Afrikan Recipes

[Olùkọ́ Ọbádélé]

African Recipes

http://www.congocookbook.com/vegetab..._dish_recipes/

Plantains in Coconut Milk

Zanzibar, off Africa's eastern coast, is called "the spice island", famous for its cloves and vanilla. Zanzibar is the center of the Swahili civilization. The Swahili word for plantains is ndizi. This Swahili dish made from plantains is a delicious accompaniment for any curry dish.

What you need
four or more plantains (they don't have to be completely ripe)
one-half teaspoon mild curry powder
one-half teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
a few cloves or a pinch of powdered cloves (optional)
salt to taste
pat of butter (optional)
one to two cups of coconut milk (canned is okay, see the note about coconut milk on the Wali wa Nazi recipe page)

What you do
Peel plantains. Cut plantains into slices, or into quarters by cutting once lengthwise and once across the middle. In a saucepan, combine all ingredients except coconut milk. Heat slowly, stir gently, and add coconut milk little by little until all is absorbed. Simmer until plantains are tender. Add a little water if necessary.

---------------
African Hot Sauce

An all-purpose hot sauce.

What you need
one dozen chile peppers (i.e., hot red peppers!)
one small sweet green pepper (or bell pepper)
one clove garlic
one medium onion
two cans tomato paste
four tablespoons vinegar
one teaspoon sugar
one teaspoon salt

What you do
Remove stems and seeds from peppers. -- Careful! Wear kitchen gloves! Do NOT touch your eyes or face while handling hot peppers! Wash your hands with soap and water after you have handled hot peppers -- Grind hot peppers, green pepper, garlic, and onion (or use food processor). Combine all ingredients in sauce pan. Simmer for an hour or two. Add cayenne pepper if desired. Put in jars and refrigerate.


Serve with everything.
---------------
Fried Plantains

What you need
oil
plantains, one per serving (plantains can be cooked while they are unripened and green)
salt or African Hot Sauce

What you do
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.
---------------
from: Western Africa | cooking method: boiling-simmering
Red-Red

Red-Red, a popular dish in Ghana made from cowpeas (black-eyed peas), might be named for the combination of red pepper and red palm oil. The Red-Red cowpeas stew is usually served with Fried Plantains.

What you need
two to three cups dried cowpeas (black-eyed peas) or similar
one cup red palm oil (or vegetable oil)
one or two onions, thinly sliced
two or three ripe tomatoes, quartered
one or two bouillon cubes or Maggi® cubes (optional) -- or -- small piece of smoked or dried fish and/or one spoonful shrimp powder
cayenne pepper or red pepper
salt and black pepper
several ripe or near-ripe plantains (but not overly ripe)

What you do
Clean the black-eyed peas in water in a large pot. Soak them in water for at least an hour or overnight. After soaking them, rub them together between your hands to remove the skins. Rinse to wash away the skins and any other debris. Drain them in a colander. If using smoked or dried fish: remove bones and skin, rinse and soak in water, then dry. If using dried shrimp: grind the shrimp (or obtain already ground or powdered shrimp).


Place the black-eyed peas iIn a large pot, fill with water to just cover the peas. Bring to a slow boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the peas are tender, thirty minutes to an hour. When cooked, the peas should be moist, but not standing in water.


While peas are cooking: Heat oil in a skillet. Fry the onions until slightly browned, then add tomatoes, and fish and dried shrimp (if desired). Mash and stir the mixture to form a sauce.


Stir the onion-tomato mixture into the black-eyed peas. Add buillon or Maggi cubes (if not using fish or shrimp). SImmer for ten minutes. Add salt, black pepper, and cayenne or red pepper to taste.


While peas and sauce is simmering: Prepare Fried Plantains.


Serve peas and plantains side by side on a plate.

Maybe you would like some Kelewele, instead of plain fried plantains.
---------------
from: Western Africa | cooking method: deep frying
Kelewele (Spicy Fried Plantains)

Kelewele (Kele-wele) are flavorful fried plantain cubes. Simple to make, kelewele are plantain cubes, sprinkled with spices, and fried in hot oil. Kelewele are often sold by African street vendors. Originally from Ghana, kelewele have been popularized in America by several Kwanzaa books and websites.

What you need
four to six plantain bananas; ripe, but not past ripe, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes
one-half teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper
one-half teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger root
one teaspoon salt
two tablespoons water
palm oil or vegetable oil for frying

What you do
Grind together grated ginger root, pepper, and salt, then mix with water.


In a glass bowl toss together the plantain cubes and spice mixture.


In a deep skillet, heat oil (just deep enough to allow plantains to float) to 350 degrees F. Fry plantains, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. (Don't try to fry them all at once; they should not touch each other while frying.)


Drain on absorbent paper, keep in warmed oven until all the plantains are fried. Serve kelewele immediately.



Fresh ginger, cayenne pepper, and salt seem to be the most typical combination of spices used to make kelewele. Some recipes get a little fancier and add ground cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, chili powder, or red pepper flakes. Some replace the water with lemon juice; others use no liquid at all and call for the plantains to be tossed in the dry spices. Letting the plantains marinate in the spice mixture for ten or twenty minutes is also recommended by some.

Kelewele go well with Red-Red.
---------------
from: Western Africa | cooking method: boiling-simmering
Palm-Oil Chop

"The Negroes cook uniformly very well, and at moments are inspired in the direction of palm-oil chop and fish cooking." wrote Mary Henrietta Kingsley in 1896 (in Travels in West Africa; note that Kingsley uses the word Negro to refer to the peoples of Western Africa; and Bantu to refer to Central African peoples.) Palm-Oil Chop is a traditional dish from Western Africa (one of many African palm oil dishes) that is prepared for big dinners and family celebrations. Part of the fun is letting diners add their choice of garnishes and accompaniments. Like many African recipes, it is very easy to adapt to whatever is on hand. See also: Palm Butter.

What you need
palm oil (or other cooking oil if canned palm soup base is used)
two or three pounds of chicken, cut into serving-sized or bite-sized pieces
one pound of stew beef, cut into bite-sized pieces, (optional)
one-half teaspoon ground ginger or one-half teaspoon ground cinnamon
Vegetables
tomatoes, chopped
onion, finely chopped
chile pepper, finely chopped
okra, sliced
sweet green pepper (or bell pepper), chopped
shrimp or prawns (or dried shrimp or dried prawns)
a few spoonfuls of tomato paste
one-half cup canned palm soup base, available at international grocery stores or African import stores (optional if palm oil is used)
one-half teaspoon thyme
salt, cayenne pepper or red pepper, black pepper (to taste)

What you do
Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven over high heat. Fry the chicken and beef until browned on the outside. Add ginger (or cinnamon) as the meat is frying. (It might be best to fry the meat in two or three batches; meat browns best when the pieces are fried without touching one another.) Set the meat aside after it is browned.


Fry vegetables of your choice in the same pot, reduce heat and simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes. Stir vigorously to partially mash the vegetables.


Add prawns, tomato paste, palm soup base, thyme, spices. Stir. Add enough water to make a smooth sauce while continuing to stir. Reduce heat. Simmer for an additional five to ten minutes.


Add the chicken and meat and simmer for an additional thirty minutes to an hour or more, stirring regularly. Make sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Some people prefer to remove some of the red oil which separates from the palm fruit as it cooked; if it is not removed it should be stirred into the sauce.


Serve with Rice and garnishes. Diners should get a plate of Chop over rice and should add garnishes (below) of their choice right on top.
Garnishes
hard-boiled eggs (everyone must have a hard-boiled egg)
sliced boiled yam or sweet potato
breadcrumbs or croutons
sliced fruit: such as banana, mango, orange, papaya, pineapple, etc.
shredded lettuce
parsley
chopped nuts
shredded coconut
sliced tomato
sliced onion: raw or fried
chile peppers
chutney
African Hot Sauce
salt, black pepper, red pepper


Serve Ginger Beer or Green Tea with Mint with or after the meal.


After-chop: Fruit Salad.

It is the palm oil that gives this dish its flavor and distinctive red coloring. If palm oil is not used, then canned Palm Soup Base (also called Sauce Graine, Noix de Palme, or Cream of Palm Fruits) should be used. As a last resort, using regular oil with some paprika will at least get the color right. Palm oil and canned Palm Soup Base are available in international grocery stores and African import stores. Palm Butter, Poulet Nyembwe, Mwambé, and Okra and Greens are other African recipes that use palm oil or canned Palm Soup base. Groundnut Stew is a similar recipe made with peanuts (or peanut butter) instead of palm oil and palm nuts (or canned palm soup base).
---------------
from: Western Africa
Ginger Beer

Home-made non-alcoholic ginger drinks are common throughout Africa, often sold in shops run by West Africans. This ginger drink should be much stronger than any ginger ale soda. It can be enjoyed chilled over ice, or diluted with cold water.

What you need
three or four large fresh ginger roots (not ground ginger)
juice of two limes (or similar amount of lemon, pineapple, or grapefruit juice)
one cup sugar
a few whole cloves or a cinnamon stick (optional)
water

What you do
Carefully remove and discard the ginger root's outer layer. Pound the ginger root to a pulp and place in a large ovenproof glass mixing bowl or stainless steel container.


In a teakettle heat six cups of water to a boil. Pour water over the ginger, cover with a lid or a clean cloth. Put the mixture in a warm place. A sunny spot on a tabletop in front of a window is a good place on a hot day; an oven that has been slightly heated then turned off is a good place on a cold day. Wait one hour.


Place a clean cheesecloth or a paper towel in a strainer and pour the the mixture through it into a large jar or pitcher (or two jars or pitchers as necessary). Squeeze the cloth to extract all the liquid from the ginger root. Mix in the citrus juice, sugar, and spices. Fill the jar with lukewarm water to make a gallon. Return the mixture to a warm spot and wait another hour.


Strain the ginger beer once more and refrigerate until chilled. Serve over ice.


Serve with dishes from Western Africa.

[imkeedy]

Medase pa!!! These are great recipes. I might have to make the kelewele (super yummy) for Kwanzaa!!!

Medase pa!
Afia Keedy