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Recipe ingredients and directions:

Gbegiri (Zambian Black-Eyed Bean Soup)

2 cups black-eyed beans, soaked and cooked

1 Tbsp oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1 can tomatoes, chopped (I use fresh tomatoes)

2 cups soup stock (I use chicken)

salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a pan and saute the onions lightly. Meanwhile,

partially mash the beans with a fork or potato masher. Add tomato

paste, tomatoes,stock, bans and seasoning to the onion, stirring

well. Let simmer for 30 minutes before serving.

Though called a soup, it can also be served with rice.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

FUL NABED (Egyptian Bean & Vegetable Soup)

serves 5-6

1 cup chopped onions

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons sweet Hungarian Paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

2 bay leaves

1 large carrot, chopped

1 cup fresh tomatoes

3 1/2 cups vegetable stock

2 cups canned or cooked fava beans

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

sa lt and pper to taste

fresh mint leaves (optional)

In a large soup pot saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil

until the onions are translucent. Add the cumin, paprika, cayenne,

bay leaves, and carrots and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.

Stir in the chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock and simmer until

the carrots are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the fava beans and

simmer for a few minutes, until they’re cooked through. Finally,

add the parsley and lemon juice, stir in. Salt & pepper to taste.

Serve with pita bread and garnished with fresh mint leaves.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Ful / Fool

2 c dried fava beans

1 t baking soda

1 qt. water

2 cloves garlic, crushed

6 T olive oil

1/4 c. lemon juice

1 t salt

2 green chilies or 1 green pepper

1 small onion

1 t chopped mint leaves

Soak beans overnight in water and baking soda. Rinse, cover with

water and simmer for 1 hr. until soft. Remove from heat.

(Or, bake unsoaked beans at 250 overnight in a beanpot or tightly

covered casserole. Use 6 c. water and omit soda).

When beans are ready to be served, drain them and add garlic, olive

oil, lemon juice, and salt. Chop vegetables and mix with beans or

arrange on top.

Serve warm with Arabic or French bread for dipping.

Serves 6.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Ful Medames

(Egyptian Slow-Cooked Beans)

Serves 6 – 8

1 lb. dried small Egyptian fava beans, soaked overnight

Juice of 3 lemons

1 head garlic, halved

Salt to taste

1 bunch scallions, trimmed

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Drain beans and place in a large saucepan. Add 7 cups water and

bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and add

the juice of 1 lemon, garlic, and salt. Cover and simmer over low

heat (beans will retain shape only if cooked slowly) until beans

are soft–moist but not soupy–about 12 hours. Check occasionally

and add water if beans become dry.

Twenty minutes before serving, chop scallions and combine with

remaining lemon juice. Stir in oil, season with salt and pepper,

and set aside.

Discard garlic, gently stir lemon mixture into beans. Adjust

seasoning. Spoon into bowls, mash slightly; serve warm with pickled

turnips, toasted pita bread, and hard-cooked eggs, if desired.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Ful Madammas

(Arabian Bean Salad)

1 cup dried ful, rinsed and drained

8 cups water

1 medium ripe tomato, chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

1/4 cup chopped parsely

1 cup peeled and thinly sliced yellow onion

1/2 cup olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the beans (ful) in a medium pot and add 4 cups of water.

Bring to a boil, turn off the heat, and let stand 1 hour, covered.

Drain.

Return the ful to the pot and add 4 cups of fresh water. Bring to

a boil, covered, and reduce to a simmer. Cook 15 minutes or until

the beans are tender. Drain.

Mix the beans with the tomato, garlic, parsley, and union. Prepare

the dressing and toss with the vegetables. Chill before serving.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Ful Medames (Egyptian brown bean stew)

1 pound ful beans, soaked

1 tablespoon freshly ground cumin

6 cloves crushed garlic

4 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and coarsely chopped

handful chopped cilantro

small handful chopped fresh mint

2 quartered lemons

1 medium sweet onion (Bermuda, Vidalia, Spanish, red), sliced

good quality olive oil

freshly ground black pepper

salt

Heat oven to 300 F.

Put the soaked, drained beans into a baking dish with a cover and

pour in enough water to cover them by 2 inches. Add half the cumin,

lots of black pepper, and the garlic. Cook slowly in the over,

covered, for 3-4 hours, until the beans are very soft but not broken

up, and the juice is thick.

Meanwhile, put the eggs, cilantro, mint, lemon, and onion into

separate dishes on the table.

When the beans are ready, salt them and add the rest of the cumin

and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Serve in the baking dish at the table

and invite people to addtheir own eggs, mint, cilantro and lemon

juice on top, and more olive oil as needed to give a smooth

consistency.

This is good served with warm pita bread and a tomato/onion/cucumber/

mint/olive salad with a light yogurt and garlic dressing. Some

people like to add a dash of hot sauce.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

FUFU

Ghana

Serves 6 – 8.

2 1/2 cups Bisquick

2 1/2 cups instant potato flakes

Bring 6 cups of water to a rapid boil in a large, heavy pot. Combine

the two ingredients and add to the water.

Stir constantly for 10 – 15 minutes – a process that needs two

people for best results: one to hold the pot while the other stirs

vigorously with a strong implement (such as a thick wooden spoon).

The mixture will become very thick and difficult to stir, but unless

you are both vigilant and energetic, you’ll get a lumpy mess.

When the fufu is ready (or you’ve stirred to the limits of your

endurance!), dump about a cup of the mixture into a wet bowl and

shake until it forms itself into a smooth ball. Serve on a large

platter alongside a soup or stew.

Note: Conventional west African fufu is made by boiling starchy

foods such as cassava, yam, plantain or rice, then pounding them

into a glutenous mass, usually in a giant, wooden mortar and pestle.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Fufu (from Ghana)

900 mL (1 1/2 pt) boiling water

90 g (3 oz) potato flour

200 mL (7 oz) cold water

1 packet (180 g/6 oz) potato flakes

Warm a medium saucepan with 200 mL (7 oz) of the boiling water. In

a small jug blend the potato flour with the 200 mL (7 oz) of lukewarm

water (mixing some of the boiling water with part of the cold water;

the water must not be hot or it will cook the starch to form a

creamy mixture.

Empty the water from the warmed saucepan. Pour the potato flakes

into the saucepan and add the remaining boiling water, enough to

fully cover the potato flakes. Do not stir yet.

Using a wooden spoon, stir the potato flour mixture in the jug and

quickly add this to the saucepan. Speed is of the essence here, as

is dexterity! Stir the 2 mixtures together vigorously, pulling the

dough in from the centre against the inside of the saucepan with

one hand and gripping the pan firmly with the other.

When the dough is firm and smooth, moisten a small bowl with small

quantities of the cold water and scoop the dough into this bowl,

either as one large ball or individual balls, and serve with soup.

Serves 2

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

FUFU (West Africa)

Yam Paste Balls

makes about ten 1 1/2-inch balls

1 1/2 pounds yam

2 cups water

2 teaspoons salt

With a sharp knife, slice the yam crosswise into 1/2- inch-thick

rounds and then peel each slice, cutting 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep into

the flesh to remove all the skin. As you peel the yam, drop the

slices into a bowl of cold water to prevent discoloration. Combine

the yam, water and salt in a heavy 2- to 3-quart saucepan and bring

to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan

tightly, and cook for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the yam is tender

enough to be mashed with a fork. Drain the yam slices in a large

sieve or colander. Then puree them through a food mill set over

a large, heavy earthenware or metal bowl. Using an up-and-down

motion, pound the yam vigorously with a large pestle or the smooth

side of a wooden kitchen mallet. After four or five strokes, dip

the pestle or mallet into cold water to keep the yam moist as you

pound and to prevent it from sticking to the pestle. Repeat for

about 10 minutes, or until the yam forms a compact but slightly

sticky paste. To shape the fufu into balls, fill a mixing bowl

with cold water and set it beside a large, flat plate. Sprinkle

a little water on the plate and moisten your hands lightly. Lift

up about 1/4 cup of yam paste and roll it between your palms and

across the plate until it is a smooth, firm ball and its surface

appears shiny and somewhat translucent. (Moisten your hands and

the plate again from time to time if necessary.)

Arrange the yam fufu balls attractively on a platter and serve at

once, or cover them tightly with foil or plastic wrap and set them

aside at room temperature for up to 2 hours before serving. In

West Africa fufu is also made from cassava, cocoyam or plantain

and is a standard accompaniment to spicy soups, stews and sauces

such as chicken-groundnut stew or mokoto.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

African Fruit Salad

2 quarts raw spinach

2 quarts romaine

1 quart chicory

1 quart lettuce

fresh pineapple cut in fingers, about 3 per bowl

fresh mango in strips, about 2-3 per bowl

avocado, dipped in lemon juice and cut in strips

fresh coconut, cut in thin slices

oranges (California type), thinly sliced with skins left on

bananas, cut in chunks

mayonnaise

chopped peanuts (or coconut)

1 pint-basket strawberries or any berries in season.

4 limes

1 quart mayonnaise.

1 cup whipped cream

2 tbs. sugar

few drops green vegetable coloring.

In a 2-gallon bowl: stem, wash, and tear into medium-sized pieces:

2 quarts raw spinach, 2 quarts romaine, 1 quart chicory and 1 quart

lettuce. fill the bowls with the mixture of greens. use any flesh

fruits, coconut, and chopped peanuts in combinations like this:

fresh pineapple cut in fingers, about 3 per bowl, fresh mango in

strips, about 2-3 per bowl, avocado, dipped in lemon juice and cut

in strips, fresh coconut, cut in thin slices, oranges (California

type), thinly sliced with skins left on, bananas, cut in chunks,

thinly coated with mayonnaise and dipped in chopped peanuts (or

coconut) and 1 pint-basket strawberries or any berries in season.

Arrange the fruits attractively in the individual salad bowls or

in one large bowl.

Serve with lime dressing: Grate 4 limes, and add grated rinds with

their juice to 1 quart mayonnaise. Fold in: 1 cup whipped cream

sweetened with 2 tbs. sugar and a few drops green vegetable coloring.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Fried Plantains

oil

plantains, one per serving

salt or African Hot Sauce

Peel and cut plantains, either into thin slices, or slice each

plantain in half and cut each half lengthwise. Heat the oil in a

pan or skillet on the stove top. Add plantains (in a single layer)

and fry until golden.

Serve with African Hot Sauce or salt as a snack, an appetizer, or

a side dish. Can also be served sprinkled with sugar as a snack or

dessert.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

South African Fish Patties

Makes about 30 medium patties

5 lbs. codfish, minced

1-1/2 large onions, minced

1-1/2 Tbs. vinegar

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1-1/2 Tbs. oil

2-1/2 Tbs. matzoh meal

1/2 cup water (approximately)

3 eggs

unseasoned bread crumbs

Mix fish and onions; combine with remaining ingredients, except

bread crumbs, adding eggs one at a time. Form fish into patties

and roll lightly in bread crumbs. Fry in hot oil until browned on

both sides; drain on paper towels.

Sauce

oil

3 cloves garlic

1 large can tomato paste plus three cans of hot water to dilute

juice of 1-1/2 lemons

pinch of pepper, paprika and cayenne

1-1/2 Tbs. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

In large pot, add small amount of oil to cover bottom. Brown 3

cloves garlic (whole) and remove. Add tomato paste, hot water and

remaining ingredients. If sauce is too thick, add more hot water.

Add fried fish patties and simmer gently about 1/2 hour with lid

slightly open. Cool. Place patties in Pyrex dishes and cover with

sauce. May serve cool as a first course or a buffet appetizer. May

be frozen in sauce after cooking.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Moroccan Puree of Fava Beans (Byesar)

1/2 lb dried fava beans

3 garlic cloves; peeled

1 tsp cumin seeds

best quality olive oil

a little water

salt to taste

1/4 tsp Za’atar or thyme or marjoram or oregano

The night before, soak fava beans in 3 to 4 times their volume of

cold water. Discard any favas that float.

The following day, drain, skin and cover with fresh water. Cook

gently, with the garlic and cumin seeds, until the beans are tender

(about 2 hours, depending upon the age and quality of the beans).

Drain.

Puree the beans in a food mill or an electric blender. Stir in

enough olive oil, and a little water, to give the puree a soupy

consistency. Sprinkle with salt to taste and beat well. Heat just

before serving with a little more olive oil and a sprinkling of

crushed za’atar. Serve with Arab bread and a bowl of "mixed spices"

(ground cumin, cayenne and salt). Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Tunisian Eggplant Salad

Yield: 4 servings

1 lb eggplant

1 lg green bell pepper; chopped

1 garlic clove; crushed

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp dried oregano; crushed

1 tsp salt

1 cn chunk-style tuna (12 1/2-oz), drained

1 lg tomato; seeded and chopped

crisp salad greens

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Cut eggplant in 1-inch cubes. Steam over 1/2 cup boiling water 2

to 5 minutes until eggplant is tender. Drain. Arrange with green

pepper in 2-quart shallow casserole. Combine garlic, oil, vinegar,

oregano and salt in covered jar. Shake well. Pour over eggplant

mixture. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Drain marinade and reserve

for other use. Toss marinated vegetables with tuna and tomato.

Spoon into salad bowl lined with crisp greens. Top with cheese.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Moroccan Eggplant Salad La Tamu

Yield: 4 servings

5 small eggplants, sliced

salt

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp sweet red pepper

1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice

1/2 tsp garlic, chopped

1 Tbsp Italian parsley, chopped

2 lg tomatoes, skinned and minced

lemon quarters

Salt eggplant slices generously and leave to drain for 30 minutes.

Rinse well under running water and pat dry on paper towels.

Saute eggplants in oil until just golden. Add salt to taste, along

with the peppers and the rest of the ingredients except the lemon

quarters. Cook and mash gently for 10 to 12 minutes, or until excess

liquids have evaporated. Adjust seasoning. Allow to cool and then

serve garnished with lemon quarters.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Eggplant Kottu (Africa)

Servings: 8

1/2 cup canned black-eyed peas, drained

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric, divided

4 eggplants, stemmed, peeled, sliced lengthwise

1 1/4 cups water

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup flake coconut

1 tablespoon minced seeded green chile peppers*

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 red chile peppers, seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon crushed bay leaves

1 teaspoon mustard seed

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons ground coriander seeds

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Combine black-eyed peas and half of the turmeric in a medium

saucepan; heat thoroughly, mash and set aside. Simmer eggplant with

water, remaining half of turmeric and salt in a large saucepan

until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in black-eyed peas. Add

coconut, green chile peppers and cumin; mix well. Heat oil in a

skillet and add red chile peppers, bay leaves and mustard seed.

When mustard seeds stop cracking, add eggplant mixture. Stir in

lemon juice, coriander seeds and salt; mix well. Serve garnished

with cilantro and with Basmati rice.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Egyptian Eggplant Eggah

8 servings

2 lb (2 medium) eggplants

3 medium onions

3 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves or 1 tsp ground coriander seeds

1 clove garlic, minced

3/4 tsp cumin seeds, crushed

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

I/2 tsp ground black pepper

8 eggs

1/4 tsp salt

Pierce eggplants and onions with a knife. Roast over hot coals.

Turn periodically until all sides have charred (about 30 minutes).

Remove from heat and let cool. Scrape flesh from the eggplant and

skin the onions and cut into 1 inch pieces Stir in coriander,

garlic, cumin, cinnamon and pepper. Preheat oven to 325F. Whisk

together eggs, 1 1/2 cups water and salt. Stir into vegetable mixture.

Arrange zucchini slices over the top. Bake, uncovered, only until

mixture begins to puff up (about 40 minutes). Let cool 5 minutes

before serving. Leftovers best served cold.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

TAJINE DARTICHAUTS TUNISIENNE

(Tunisian Egg Loaf with Artichokes)

Makes 6 servings

1 1/2 ounces Gruyere cheese (45g)

1/4 cup loosely packed parsley leaves (1/4 ounce, 7g)

2 medium garlic cloves (1/5 ounce total, 6g), peeled

1 medium onion (4 ounces, 110g), peeled, quartered

1 pound trimmed lamb (450g), cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) pieces

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 large eggs

6 canned artichoke hearts, drained (about 3 ounces, 85g), halved

Generously grease a 9 by 5 by 3-inch (22 by 13 by 7.5cm) loaf pan.

Preheat the oven to 350F. (175C). Shred the cheese with the medium

shredding disc of a food processor. Reserve. Process the parsley

and garlic with the metal blade until finely chopped, about 15

seconds. Add the onion and pulse until finely chopped, about 6

times. Add the lamb, salt and pepper and pulse until finely chopped,

about 10 times. Add the eggs, pulse 4 times, then process until

the mixture is blended, about 5 seconds. Pour half the lamb mixture

into the loaf pan. Arrange the artichokes, cut side down, on the

mixture and pour the remaining lamb mixture over them. Sprinkle

with the shredded cheese. Bake in the center of the preheated oven

until the loaf is firm to the touch, about 50 minutes. Remove the

loaf to a wire rack to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Turn out onto a

platter, slice and serve.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Doro Wat Chicken

1 whole fryer chicken; about 3 pounds, cut into 8 pieces

juice of 1 lime

5 cups red onions; peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 cup spiced butter

1/2 cup berbere sauce

1/2 cup dry red wine

2 centiliters garlic; peeled, crushed

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger; grated

1/2 cup water

Salt to taste

4 each hard boiled eggs; peeled

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place chicken pieces in a bowl and marinate for one hour in lime

In heavy saucepan saute the onions in 2T of the spiced butter.

Cover the pot and cook the onions over low heat until they are very

tender, but not browned. Stir them occasionally. Add the remaining

butter to the pot, along with the Berbere sauce, wine, garlic,

cayenne, and ginger. Add 1/2 cup water and mix well. Bring to a

simmer and add the chicken pieces. Cook, covered, for 30-40 mins,

or until the chicken is tender, adding more water if you need to

in order to keep the sauce from drying out. When the chicken is

tender, taste for salt. Add the peeled eggs and heat through. Top

with black pepper and serve.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Chicken Wat

2-3 lbs chicken

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp butter

2 cups onions

1 Tbsp garlic

1 tsp ginger

2 Tbsp Ethiopian Berbere

1/4 tsp fenugreek crushed

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup Ethiopian berbere

2 Tbsp paprika

Sprinkle chicken with lemon juice and salt.

Melt butter in saucepan. Add butter, onions, garlic, ginger and

berbere. Cover and cook till onions are soft but not browned.

Add fenugreek, cardamom, nutmeg, berbere and paprika.

Stir over low heat 2-3 minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup water bring to a

boil over high heat stirring constantly. Add chicken to sauce,

turning pieces until well coated. Reduce heat to low, cover and

simmer until chicken is tender, about 45 minutes.

Add 1 hard boiled egg to mixture per person and simmer 10 minutes

more.

Note: Can triple water and add 3/4 cup rice and cook whole meal in

one pot.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

DORO WAT (Ethiopia)

3 pound chicken or parts

2 cups onion, chopped

2 tablespoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon fresh ginger, chopped

1/2 teaspoon fenugreek

1/2 teaspoon cardamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 cup butter or niter kebbeh

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup Berbere sauce

2 tablespoons paprika

4 hard boiled eggs

Cut chicken into serving pieces and pat dry. Combine onion, garlic,

lemon juice, salt, ginger, fenugreek, cardamom, nutmeg and butter

or niter kebbeh in a saucepan. Simmer 2-3 minutes. Add the water,

wine, berbere sauce and paprika. Cook briskly for 3-5 minutes or

until sauce is the consistency of cream. Add the chicken pieces.

Cover tightly and simmer 15 minutes.

Pierce eggs with tine of a fork and add to the pan. Cover and cook

15 minutes more or until chicken is tender. Serves 6

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Dorowat – Ethiopian Spicy Braised Chicken

8 ounces tomato sauce

1/4 cup paprika

1/4 cup dry red wine

1 tablespoon ginger root, grated

1 teaspoon red pepper

1/8 teaspoon cardamom, ground

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, ground

1/8 teaspoon clove, ground

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, ground

1/8 teaspoon allspice, ground

2 medium onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons cooking oil

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

3 pounds broiler chicken, cut up

1/4 cup dry red wine

Make the red pepper sauce first. Combine tomato sauce, paprika,

1/4 cup red wine, grated ginger root, red pepper, cardomom, nutmeg,

cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. Set red pepper sauce aside.

In a large skillet cook onion and garlic in hot oil until onion is

tender but not brown. Stir in red pepper sauce, tumeric, and 1

teaspoon of salt. Add chicken pieces to skillet. Spoon onion mixture

over chicken pieces, bring mixture to boiling, reduce heat. Cover,

simmer about 30 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup dry red wine.

Cook uncovered, about 15 minutes, turning chicken pieces often.

Skim off fat. Serve with ethiopian flat bread.

The highly spiced hot red pepper sauce is called ‘Berbere’, which

is the characteristic flavor of many Ethiopian dishes

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Do"a or Doqqa – Egyptian Spice mixture

1 measure salt

1 measure roasted coriander seeds

1 measure peanuts

1/2 measure split chickpeas

1/2 measure dried mint leaves

1/2 measure sesame seeds

Grind all these ingredients together or whirl in a blender. Eat

by by dipping baladi bread in the mixture.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

DENNINGVLEIS

(South Africa)

1 lb fat leg mutton

4 onions

3 to 4 cloves garlic

chillies

sugar

2 bay-leaves

some soaked tamarind

allspice

salt

Put all the ingredients into the pot at the same time, except the

tamarind and the sugar. Do not at first add any water to the

well-washed meat, which should be cut into smallish pieces. When

the denningvleis is almost cooked, add the tamarind and a little

sugar.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Cucumber Boat Stuffed With Flaked Fish Salad

(West Africa)

4 medium cucumbers.

2 cups cold flaked fish as halibut, bass, etc. (or use canned tuna or salmon)

1/2 cup celery in 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup sour cream

4 Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp. salt.

1 head lettuce

1 slice American cheese per serving

1 pimiento piece 1/2 inch x 1 1/2 inches per serving

2 or 3 tomato slices per serving

parsley sprigs

Peel 4 medium cucumbers in strips 1/2-inch apart. Cut each in half

lengthwise to give eight halves (or one half per person). Cut out

soft centers with a grapefruit knife. Chop and set aside. Cut a

strip from bottom of cucumber half so that it will rest firmly on

the plate. In a 2-quart bowl: Combine: 2 cups cold flaked fish as

halibut, bass, etc. (or use canned tuna or salmon), 1/2 cup celery

in 1/2-inch pieces and all the chopped cucumber scooped from "boats".

Blend: 1/2 cup sour cream with 4 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 Tbsp sugar

and 1/2 tsp. salt. Add to fish mixture, blend well, and chill.

Shred 1 head lettuce in long thin slivers to simulate waves".

Arrange on dinner or large salad plates. Place the cucumber boat

on the lettuce. Heap the fish mixture to fill the cucumber shells.

Cut 1 slice American cheese in half diagonally to form a "sail".

Place in the center of mixture, narrow edge upright. Cut a tiny

banner of 1 pimiento piece 1/2 inch x 1 1/2 inches and pin it to

the center of narrow side of cheese with a piece of toothpick.

Garnish around edge with 2 or 3 tomato slices and parsley sprigs.

Yield: 8 salads

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Liberian (Africa) Banana Cream of Wheat Bread

2 cups Cream of Wheat

1 Tbs sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup oil

Mix dry ingredients together. Gradually add bananas, egg, water,

and oil. Blend well. Bake in greased 8-inch by 12-inch pan for

45 minutes at 350 F. until knife stuck in center of cake comes

clean. Remove from pan and cool. Serves 4.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Bidaoui Couscous with Seven Vegetables (Morocco)

Yield: 10 servings

2 1/4 lb meat from veal knuckle or shoulder of lamb, cut in 2" pieces

2 1/4 lb onions

1 med Savoy cabbage, cut in pieces

1 cup (2 sticks) + 2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 tsp saffron threads

salt, to taste

1 Tbsp black pepper

2 1/4 lb couscous

4 to 5 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and quartered

1 3/4 lb eggplant, quartered

1 1/4 lb carrots, peeled, cut in 2" pieces

3/4 lb turnips, peeled and quartered

2 dried chiles

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3/4 lb medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 1/4 lb pumpkin, peeled and cubed

Harissa

In the bottom of the couscousiere or in a large pot, place the

meat, 2 lbs. of the onions (sliced), the cabbage, 1 stick plus 1

Tbsp. of the butter, saffron, salt and pepper. Cover with 5 1/2

quarts of water and bring to a boil over high heat.

Place the couscous in the steamer and set it over the steaming

broth. Seal the seam between the steamer and the pot with a thick

paste of flour and water so no steam can escape except through the

couscous. Reduce heat to medium, continue to steam for 30 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Pour the couscous into a large shallow dish,

pressing gently with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps. Allow

couscous to cool, then sprinkle it with about 1 cup of cold water,

allowing the grains to absorb as much as they will. Let the grains

rest for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with up to another cup of cold

water. At this point, the couscous can be set aside, covered,

until you are ready for the final steaming.

One hour before serving, return the meat and broth to a boil, lower

heat to medium, and add the tomatoes, eggplant, the remaining onions

(peeled and quartered), carrots, turnips, chiles and cilantro.

Simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate pot, cook the

potatoes and pumpkin over medium heat in a little of the broth from

the pot until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Keep warm.

After thirty minutes, taste the broth for seasoning. Return couscous

to the steamer and seal as before. Steam the couscous for 20

minutes, then remove from the heat and spread out in the large

shallow dish. Stir in the remaining butter and as much broth as

the couscous will absorb.

To serve, heap couscous in the center of a large round dish, make

a well in the center, and fill it with the meat and vegetables.

Serve remaining broth separately. Offer harissa on the side to

mix into the broth.

Note: Couscous is made most easily in a couscousiere, a special

two-part pot with a steamer on top. You can improvise your own

couscousiere using a large pot with a steamer that fits snugly into

the top: the couscous in the steamer must not touch the broth and

vegetables cooking below. Harissa, an exceedingly hot pepper sauce

sometimes served with couscous, can be found in ethnic markets or

gourmet food shops.

Category: African Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Kabyle Berber Couscous

(Algiers)

SERVES 6

1 1/2 lb. dry couscous

2 lbs. lamb, cut in pieces

1 onion, chopped

2 hot chiles (fresh)

6 oz. butter

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and then boiled for one hour

1 tablespoon paprika

1 heart of celery, cleaned and quartered

2 turnips, peeled and quartered

2 carrots, peeled and quartered

1 lb. green beans, trimmed, cleaned and chopped in half

2 zucchini, cleaned and quartered

water

Wash the couscous.

Place the lamb, onion and hot peppers in the bottom of a couscousier

and add 3 oz. butter, pepper and salt. Place on moderate heat

and cook for 10 minutes, stirring continually as meat and onions

brown. Covq ingredients with water, add chickpeas and paprika,

and continue to cook for half an hour.

Add the heart of celery, turnips and carrots to the meat and stock.

Put couscous in the top half of the couscousier, place on the stock

pot and seal. Allow to steam for half an hour after vapor begins

to rise from the entire surface of the couscous.

Remove from heat, remove the top half of the couscousier and our

the couscous into the gsaa. Break up any clumps and allow to cool;

sprinkle lightly with cold water and allow the couscous to air.

Rake it and sprinkle again with water until the grains are saturated.

Meanwhile, boil the green beans in water for 10 minutes and drain.

Check the seasoning of the stock and add water if needed. Return

the lower half of the couscousier to moderate heat and add the

zucchini.

Put the couscous in the top half of the couscousier, place it on

the lower pot and seal the two halves. Steam the couscous for

roughly 20 minutes, then put the hot couscous into the gsaa, add

the remaining 3 oz. of butter and mix well, coating the grains.

Heap the couscous into a large bowl, making a mound with a hollow

in the middle. Toss the green beans into the stock to heat, then

place the lamb and vegetables in the well, spoon some stock over

the couscous and serve with a bowl of extra stock on the side.

Category: African Recipes