The Passionate Foodie
Last week we discussed a little about the African continent and the distribution of the various ethnic tribes and their recipes. This week we continue with some recipes from more regions in Africa.
African Influences
Ethiopia – Eritrea - Sudan
Slaves came to the Caribbean from Africa, almost everyone knows that, but few realize that these slaves were not just any old group of, collectively, ‘black-skinned people’. Few people realize that these slaves were forced into groups and sold off alongside other slaves who were traditionally their tribe’s arch enemies. The largest difference amongst them all was that they did not speak one another’s language never mind the fact that they did not all cook and eat the same sort of dishes. These folk came from a great variety of ethnic groups or tribes, many of them were Bantu who were, for the most part, subsistence farmers. Other slaves were foragers/hunters, others were farmers and yet still others were/are nomadic herders.
Looking at the various cultural dishes that originated with those who came from Africa it is interesting to note that the English island dishes are a little different to the Dutch or French islands. This is because the groups of peoples originated in different areas.
Generally the women of Sub-Saharan Africa do most of the work related to food. This includes work on the "shambas" (cultivated fields), such as planting, weeding, harvesting, as well as cooking and serving the food.
Most Africans that were transported to the Caribbean came from Western and Central and East Africa. Some were captured from the region that is now Malawi, South East Africa; no slaves were captured and transported as far south as South Africa.
Peanuts crop up in recipes across the African continent.
Lamb Soup from Sudan
This is a most interesting soup. Pureed lamb with peanut butter and lemon. The Sudanese usually add rice.
In a 6-quart saucepan simmer:
3LBS meaty lamb bones with 2 tsp. salt in 2 quarts water for one hour.
Add:
1/2 LB. whole peeled medium sized onions
1/2 LB carrots, peeled and cut in chunks
1/2 LB cabbage cut in small wedges
1/2 LB string beans, trimmed
2 - 3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
Simmer for 1 hour until vegetables are thoroughly cooked.
Remove lamb bones and put the mixture through a sieve or food mill or process
Add:
4 Tbs. peanut butter thinned with juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup cooked rice (optional).
Correct the seasoning with salt, pepper.
Serve in soup bowls, about 1 cup per portion. (A little finely chopped cooked lamb meat makes a wonderful garnish)
Lentils from Ethiopia
1 pound lentils
6 cups water or vegetable broth
2 red onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic minced or more
2 tablespoons Berbere Spice Mix
6 cups mild green chilies roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped,
or
1 bell pepper chopped + 14-oz can chopped green chilies
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Bring lentils and broth to boil and simmer 10 minutes.
2. Add chilies, onion, garlic, and Berbere spices. Cook covered for another 30 minutes, until most of liquid is absorbed.
3. Serve with ground black pepper to taste.
For a vegetarian meal, these lentils are good with a dollop of yogurt, brown rice and sliced tomatoes.
Berbere: A spice mixture whose ingredients usually include chili peppers, ginger, cloves, coriander, allspice, rue berries, and ajwain It is a key ingredient in the cuisines of Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek
1 1/4 cups cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 cup paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Directions:
In a heavy saucepan, toast the following ground spices together over a low heat for 4 to 5 minutes: ginger, cardamom, coriander, fenugreek, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and allspice.
Shake or stir to prevent burning.
Add the salt, cayenne pepper, paprika and fresh ground black pepper and continue toasting and stirring for 10 to 15 more minutes.
Cool and store in tightly covered glass jar
Last week we discussed a little about the African continent and the distribution of the various ethnic tribes and their recipes. This week we continue with some recipes from more regions in Africa.
African Influences
Ethiopia – Eritrea - Sudan
Slaves came to the Caribbean from Africa, almost everyone knows that, but few realize that these slaves were not just any old group of, collectively, ‘black-skinned people’. Few people realize that these slaves were forced into groups and sold off alongside other slaves who were traditionally their tribe’s arch enemies. The largest difference amongst them all was that they did not speak one another’s language never mind the fact that they did not all cook and eat the same sort of dishes. These folk came from a great variety of ethnic groups or tribes, many of them were Bantu who were, for the most part, subsistence farmers. Other slaves were foragers/hunters, others were farmers and yet still others were/are nomadic herders.
Looking at the various cultural dishes that originated with those who came from Africa it is interesting to note that the English island dishes are a little different to the Dutch or French islands. This is because the groups of peoples originated in different areas.
Generally the women of Sub-Saharan Africa do most of the work related to food. This includes work on the "shambas" (cultivated fields), such as planting, weeding, harvesting, as well as cooking and serving the food.
Most Africans that were transported to the Caribbean came from Western and Central and East Africa. Some were captured from the region that is now Malawi, South East Africa; no slaves were captured and transported as far south as South Africa.
Peanuts crop up in recipes across the African continent.
Lamb Soup from Sudan
This is a most interesting soup. Pureed lamb with peanut butter and lemon. The Sudanese usually add rice.
In a 6-quart saucepan simmer:
3LBS meaty lamb bones with 2 tsp. salt in 2 quarts water for one hour.
Add:
1/2 LB. whole peeled medium sized onions
1/2 LB carrots, peeled and cut in chunks
1/2 LB cabbage cut in small wedges
1/2 LB string beans, trimmed
2 - 3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
Simmer for 1 hour until vegetables are thoroughly cooked.
Remove lamb bones and put the mixture through a sieve or food mill or process
Add:
4 Tbs. peanut butter thinned with juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup cooked rice (optional).
Correct the seasoning with salt, pepper.
Serve in soup bowls, about 1 cup per portion. (A little finely chopped cooked lamb meat makes a wonderful garnish)
Lentils from Ethiopia
1 pound lentils
6 cups water or vegetable broth
2 red onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic minced or more
2 tablespoons Berbere Spice Mix
6 cups mild green chilies roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped,
or
1 bell pepper chopped + 14-oz can chopped green chilies
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Bring lentils and broth to boil and simmer 10 minutes.
2. Add chilies, onion, garlic, and Berbere spices. Cook covered for another 30 minutes, until most of liquid is absorbed.
3. Serve with ground black pepper to taste.
For a vegetarian meal, these lentils are good with a dollop of yogurt, brown rice and sliced tomatoes.
Berbere: A spice mixture whose ingredients usually include chili peppers, ginger, cloves, coriander, allspice, rue berries, and ajwain It is a key ingredient in the cuisines of Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek
1 1/4 cups cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 cup paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Directions:
In a heavy saucepan, toast the following ground spices together over a low heat for 4 to 5 minutes: ginger, cardamom, coriander, fenugreek, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and allspice.
Shake or stir to prevent burning.
Add the salt, cayenne pepper, paprika and fresh ground black pepper and continue toasting and stirring for 10 to 15 more minutes.
Cool and store in tightly covered glass jar