More food from Africa

Thursday - Stanley

Kwei made me very hungry yesterday as I read his blog about West African food. Maybe I can whet his appetite and yours with morsels from Southern Africa.

Southern Africa, from a gastronomic perspective, has benefitted from being on the major trade route from Europe to the Far East and back. Over the years, citizens of many European countries decided to make the area their home. During the colonial era, Southern Africa had colonies controlled by Portugal (Angola and Mozambique); Germany (Southwest Africa, now Namibia); The Netherlands (now parts of South Africa); and Great Britain (parts of South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini (used to be Swaziland), Zimbabwe, and Zambia). 

There was also a large-scale influx of people from India, Malay, and China, usually as cheap labour or slaves.

The Black population of Southern Africa originally came from the rest of the continent, mainly West Africa. These peoples have their own cuisines, although not as diverse as the other influences. 

When I grew up under apartheid, my family's meals were mainly British in origin: roast chicken, beef, and lamb, fish on Fridays, savoury mince meat, bubble and squeak, over-cooked vegetables, lots of potatoes. The only nod to other cuisines was an occasional curry, usually chicken. 

Today, there is a truly Southern African cuisine that reflects the diversity of all the people who live there. I think the country has the best value for money of anywhere when it comes to eating and drinking. It's worth a visit just for that. (Excellent wines can be bought at restaurants for less than $20 a bottle; and most restaurants allow you to bring your own bottle, sometimes charging an exorbitant $3-$5 corkage.)

Our Detective Kubu loves to eat, and we put together a KUkBUk with some of his favourite recipes. I'll share some of them here, as well as some others that he doesn't know about. I've appended some of the recipes at the end of the blog.

Drinks

In addition to the full range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks found in most places, there are three I haven't seen elsewhere.

Brown cow: half/half Coca-Cola and milk. It is very refreshing.

Steelworks: shot of kola tonic, shot of lime juice, topped off with ginger beer and a dash of bitters. Kubu's favourite drink (non-alcoholic).

Catemba: half/half red wine and Coca-Cola - from the Portuguese. No thank you!

Main courses:

PAP (pronounced PUP) is made from ground maize (corn). When part of a main course, it is usually cooked so that it is stiff (called stywe pap) and should be eaten with your fingers. It is eaten with meat from a braaivleis (barbeque), dipped into a nyama (meat) stew, chakalaka, or a tomato and onion ratatouille. 

Pap with chakalaka and boerewors (farmer's sausage)

CHAKALAKA is is another very common dish in Southern Africa, which may have originated in the Black townships. It is very much a whatever-you-have-available recipe. One version is at the end.

Chakalaka

BOBOTIE is probably South Africa’s best-known dish. It is a slightly sweet, mildly curried meat casserole. It has its origins in the East and was brought to South Africa in some form by slaves from Malaya three hundred years ago. Even if you do not normally like curries, you will enjoy this delicious dish. It is so easy to make that even Michael can make a delicious meal from it. It also is a versatile dish and one recipe is at the end.

Bobotie

RUMP STEAK WITH MONKEY GLAND SAUCE. Kubu loves steak of all kinds, but his particular favourite is rump. He thinks it is the most tasty and must be cooked medium-rare. He often douses it with monkey gland sauce. 

Steak with monkey gland sauce

Do not be alarmed! It is not made from monkeys. 

There are several stories about how monkey gland sauce got its name. The one that holds the greatest credibility is that it started in the Savoy Hotel in London and was named in honour of a Russian-born French scientist, Dr. Abrahamovitch Serge Voronoff. Voronoff became famous for his treatment to reverse the ageing process in humans – by grafting monkey testicle tissue onto human testicles. He became so successful that he became famous worldwide. Songs recognized his achievement (Monkey Doodle-Do by Irving Berlin); it featured in the Marx Brothers film The Coconut; and even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had a professor in one of his Sherlock Holmes stories inject himself with monkey-gland extract. 

One of the staff at the Savoy Hotel, Cavaliere Fiorino Luigi Bagatta, went to do further training at the Old Carlton Hotel in Johannesburg and introduced it there. It became a hit and has remained popular in South Africa ever since. Of course, I'v included the recipe.

BUNNY CHOW is South Africa's contribution to the fast-food world. The country has a large Indian population, mainly centred around Durban, whose ancestors were brought there by the British to work on the sugar-cane fields. Of course, they brought their taste of curries with them. Originally sold by sidewalk vendors, it is now available in many restaurants as well. Take half a loaf of white bread and hollow out the middle. Fill with curry. That's it. Eat with your fingers. Originally the bread served as the plate so there were no left-overs, no waste. Today it has become more upscale in many places. If you are in Durban, just order a bunny. It's only outsiders that use the full name.

Bunny chow

Dessert

And to end the meal, try a MALVA PUDDING, a dessert that has its origins on South African farms. 

Malva pudding with ice cream

Actually, after dessert, I like to really end the meal with cheese and crackers and something to settle my tummy.

Recipes

CHAKALAKA 

3 tablespoons (45 mls) cooking oil 

2 tablespoons (30 gms) chopped fresh ginger 

2 tablespoons (30 gms) chopped fresh garlic 

4 teaspoons (20 gms) chopped chili peppers 

1 cup (225 gms) chopped onions 

2 cups (450 gms) tomatoes, roughly chopped 

½ cup (125 gms) green peppers, roughly chopped 

½ cup (125 gms) red peppers, roughly chopped 

2 tablespoons (30 gms) garam masala (or curry powder) 

14 ounces (400 gms) baked beans 

2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh coriander 

1. Fry the ginger, chilis, onions, and garlic in the oil. 

2. Add the garam masala or curry powder. 

3. Add the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes. 

4. Add peppers and cook for 10 minutes. 

5. Add baked beans and cook for 5 minutes. 

6. Remove from heat and add coriander. Stir. 

Serve with whatever you want, hot or cold. Goes well with pap, stews, or curries.

BOBOTIE

2 pounds (900 gms) ground lamb or beef 

1 slice bread 

3 cups (700 mls) milk 

4 eggs 

1 medium yellow or white onion chopped 

1 – 2 tablespoons (15 – 30 gms) curry powder 

1 tablespoon (15 gms) brown sugar 

1 teaspoon (5 mls) salt 

½ teaspoon (2.5 mls) ground pepper 

¼ cup (60 mls) lemon juice 

1 tart apple grated 

1 cup (225 gms) seedless raisins 

½ cup (120 gms) slivered almonds 

Several bay leaves 

1. Put the bread into a bowl containing all the milk. Let stand. 

2. Lightly brown the meat in a skillet, breaking up any chunks. Transfer to a large container with a slotted spoon. 

3. Cook the onion in the remaining fat in the skillet until translucent. Don’t burn! 

4. Add the curry powder, salt, sugar, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice. Cook for 3 minutes. Pour the mixture over the meat. 

5. Take the bread out of the milk and squeeze out the milk back into the bowl. Put the bread with the meat. 

6. Add raisins, almonds, apple, and 2 eggs to the meat. Combine. (If you use your hands to do this, it feels great and you can lick your fingers afterwards!) 

7. Pack the mixture into a casserole dish. 

8. Combine the remaining two eggs with the milk and pour over meat. 

9. Push a few bay leaves into the meat. 10. Cook for 45 minutes at 300 F (150 C). 

Serve hot over yellow rice, with sweet mango chutney on the side. A side dish of thinly sliced cucumbers in yoghurt (a cucumber raita) works well. 

Leftovers are great hot or cold. Kubu likes to put them in pita bread with sour cream or have them as a filling in an omelet. Yummy.

MONKEY GLAND SAUCE

2 tablespoons (30 mls) cooking oil 

½ cup (120 mls) water 

1 cup (240 mls) tomato sauce (ketchup) 

½ cup (120 mls) Worcestershire sauce 

1 cup (225 gms) sweet mango chutney 

4 cloves garlic 

½ cup (120 mls) brown sugar 

3 tablespoons (45 mls) vinegar 

1 teaspoon (5 mls) Tabasco sauce 

1. In a heavy skillet, heat oil. Sauté onions and garlic until soft. 

2. Add remaining ingredients, mix well, and simmer for a few minutes. 

Smother the steak with the sauce. Serve with rice or chips (pommes frites). Kubu prefers chips.

MALVA PUDDING

For the pudding: 

1 cup (225 gms) caster sugar 

2 eggs 

1 tablespoon (15 mls) apricot jam 

1¼ cups (285 gms) cake flour 

1 teaspoon (5 mls) bicarbonate of soda 

2 tablespoons (30 gms) butter 

1 tablespoon (15 mls) vinegar 

½ cup (120 mls) milk 

For the sauce: 

1 cup (240 mls) cream 

4 ounces (120 gms) butter 

¼ to ½ cup (30 - 60 mls) sugar 

½ cup (60 mls) brandy, water, or orange juice (brandy is best!) 

To make the pudding: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C). 

2. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. 

3. Beat the caster sugar and eggs until fluffy, then beat in the jam until creamy. 

4. Melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the vinegar and milk. 

5. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, alternating with the milk mixture. Mix thoroughly. 

6. Pour into an ovenproof dish and bake for 30 minutes. 

To make the sauce: 

1. Melt all the sauce ingredients together and pour over the pudding when it comes out of the oven.

I like to add a dollop of whipped cream on top. 

Victor Victorious: Good News!

Annamaria on Monday

Good things are happening all over this planet!  Here is the story of one of them.

About fifteen months ago, Michael posted here about Apopo, an organization headquartered in Tanzania, that trains Giant Pouched Rats to detect landmines and tuberculosis.

The worldwide landmine infestation was a cause that concerned me.  When, thanks to Michael, I found out that I could help in a small way to solve it by donating  $8 a month to support my own mine-detection rat, I jumped at the chance.  I got to name the little guy.  I thought about the future I wanted for him, so I chose to name him Victor!

Since then I have reported here about his birth, his growth, and his training.  It’s been a while since I updated you.  Today I am proud to report that he is fulfilling a great purpose.  In my last report, I bragged that he had proved his capability at sniffing out explosive material.   Here are some milestones that Victor has achieved since then:

March 11^th—At the young age of ten months, Victor was accredted as a explosives detector in Tanzania and earned his airline ticket to his first job in Mozambique.

March 28^th—He was on his way to join a 200-strong team that has, so far, returned 11 MILLION square meters of land to local Mozambique communities.  They have found and destroyed

• ·      Landmines—13,273
• ·      Explosive remnants of war—1,113
• ·      Small Arms and Ammunitions—28,792

April 8^th—Victor earns his International Mine Action Standards accreditation.  He gets a feast of bananas and avocados to celebrate.

April 22^nd—Victor finds his first Landmine.

         **cost to me for this achievement, at that point: $96!

All this before…

May 8^th—Victor’s first birthday

So on he goes.  Here is Apopo’s description of the problem he now continues to combat.

“At almost three thousand, annual global landmine accidents are unacceptably tragic; 80 percent of them involve innocent people unrelated to the original conflicts; 46 percent of these are children.

Every bit as tragic, yet going largely unrecognized, is the immense and negative impact posed by landmines to the development of mine-contaminated countries such as Cambodia and Angola. Vast tracts of productive land have been rendered off-limits for decades, yet only about three percent of that land typically contains any explosive material at all. The rest sits needlessly idle, whilst desperate nearby communities are too afraid to use it.

This is where the HeroRATs step in where others fear to tread.

APOPO specifically targets large areas near towns and villages where the existence of landmines is not certain, checking them swiftly and efficiently for explosive remnants of war.”

And here is great story about from Apopo’s efforts in Angola:

"For years, school children in Angola played football 20 meters from a live landmine recently detected by the HeroRats

The sight of children playing is commonplace all over the world. For youngsters in Ngola Luije Town, Angola, the landmines add an extra, and deadly dimension to their games.

Angola’s prolonged conflict was a bush war. Rural populations fled to the cities to seek refuge, whilst their towns and villages became fierce battle zones, strategic military encampments and no-go areas.

Fourteen years after the conflicts have ended, rural Angolans have returned to their villages to find themselves surrounded by explosive remnants of war such as old landmines, unexploded bombs, grenades and bullets. This leaves them unable to develop their towns and farms and makes everyday activities such as playing, agriculture, or collecting firewood, a deadly endeavor.

The children would nominate one of them to go and get the football.

In Angola, APOPO supplies mine detection rat units to its mine clearance partner NPA. Together they cleared the land surrounding Ngola Luije in 2014, which was a defensive military base during the war. In the process, a landmine was discovered less than twenty meters from the town school. It had lain hidden for over twenty years.

Francisco Mauricio, the school’s headmaster explained that while the minefields were clearly marked, the children’s football was inevitably kicked into the mine-ridden overgrowth. If no adults were around, the children would nominate someone to sneak into the minefield to retrieve it…"

 Now, thanks to Apopo's HeroRats, the danger is gone.  The children, who were at risk of losing their legs, their classmates, their lives, can play in safety.  

Mine is a hope-seeking soul.  Perhaps because I had to find my way to adulthood through some considerable obstacles, I am drawn to warmth and light.  To joy.  To dancing.  Rather than to darkness. Or despair.

Victor, and all those fabulous, patient, determined, optimistic people who make his feats possible: theirs is a road I am happy and privileged to travel.  The sunshine of hope glows at its end.  Hooray for good news!

You can find more about Apopo and how to join the fight at apopo.org.  

Hero Rats

The bad news out of South Africa this week is the outbreak of xenophobic violence in some parts of the country.  Based on the age-old principle that if something is going badly for you it must be someone else’s fault, foreigners – almost exclusively black people from elsewhere in Africa – must be the cause of the slowing economy and lack of jobs.  In the words of Pete Seeger’s song, when will they ever learn?

Angola minefield. Looks harmless?

But just for a change I want to report on a good news story from Africa. Land mines. Well, the land mines themselves are not a good news story, quite the opposite.  When Portugal decided more or less overnight to pull out of its African colonies of Angola and Mozambique, it left a power vacuum that soon became a battleground for control between competing “liberation” movements, often with the backing of outside powers playing their own dirty games.  Among other things, this led to minefields of horrendous proportions, particularly in Angola.  Although the war there ended in 2002, most of the mines remain and they remain active.  Often they surround towns that are expanding and need more land for crop growing.  The results are inevitable and often horrific.

High tech mine detector

Clearing the mines is a painstaking and dangerous business. It involves using metal detectors to clear paths and then to work outwards from safe ground.  Multiple false alarms bring the process to a halt until the cause can be definitely identified.  Various more remote technologies have been tried, including the remote detection of the chemical signatures of the decomposition products of the explosives.  The success rate is quite good, but would you be willing to accept “quite good” if you were walking in the area?  And these technologies are not cheap.

Dogs have been tried in the past, but there are problems, not the least of which is that they can set off the mines.  

Enter the hero of our story, the Gambian Pouched Rat.

It has always seemed to me that the rat has had a very bad rap.  They are smart, successful in a wide variety of environments, and tend to clean up after us.  Of course, they can transmit diseases, but no one’s perfect.  And they are said to make excellent and affectionate pets.

A hero rat on the job

But these are working rats.  They have an extremely sensitive sense of smell, and can be trained to pick up the scents arising from buried land mines without difficulty.  Best of all, they are too light to set off the mines, and they run on guide wires that ensure that their handlers can follow them safely and investigate their discoveries.  They have a much lower false alarm rate than metal detectors; the process of clearing an area can proceed more quickly and efficiently.  Because they are doing such a great job, they have become known as the Hero Rats.  You can see them in action in a recent New York Times video HERE.  And if you want to know more about them, and even maybe to “adopt” one (the rats accept Visa and Mastercard), take a look at the Apopo site HERE.

Did I mention their great whiskers?

It’s a good news story from Africa – rats to the rescue!  Now if we could persuade rats to generate electricity, we might be in with a real chance!

As one Nose to another...

Michael – Thursday.