) to the “inferior” ones (tongue, heart, blood). This comes from our earliest origins back in the time when the Iberian Peninsula was occupied by Suevian and other tribes, which were...
