Recipes - African

Doro Wat

Ingredients     
3 lb chicken pieces, cut into pieces
1/3 cup butter
1 large clove garlic, minced
3 oz. tomato paste
1 tsp Spice Appeal BERBERE
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 onions, chopped
1 hard boiled egg per person
salt to taste
      
Description     
Melt butter in large pot. In a large Dutch Kettle, saute the onions and garlic for 5 minutes over medium heat until transparent, and then over a higher heat, searing them until caramelized and brown. Add berbere, and then the tomato paste. Simmer 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken one piece at a time, stirring so the chicken gets well coated. Simmer about 20 minutes.

Take out some liquid, stir the peanut butter into the liquid, and then return all to the pot. Stir. Lightly score the eggs, and gently place in the pot. Cover and continue cooking until chicken is done.

..............
    


Zanzibar Pilaf

Ingredients     
½ tsp Spice Appeal CUMIN SEED, Whole
½ tsp Spice Appeal TELLICHERRY BLACK PEPPERCORNS
Several Spice Appeal CLOVES, Whole
1 Spice Appeal CEYLON CINNAMON, Whole
2-3 Spice Appeal BLACK CARDAMON POD, Whole
oil for frying
several cloves of garlic
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
3 cups of rice (uncooked)
2-4 onions, chopped
1-2 lbs of meat (beef, chicken, mutton, fish, shrimp, or prawns), cut into bite-sized pieces
2-4 tomatoes, chopped (or canned tomatoes)
2-4 potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
1 apple, peeled and cut into slices (optional)
1 cup raisins or sultanas (optional)
      
Description     
Combine cumin, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom in a teacup, cover with warm water, stir, and set aside. (Cooking tip: The spices can be tied up in a small sack, like a tea bag, or can be put into a tea infuser before being placed in the warm water. This avoids having whole spices in the dish when it is served.)
Pound the garlic and ginger together and set aside. Wash the rice, drain, and set aside.

Heat oil in deep pot. Fry onions until clear. Stir. Add garlic and ginger. Continue stirring and frying until the flavors have mixed -- it should develop a nice aroma.

Add the meat, stir and cook over high heat until meat is browned on the outside. Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes. Remove the meat and most of the onions, and set them aside. Add the rice and stir it thoroughly to coat each grain of rice with the oil. Add the spices and water. Stir. Wait five minutes. Add the tomatoes. Cover and simmer for a few minutes. Stir occasionally.

Check every few minutes to see if more water is needed and add water (or broth) as necessary. Stir as liquid is added. After ten minutes add the potatoes (and/or the optional apples or raisins) and the meat and onions. Keep covered, keep checking, add water if bottom of pot is dry. Continue cooking over low heat for ten more minutes.

Remove pot from stove, keep covered. Place entire pot in warm oven for an additional ten to twenty minutes. All moisture should be absorbed by rice and potatoes should be tender. Serve hot. 

..............
    


Tangine Chicken with Olives
 
Ingredients     
2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
olive oil (or any oil) for pan-frying chicken and mixing marinade
1-2 chickens, cut into serving sized pieces; or similar amount of chicken breasts
¼ tsp Spice Appeal BLACK PEPPER, Ground
¼ tsp Spice Appeal GINGER, Ground
pinch of Spice Appeal KASHMIR SAFFRON
1 tsp Spice Appeal CUMIN, Ground
1 tsp Spice Appeal TUMERIC, Ground
1 stick of Spice Appeal CEYLON CINNAMON, Whole
1 tsp Spice Appeal CORIANDER, Ground
2 onions, finely chopped
2 cups chicken broth or stock (or water)
1 cup green olives
salt, to taste
     
Description     
Mix the garlic, some black pepper, and a spoonful of oil. Rub the chicken with the mixture and set aside for a few hours or overnight.

Heat the oil in a large dutch oven (or tagine cooking pot, if you have one). Fry the chicken until all sides begin to brown. Add spices. (The black pepper, ginger, and saffron are most typical. If you have no saffron, consider one or two of the optional spices, which can be added according to you liking.) Add onions. Stir-fry over high heat for a few minutes.

Add chicken broth, stock, or water. Bring to broil. Reduce heat. Cover, but leave a crack for steam to escape. Simmer over low heat for thirty minutes or more.

Add olives and preserved lemons. Add salt and adjust seasoning. Continue to simmer. Remove chicken and set aside. If necessary, bring sauce to boil, stirring continuously, until thickened.

Serve chicken, covered with sauce, over Couscous or Rice. Have Green Tea with Mint with or after the meal.

..............
    

African Conky
 
Ingredients     
8 oz Grated Sweet Potato
4 oz Raw cane sugar
¾ cup Coconut milk
½ tsp Spice Appeal CINNAMON, Ground
4–5 Drops vanilla essence
3 oz raisins
1 Tbsp Spice Appeal WEST AFRICAN BIRD PEPPER
      
Description     
Mix together the grated sweet potato and the sugar in a bowl. Pour in the coconut milk and stir well to produce a smooth consistency. Flavor with ground cinnamon and vanilla essence and stir in raisins and peppers. Drop the mixture in heaped tablespoons onto 6-inch squares of banana leaf. Fold the banana leaves to make parcels of the mixture and tie with cord or strips of babana barkl.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the conky parcels in the boiling water for 1 hour. At the end of the cooking time carefully remove the banana folds and serve the conky hot. 

..............
    


Dynamite Madagascar Sauce
 
Ingredients     
12 Spice Appeal CHIPOTLE CHILE, Whole , crushed or chopped coarsely
3 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
3 Tbsp fresh garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
¼ cup tomato paste
1 cup white vinegar
2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
      
Description     
Mix all ingredients together in a pan. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, cool, puree in a blender, and place the sauce in a small jar. It keeps for up to a year in the refrigerator. 

..............
    


Biriani
 
Ingredients     
1 unripe papaya; peeled, seeded, and grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and crushed
2-3 lbs of meat (mutton, beef, goat, or chicken), cut into serving-sized pieces
2 cups buttermilk or plain yogurt
juice of two limes
oil for frying
4-6 onions, sliced
4-6 potatoes, sliced
Spice Appeal Spices:
½ tsp Spice Appeal CARDAMON SEED, Ground
4 Spice Appeal CLOVES, Whole
1 Spice Appeal CEYLON CINNAMON, Whole
½ tsp Spice Appeal CUMIN SEED, Whole
½ tsp Spice Appeal CORIANDER, Whole
½ tsp Spice Appeal TELLICHERRY BLACK PEPPERCORNS a few pinches of salt

2-3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
small can tomato paste
3-4 cups of rice
      
Description     
Grind together the papaya, garlic, and ginger, mixing them into a paste. Place the mixture into a large pot and add the meat, buttermilk (or yogurt), and lime juice. Cover and begin to cook over a low heat, stirring regularly.

Heat oil in a large skillet. Fry the onions in hot oil. When onions are browned, remove them from the skillet and set aside. Fry the potatoes in the same oil. When browned, remove the potatoes and set them aside. Keep oil in skillet.

Grind together all the spices (or whichever ones you have) and add them to the meat mixture. Stir. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and a few spoonfuls of oil from the skillet. Stir and continue to cook over low heat. Add warm water if sauce becomes to thick.

Cook rice in the usual way. (One part rice to two parts water, with a little of the oil from the skillet.) The meat should be done by the time the rice is cooked. Pre-heat oven to medium heat.

Line the edges of a large baking dish with the fried potatoes (save some of the potatoes for the top). Cover the bottom of the baking dish with a third of the cooked rice. Pour most of the meat mixture over the rice. (Save some of the meat mixture, keep it warm, and serve it with the biriani at the table.) Carefully cover the meat with a second layer of rice. Place the onions (but save a few onions for the top) over the second layer of rice. Cover the onions with the third layer of rice. Place the remaining potatoes and onions on the top. Bake this in a medium oven for twenty to thirty minutes.

..............
    


Kahawa (African Coffee)

Ingredients     
1 quart of cold water
seeds from one or two Spice Appeal BLACK CARDAMON POD, Whole
3 Tbsp freshly ground coffee beans
¼ tsp Spice Appeal CARDAMON SEED, Ground
¼ tsp Spice Appeal GINGER, Ground
      
Description     
Either method can be used:
Method 1. In a saucepan combine all ingredients. (Just water, cardamom seeds, and coffee for the basic brew.) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and maintain at a low boil for ten to fifteen minutes.
Method 2. Bring water and cardamom seeds to a boil. Keep on a low boil for ten minutes. Add coffee. Simmer for five minutes more. Add ground cardamom and ginger (if desired).
Pour through a strainer into a coffeepot and serve hot.
Another African country famous for its coffee tradition is Sudan, where the Guhwah (coffee) is served from a Jebena, a special coffeepot. The secret to preparing Guhwah is to toast the ground coffee in a pan with the spices (usually cloves, among others) before brewing.

..............
    


West African Paella
 
Ingredients     
1 whole chicken, cut up into pieces
6 Medium onions, chopped
6 Green bell peppers, chopped
1 lb Shrimp
¾ cup carrots, chopped
¾ cup Stringbeans, broken into pieces
¾ cup Peas
6 Tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp Salt
½ tsp Spice Appeal BLACK PEPPER, Ground
1 tsp Spice Appeal TYME
3 cups rice
4 cups water
¼ cup tomato paste
Oil, for frying
1½ tsp Spice Appeal WEST AFRICAN BIRD PEPPER
      
Description     
Use a heavy pot or a large cast iron skillet to discourage burning. Stirring often is the key to success with this dish. Use a large wooden spoon. Cover the pot tightly.

Skin, debone and chop the chicken into 1 inch square pieces. In a heavey pot, large enough to hold everything, brown the chicken in oil. Add onions and peppers. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, sauté the shrimp in a small amount of oil and precook the carrots, beans, and peas (or other vegetables of your choice) until they are about half done ( 5 minutes or so). Drain the
vegetables and add to the chicken pot along with the shrimp, tomatoes, salt, pepper and thyme. Reduce heat
to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

Combine rice with tomato paste, which should coat the rice grains without drowning them. (In the finished dish, the rice should be tinted orange, too much tomato paste will make it red.) Stir the coated rice to the pot and continue to simmer, adding water sparingly, as needed, to avoid burning. When the meat,
rice and vegetables are tender, the Rice is ready to serve.

..............
    


Senegalese Summer Goat (or Lamb)
 
Ingredients     
2 Tbsp Spice Appeal CURRY POWDER
2½ lbs boneless goat (or lamb), cut into one-inch cubes
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp coconut oil
½ tsp Spice Appeal BLACK PEPPER, Ground
⅛ tsp Spice Appeal WEST AFRICAN BIRD PEPPER
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 white onion, minced
1 red pepper, minced
2 cups chicken broth
½ cup white raisins
½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup thick unsweetened coconut milk
6 cups cooked rice
1 cup unsalted peanuts, lightly toasted.
      
Description     In a cast-iron skillet, toast the curry powder over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Add goat or lamb, and toss well. Season with salt, and toss. Raise heat to medium high, add coconut oil and continue cooking, stirring often, until meat is brown on all sides, about 4 minutes.

Add black pepper, bird pepper, garlic, onions and red pepper, and stir. Add chicken broth, reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer for an hour, checking to be sure the meat is covered with liquid and adding water, if necessary, to cover.

Add raisins and coconut, and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from heat, beat in the coconut milk and serve over rice, garnished with peanuts. 

..............
    


Moroccan Spiced Lamb-and-Rice Meatballs

Ingredients     
½ cup medium-grain rice, such as Arborio
2 medium onions, 1 quartered and 1 thinly sliced
1 cup cilantro leaves, plus ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
¼ cup mint leaves
1 tsp Spice Appeal Ground Cumin
1 tsp Spice Appeal Spanish Sweet Paprika
½ tsp Spice Appeal Ground Allspice
½ tsp Spice Appeal Cayenne Pepper
½ tsp Spice Appeal Ras El Hanout
Kosher salt
1½ lbs lean ground lamb
4½ cups water
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
¼ tsp Spice Appeal Crushed Red Chile Pepper
Pinch of Spice Appeal Kashmir Saffron,
crumbled
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
      
Description     
In a small bowl, soak the rice in water for 15 minutes. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well.

In a food processor, pulse the quartered onion with the cup of cilantro leaves and the mint, cumin , paprika, allspice, cayenne, ras el hanout and about 1½ Tbsp of salt until pureed. Scrape the puree into a large bowl and mix in the ground lamb and rice.

Line a large baking sheet with plastic wrap. Using lightly moistened hands, roll rounded tablespoons of the meat mixture into 1½-inch balls and transfer them to the baking sheet.

Pour the 4½ cups of water into a large, deep skillet. Add the sliced onion, butter, parsley, crushed red pepper and saffron to the skillet and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the meatballs; they will not fit in a single layer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook over moderately low heat until the meatballs are cooked and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Stir gently once or twice halfway through.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meatballs to a large platter. Strain the cooking liquid into a bowl and skim off as much fat as possible. Return the cooking liquid to the skillet and boil over high heat until thickened, about 10 minutes.

Return the meatballs to the sauce and simmer over moderate heat until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped cilantro and the lemon juice, season with salt and serve.