Other natural foods are much sweeter than processed sugar. Whether sugar is in the form of honey, sugar cane, beets or refined sugar it is a universal and versatile ingredient. African sweets will surely satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth. You will find that “sweet is sweet” no matter what continent you happen to live on. Sweet is one of the five central human tastes. Sugary desserts across the world are looked upon as a satisfying experience. Sugarcane is much sweeter than processed sugar. Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions sugarcane is a natural sweet treat. Sugarcane is cultivated for its natural sweet juice; there are many uses of sugar cane including the production of table and brown sugar, molasses, rum and soda. Besides commercial uses for sugarcane, more often people simply peel the outer bark of the sugarcane carefully with a sharp knife. Cut away the hard fibrous portions above and below the editable softer portion of the sugarcane. Cut the pieces of sugarcane into desired portions, chew to extract the juices and expel the fibrous stalks. All photo’s of African people on epicurean.africanfoodie website credit USAID.
What holiday’s are celebrated in Africa you may ask, well believe it or not the “official” holiday’s are not much different than in the US. In Southern African the independent nation of Lesotho, officially the Kingdom of Lesotho Christmas and Good Friday are celebrated.The Kingdom of Lesotho under King Moshoeshoe II became an independent nation October 4, 1966. Up high in the mountains of Southern Africa Lesotho is completely surrounded by South Africa. Lesotho is slightly smaller than the U.S. state of Maryland. Greater than 80% of the country of Lesotho is 1,800 m (a little more than 1 mile) above sea level. Imagine dancing and cooking for celebrations in those high altitudes.
Lesotho National Holidays
1. New Year’s Day- January 1st
2. Moshoeshoe’s Day- March 11th
3. Good Friday- April 6th
4. Easter Monday-April 9th
5. Workers’ Day- May1st
6. Ascension Day-May 17th
7. Africa/Heroes’ Day- May 25th
8. The King’s Birthday- July 17th
9. Independence Day-October 4th
10. Christmas Day- December 25th
11. Boxing Day- December 26th
Photo by USAID l. lartigue
It is a common belief green figs (unripe) were commonly eaten by male lovers to increase virility. This ancient Viagra is surely a tribute to the fruit’s strength-giving passionate qualities. A virile recipe given to me by one of friends is fig tea. To make fig tea, take half a pound of dried figs and wash well. Cut up roughly and put into a large size sauce pan along with 6 cups of water. Simmer for 1 hour until the liquid is reduced to thick tea like consentaneity similar to smoothie. Process through a sieve to remove the pulp if desired. Add a little lemon juice if preferred. By the way lemon juice is also an old remedy for the removal of blackheads.
African & American kitchens are not so different
Whether in North, Southern, East, West or Central Africa meat is a luxury. Meat is usually reserved for special occasions such as festivals, weddings etc…Most everyday African meals consist of vegetables either from home gardens or from public markets.
The emphasis is on starches and one main starchy side dish is fufu (fofo). What is fufu you may ask? Well, fufu is to West Africa as mashed potatoes are to North America. Both fufu and mashed potatoes have very similar qualities:
1. Prepared in similar ways
2. Filling
3. Versatile
4. Easy to make
5. A kitchen staple
African and American kitchens are not so different. Fufu is made from either boiled green plantains, rice, corn meal, corn, yams or sweet/white potatoes. Just like mashed potatoes, fufu is bland until seasonings are added. Fufu is usually served with soups and stews replacing the conventional spoon of North America. You pinch off a little ball of fufu and use this to scoop up the soup or stew. Mashed potatoes are made by smashing boiled potatoes with a potato masher or a fork. Fufu is also made by pounding the potatoes with a mortar and pestle (masher of sorts). Make your own fufu tonight for dinner!
Photo courtesy USAID
The initial unfamiliarity with Africa’s delicacies will soon become familiar. As you begin to read the recipe blogs and discover familiar ingredients Africa’s interesting gastronomic dishes will become everyday meals. The goal of The African Gourmet is to introduce uncomplicated and enjoyable African foods into kitchens across the world and establish recipes that are sure to become family favorites. Have fun creating African meals for everyday meals, holiday parties, after school treats, bake sales, fundraisers, bake offs, get-togethers etc…Shed light on African cuisine and take a step ahead to new culinary experiences.
Recipe:
Sweet & Easy Baklava
North Africa
Yields 12 to 14 servings
Ingredients:
One 16 ounce package phyllo dough
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup melted butter
Baklava Syrup:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
½ cup orange blossom honey
¼ teaspoon orange blossom water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter a 9×13 inch baking dish. Mix cinnamon and walnuts in a medium bowl, set aside. Unroll phyllo cut into two equal halves. Cover phyllo with a slightly moist cloth while assembling to keep from drying out. Place 2 sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the prepared dish, brush liberally with butter, and sprinkle 3 tablespoons of cinnamon and walnut mixture on top. Repeat layers. Cut baklava into desired serving sizes bake 45-50 minutes. Meanwhile combine remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Finally, when the baklava is removed from the oven immediately evenly pour syrup over the finished pastry. Allow cooling before serving. Store uncovered.
