Author: Food of Africa

Categories
Cassava

Fried Cassava

Fried Cassava recipe

step 1: Buy two Cassava roots in your local store.

step 2: make sure to peel and wash them good before use.

step 3: Cut the cassava roots in half and cut long thick sticks out of them in the shape of thick french fries.

step 4: Now brush the sticks with peanut oil or any other oil and sprinkle with a bit of salt and peper.

step 5: heat up some peanut oil in a big pan and fry the cassave sticks until they are soft and colorful.

step 6: now they are ready to be served as quick fastfood or as a side dish to any of the african food mentioned on this website.

african fried cassava recipe food of africa

 

Categories
african chicken Senegalese Food

Chicken Yassa

Poulet Yassa

Poulet Yassa, french for Chicken Yassa is one of the delicious Poulet Yassa Chicken recipe Senegal foodSenegalese dishes which originaly came from the Casmance region. Chicken Yassa is now eaten in the whole region of West Africa and is becoming also more and more popular outside the continent. The chicken marinated with a sauce made of mostly onions and mustard has a unique taste and gives the Poulet Yassa the delicious fusion flavors of Senegal.  Chicken Yassa is either served with Rice or Sweet Potato. The following recipe is for around 4 to 6 people.

The Ingredients for Chicken Yassa

poulet yassa chicken ingredients senegal

French mustard (strong) 1 dried chili 8 onions
2 cubes of chicken stock 1 small chicken (1-2 KG) peanut oil
Peper and salt 1 cup of water Lemon juice or 4 squished lemons

 

Recipe for Chicken Yassa from Senegal

step 1 : marinade the chicken

The best way to do is to marinade the chicken one day before. Make the marinade sauce by mixing 2 tablespoons French mustard with 4 tablespoons of peanut oil and 6 tablespoons of lemon juice. Cut the chicken into smaller pieces and use ¾ of the mix to marinade the chicken. Keep the rest of the marinade for the next day.  Now let the chicken rest in the fridge for a day (if you don’t have a day then let it rest 3 hours at least)

Step 2: Onions in Marinade

Cut the 8 onions in large pieces and mix them with the rest of the marinade

Step 3: fry the chicken

Put 2 tablespoons of peanut oil in a large pan and heat it up. Now fry the chicken on high heat so it will turn brown quickly.

Step 4: add the Onions

Once fried turn the fire on low heat and add the onions and the rest of the marinade and cook for around 10 min.

Step 5: add the rest and cook for 45 minutes

Once the onions are soft you should add the chicken stock cubes and 2 cups of waters and  soften, add the chicken pieces, stock cubes, 2 cups of water and the dried chili. Now cook for around 45 minutes while stirring occasionally. Taste with a spoon to see if extra salt or pepper is needed.

Step 6 : Serve the chicken Yassa with Rice or Sweet Potato

You can serve the rice with either cooked white rice (most common) or Sweet Potato. Enjoy the delicious taste of your homemade Poulet Yassa from Senegal.

Categories
Senegalese Food

Thieboudienne

The dish of Senegal: Thieboudiennerecipe for thieboudienne from senegal

Thieboudienne or Ceebu jën, which means rice and fish in Wolof, is the most famous dish of Senegal and can be considered its national dish. Its main ingredients are rice, fish and tomato sauce. Thieboudienne can alsobe  found in neighboring countries such as Mauritania and Gambia. The origin of this dish is commonly attributed to the city of St. Louis, where in the nineteenth century a variant called Thieboudiene Penda Mbaye was prepared. The rice is called “riz graz” in Cote d’ Ivoire , Guinea and other countries of French West Africa but is also similar to the Jollof Rice of Nigeria and Ghana.The realization of the recipe Thieboudienne will take time but it is worth it because the result is too delicious.

How to make Thieboudienne recipe?

The following recipe for Thieboudienne is meant for 4 persons. Adapt the ingredients to the number of people.

Preparations Time : 30 min

Cooking time : 1h

ingredients:

3 cups of rice ( broken rice)
4 large pieces of fish (of your own choice)
3 fresh tomatoes, mashed
3 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 bunch of parsley, crushed
1 large carrot , peeled and cut into medium pieces
2 potatoes , peeled and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 small eggplants, facultitatif
1 small cabbage, cut into 4 pieces
200ml peanut oil
2 bouillon cube or Maggi cube
4 bay leaves
4 peppers,
1 table spoon of black pepper
salt
6 small okra
1 tablespoon of Yété , optional
1 tablespoons nététou (if available)
1.5l hot water

You can also add 1 sweet cassava , 1 sweet potato , a little smoked fish

Preparation of Thieboudienne (Wolof Rice)

Step 1: Prepare the stuffing for fish :

Mix the parsley, half the garlic , a little pepper , add salt and half a Maggi . Directory you can loot in a mortar or use a food processor.
Then put the mixture into the fish pieces .

Step 2: Make the tomato sauce .

Heat oil , add onions , tomatoes, tomato paste , the remaining black pepper garlic. Then fry for 15 minutes over medium heat.

Then add the fish in tomato sauce.

Add the bouillon cube (or Maggi ), with bay leaves and 1 cup of water.

Then simmer until the fish pieces are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Step 3 : Remove the fish and add vegetables

Remove the fish pieces and add all the vegetables except okra with 1 cup of water and cook the vegetables until they are cooked ( 25-30 min) .

You must ensure that the vegetables are ready before removing them, but make sure not to overcook.
Then remove the vegetables and add the okra with water.

Step 4: Cook the Rice

After 5 min remove the okra and add the rice.

Cook the rice over low heat , turning often so that all sides are cooked well .

Step 5 : serve

When the rice is cooked well its ready for serving. place the rice in a nice dish and arrange the vegetables and fish on top.

Bon Appetit ! !

Categories
Zimbabwean food

Sadza

Sadza from Zimbabwe

Sadza is the shona word to describe a thickened porridge prepared from any grain and therefore similar to the Ugali of Eastern Africa and Fufu of West Africa.  The most commonly used ingredient for sadza is white maize meal, but if not available you can also use any other farina or corn meal. However most Ethnic food stores (African, Asian or Caribbean) will sell white maize Mealie-Meal.  Sadza is a stapplefood in Zimbabwe and can be accompanied withsadza zimbabwe food how to make zimbabwean sadza cook both meat stews or just vegetables. The Shona people of Zimbabwe traditionaly do not eat meat daily and therefore the accompanying of Sadza with a meat stew is considered a real treat. Tradtional families might just serve sadza with one of the local vegetables. If you happen to visit a zimbabwean family and you will get served a delicious meal including meat you should consider yourself luckely since this is a sign of respect and importance of the guest. Because of the wide use of Sadza in most zimbabwean dishes, the word is even used to describe the meal itself and in combination with other Shona words it can mean either Lunch or dinner. The best way to enjoy Sadza is visiting a traditional zimbabwean family. However it’s also nice to try to cook this African dish yourself. Traditionally, sadza is cooked in a clay or cast iron pot on an open fire, but its also easy to make in your own house on a normal stove. Follow the easy instructions in this recipe carefully to make this delicious zimbabwean staple food and check out other recipes for zimbabwean stews to serve with Sadza.

Ingredients for Sadza

The only neccesairy ingredient for Sadza is white maize meal (if not available any other farina or corn meal will do)

How to make Sadza

This recipe is for Sadza as a side dish for about five people. If you have less or more eaters adjust the quantities below to your own calculations, however you can never have more then enough Sadza.

  • First Step:  Boil 1 gallon (4 liters) of water.
  • Second step: put five cups of white maize meal in a sauce pan and add cold water to soak the meal.
  • Third step: After the white maize meal is completely soaked one should add a little more water to stir the mixture with a thick stick (or a big wooden spoon).
  • Fourth step: Put the fire of the sauce pan on medium heat and while stirring  the mixture add the boiling water slowely and keep stirring in a constant way. Make sure the mixture doesn’t stick to the pan.
  • fifth step: during the heating the maize meal will become smoother and becomes like a smooth porridge. let it boil while constantly stiring the mixture
  • sixth step: Now let it boil for 5 minutes and add more maize meal flower.

How to eat the Sadza

Sadza is finger food. However the first time around you may wish to use a spoon until you have had a chance to observe an experienced person eat with their hands – it is quite and art! Wash your hand well in a bowl of clean water. Using your right hand (Shona: rudyi -lit. ‘the one used to eat’) partition a small chunk of sadza and mold it into a little round or oval ball of sadza called “musuwa we sadza” in your palm. Be careful not to burn yourself. Dip (Sh: tonha) it in the soup (Sh: muto) and bite off and eat a sizable chunk. Re-mold the remainder of your sadza in your palm and continue the process. Use your fingers to pick up and eat chunks of chicken or beef. Enjoy!

Sadza is normally shared by several people all eating from the same plate and bowl sitting in a circle on the floor. This environment provides amble opportunity to learn sharing as one has to pace themselves accordingly while eating with others. It is particularly interesting to watch children of different ages eat from the same servings. The older children, who may be capable of eating very quickly and consume most of food at the expense of younger slower kids. They will either pace themselves at the rate of younger children or consume a fair portion but leave enough food for the younger children to finish at their own pace – a tremendous way to instill sharing and responsibility.

 

Categories
Zimbabwean food

Peanut butter Rice

Ingredients for Zimbabwean Peanut butter Rice

2cups long grain rice or brown rice

3 cups water

Salt to taste

1 tbsp cooking oil

3 to 4 tbsp peanut butter

The quick recipe for peanut butter rice from zimbabwe

  1. Put rice in a pot and add water
  2. Add salt and oil and cook as normal till all the water is finished
  3. Fluff the rice with a fork.
  4. Add peanut butter and mix with a spoon. The rice should be a bit sticky in appearance
  5. Add more peanut butter according to your taste as needed
Categories
Kenyan food

chapati

The recipe for kenyan Chapati

recipe for kenyan chapati east africaChapati is an original indian stapple food which is also really popular in east-africa (Kenya, Tanzania etc.) and is part of many african dishes. Many kenyan or other african stews can be eaten with this delicious flatbread.

Ingredients for the best chapati from Kenya

  • 3 cups white flour, plus a bit extra to dust the counter top
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup luke-warm water
  • vegetable oil

How to make your own kenyan chapati

  1. Combine the flour, salt and 2tbsp oil in a large bowl

(You can add 0.5 tsp of sugar if you want to sweeten it a bit)

  1. Add water slowly over time and mix with your hands until well combined

If the dough is too wet or too dry, add a bit more water or flour as needed.

  1. Knead for 10 minutes ( the dough should not stick to the bowl, otherwise add a bit more flour)
  2. Leave the dough to rest for 1hr, covered with a damp cloth
  3. Preheat a large frying pan/ skillet and brush the surface with 1 tablespoon of oil
  4. Divide the dough into 10 equal balls.
  5. Dust work surface with flour and flatten the balls slightly between the palms of your hands , then place one onto a floured board and roll into large flat and round very thin sheets
  6. Lay the rolled sheet on the griddle or pan and cook for about 30-60 seconds or until the surface is bubbling.
  7. Turn it over with tongs and cook the other side for 30 seconds or until brown spots appear.
  8. Repeat with the remaining balls flouring the board when necessary
  9. Stack the cooked chapatis on a warm plate and cover with a plate or foil to keep them warm

 

Categories
Nigerian food

Asaro (Yam Porridge)

Nigeria’s Asaro: Mashed yam with spices

Asaro is one of the most delicous foods coming from Nigeria. nigeria mashed yam asaro porridge how to cook itAlthough it’s mostly known as a porridge (there for the english name Yam porridge) one could compare it more to mashed potatoes, but then of course it are mashed yams. Instead of just serving plane mashed yam the nigerians add all these delicious species and ingredients to come up with this delicious dish which originally comes from the Yoruba people of Nigeria, but is now eaten all over the country and beyond.

The ingredients for Nigerian Yam Porridge

  • 1 tube of yam
  • 1 large onion
  • 2/3 cloves of garlic
  • 2 large red bell peppers
  • 1 scotch bonnet chilli
  • 2 large tomatoes
  • 1 tsp powdered ginger/ 1.5 tsp grated ginger
  • 1 tsp Curry powder
  • 3 maggi cubes
  • 1 teaspoon all purpose seasoning
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 cups water
  • 0.5 cup palm oil

 How to cook Asaro Yam from Nigeria?

  1. Peel the yam and cut it into small cubes (2cm2) and leave it soaked in cold water
  2. Cut the onions, tomatoes chillis and bell peppers into small pieces

Alternatively blend it with a machine

  1. Add the cubed yam to a sizeable pot and add water to cover the yam. Cook on medium to high heat for 15mins
  2. Add the onions, tomatoes chillis, bell peppers and the remaining ingredients
  3. Stir to combine then re-cover the pot. Continue boiling for 5 minutes then reduce to a simmer
  4. When the yam is soft, partly mash to aid thickening (do not mash all the yam soft, leave some lumpy)
  5. Add salt to taste if needed and it’s ready to be served

 “Yoo gba ibi re” or “enjoy your dinner”

Variations of Asaro with Fish and Plantains

  • Add ground crayfish or smoked fish on step 4
  • Or add diced (1cm2) ripe yellow plantains on step 5 when you reduce the heat to simmer
Categories
Zimbabwean food

mopane worms

Mopane worms, also know madora or amacimbi is an african food from zimbabwe. although it doesn’t look that tasty it’s really nice zimbabwean dish!

 

zimbabwean mopane worms recipe

1 cup mopane worms

half an onion

1 tomato

1 large maggi/ knorr cube

1tbsp cooking oil

*optional: 2tbsp cream or 2tbsp peanut butter

 

  1. Soak the mopane worms in boiling water for 2 hours or in cold water overnight.
  2. drain and put the mopane worms in a pot and cover with water. bring to the boil and let the water dry out
  3. Meanwhile, chop the onions and tomatoes into small pieces
  4. When water dries out, add the oil, tomatoes, onions and maggi and fry for 5mins or till cooked
  5. Optional: * add cream or peanut butter and cook for further 30 seconds
  6. Serve with sadza