IOL Food - May 2021 - Issue 12

FOOD ISSUE 12 | MAY 2021

Af

ri ca nC uisin e

Inside...

FROM THE EDITOR DORAH SITOLE: THE QUEEN OF AFRICAN CUISINE

A JOURNEY THROUGH AFRICA

AFRICAN STREET FOOD RECIPES

AFRICAN BEVERAGE RECIPES

PIONEERING A VEGAN MOVEMENT

THE CHAMPIONS OF AFRICAN CUISINE

CONTACT US PUBLISHER | Vasantha Angamuthu vasantha@africannewsagency.com EDITOR | Buhle Mbonambi buhle.mbonambi@inl.co.za EXECUTIVE EDITOR: LIFESTYLE | Nelandri Narianan nelandri.narianan@inl.co.za PRODUCTION | Renata Ford renata.ford@inl.co.za DESIGN | Mallory Munien mallory.munien@inl.co.za BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT | Keshni Odayan keshni.odayan@inl.co.za SALES Charl Reineke | charl.reineke@inl.co.za GENERAL ENQUIRIES | info@anapublishing.com

I WAS in Malindi, Kenya, in 2012 when I left the Western food served at the resort, to go find some local cuisine.

Luckily found Mohammed, who drove me around in his tuk-tuk. We struck up a conversation about African cuisine and he suggested I try nyama choma and matoke.

Ever the sucker for adventure, especially when it comes to food, I let him take me to a street vendor he frequents for the food.

Nyama Choma is basically shisanyama, but the meat is so tender, it basically falls off the bone. I loved it.

While I didn’t particularly enjoy the matoke - plantain bananas cooked with oil, chillies, tomato and onions until it becomes a thick sauce – but it left me more appreciative of the country’s local cuisine.

When I came back to South Africa, I spoke to a baker friend of mine, who introduced me to some of the finest West and East African restaurants in Durban and I have been an advocate for African cuisine ever since.

I can’t deny how big a role social media has played in making more people aware of African cuisine. The chefs and cooks I have come across over the years, have inspired me to try some recipes.

And that’s what I hope this magazine does- inspire you to try out some of the best food from the continent. Challenge yourself and think outside the box. Go beyond jollof rice and nyama choma. We have an array of recipes that will change the way you view African cuisine.

Buhle

@Buhlebonga

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT AFRICAN CUISINE LUTHO PASIYA What is African cuisine?

African cuisine is a mix of ingredients such as cereal grains, vegetables, meat products, and locally available fruits.

The traditional preparation features mostly milk, curd, and whey products in some parts of the continent.

What are examples of typical African cuisine?

Though West African cuisine may remain an enigma to many, historically speaking it is one of the world’s most influential food cultures.

For anyone looking to explore the wider world of West African food, we recommend first trying kenkey, jollof rice, fufu, chicken Yassa, and egusi.

It’s all about what’s grown locally In his television series Africa on a Plate, celebrity chef Lentswe Bhengu said: “The different African cuisines are directly related to the produce grown specifically in those regions.

If you go to central, East, and West Africa, they use lots of cassava, they have certain types of ingredients that only grow in that area.”

Food and travel blogger Maria Kennedy also highlights the below: Great for veggies In a lot of African cuisines, you will notice that there is significantly less meat used in dishes than is common in the Western world.

If you are a vegetarian, you won’t struggle to find something tasty wherever you go. Popular vegetables include okra, yams, black-eyed peas, and sweet potatoes as these grow in the high heat of Africa.

Starch is the base A lot of traditional African meals are centred around various starches with other ingredients added to create the dishes. Starches are usually something like porridge, grits, cornmeal, or fried bread. The tastes and flavours are then changed depending on whatever ingredients are added.

Chef Selassie Atadika

IT’S TIME TO APPRECIATE AFRICAN CUISINE BUHLE MBONAMBI THERE was a time when we read about African cuisine from food publications and glossy travel magazines, it was about food from North Africa.

They would wax lyrical about the tagines of Morocco, the falafel and shawarma that Egypt is famous for.

The flat bread and couscous of Libya and the Lablabi and even shakshuka that is enjoyed in Tunisia.

Rarely has there been attention paid to other parts of the continent, until recent years.

We have seen food writers, chefs and cooks highlight cuisine from West, East and Southern Africa. Yewande Komolafe, had a major spread on the New York Times, where she spoke and shared West African recipes.

For the past two years, West African cuisine has been touted as the region the food world

will be focusing on in various trend reports. We have seen an explosion of African chefs on social media, readily sharing African cuisine, even more so during the lockdown.

We have extensively reported on how restaurants around the world are already capitalising on this trend by including more African-inspired dishes alongside their fine dining European-style offerings.

Our cuisine is finally being given the spotlight it deserves.

Film maker, Tuleka Prah, is also at the forefront of documenting African cuisine for her website, My African Food Map. She goes to different countries on the continent, speaking to chefs and most importantly, taking pictures of African cuisine and making it aesthetically pleasing. She told AP that she hoped to show the care and skill that goes into African dishes.

"The idea, at its most basic, is to present the food how people who love it would prepare it. It's like a database or a digital vault where people can open the drawer, see recipes, see some ingredients.”

Watching the second episode of Netflix's Cooked with Cannabis, one of the chefs chooses to cook West African inspired food during the challenge. The episode was highlighting the cuisines of the world and the chefs competing chefs could choose which country they were going to highlight. He won the challenge.

Interestingly, Thabo Phake, a South African chef based in Abuja, Nigeria, says it was bound to happen, thanks to the world looking at Africa for inspiration in music, beauty and fashion. “With musicians and fashion designers getting more attention, the African culinary space is then privileged enough to benefit from it. I think it has to do with the trickling down effect.”

The 22 year old, who worked at Joburg’s Urbanologi before moving to Abuja, says it also has to do with Africans being more willing to sample food from other parts of the continent. Even chefs.

“More and more chefs are now prone to appreciating their

culture and past rather than before when the majority of African chefs were less receptive of it. There are ingredients that have taught me on how broad African food is. For instance there's an ingredient made from tiger nut milk called ‘Kunu’ and it's more or less like what we have back home as Mageo.”

Award-winning writer and cookbook author, Ishay GovenderYpma, says that there has increasingly been conversations about the absence of Africa cuisine from parts of Western media for a few years. "It’s important to note that African food has always been

In 2014, Selassie Atadika returned to Ghana and launched her food enterprise Mid unu.

This unique platform brings food, culture and community together .

here, prepared and consumed by Africans, written, spoken about and celebrated locally. With the recent recognition of chefs and food writers of African heritage in the US , such as Kwame Onwuachi, Michael W. Twitty, Selassie Atadika and Nneka Okona, there has been a corresponding growing mainstream interest in the food they write about and prepare. We’ve seen a greater interest in West African cuisine whereas, in the past Africa, has been viewed either as a continent, or as a purveyor of North African food and all else was a mystery to Western media."

DORAH Sitole with her daughter, Phumzile.

DORAH SITOLE: QUEEN OF AFRICAN CUISINE BUHLE MBONAMBI THE death of culinary icon Dorah Sitole left many of us heartbroken.

The celebrated chef and editor died in January this year.

Her legacy will forever be that of one of the people who made us appreciate our indigenous cuisine.

“I believe we are on the cusp of an African food revolution,” she said on the eve of the release of what is now her final book, 40 Years of Iconic Food. “With this book, I seek to strike a balance between paying homage to traditional cooking methods and putting my own, modern, interpretation on authentic dishes.”

40 Years of Iconic Food was published in October 2020 and is

a celebration of Sitole’s culinary journey, which took her from a hungry childhood in the townships to kitchens and cuisines across Africa and beyond.

During her time as a judge on e.tv’s cooking show, Flava Queens, she told IOL how she wanted more people to embrace African cuisine.

“I worry about people not wanting to try our food. And yet we are so keen to try different cuisines. Everyone’s eating sushi. Even black kids. Why are we so keen to try out other food, and yet kids make faces about tripe. But they are very quick to eat oysters.

“It’s quite sad that people think we eat our food because of survival.

I don’t think they realise it’s food we

grew up on and that we aren’t eating it because of a lack of food. That’s the food that was cooked and eaten by our ancestors.”

For many of us, Sitole was the first person we thought of when someone mentioned a food editor. She was the authority when it came to our local cuisine and was unapologetic about it.

In 1994, Sitole edited Recipes with a Touch of Africa, which dedicated a special section to traditional African cooking. This was followed by Cooking from Cape to Cairo, in 1999, which was translated into German.

With that, here are some of our favourite recipes that Sitole shared with IOL Lifestyle over the years.

MOROGO WITH TURNIPS AND POTATOES (SERVES 4-6) Ingredients: 2 bunches of morogo (wild spinach), well rinsed and finely chopped 1 bunch spring onions, chopped 1 bunch turnips, peeled and diced 3 potatoes, peeled and diced salt and pepper, to taste 45g butter

Method: Place morogo, spring onions, turnips, potatoes and a little water in a saucepan.

Season well with salt and pepper.

Let it boil and then simmer gently for about 30 minutes until cooked.

Add the butter and serve on hot pap.

EAST-AFRICAN-STYLE FISH CURRY (SERVES 4) Ingredients: 45ml oil 500g hake or Cape whiting steaks 2 red onions, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 15ml grated ginger 2 chillies, chopped 15ml curry powder 45ml curry paste 10ml turmeric 65g can of tomato paste 4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped 6 curry leaves, optional salt and pepper to taste 250ml coconut cream coriander for garnishing Method: Heat oil and brown the fish steaks on each side for about 5 minutes. Remove and keep warm. Add onions, garlic, ginger and chillies to pan and sauté until onions are soft.

Add curry powder, curry paste and turmeric and cook for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except coriander, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Return fish steaks to sauce, bring to boil and then turn down heat and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes until the fish is cooked. Gently fold through coriander leaves. Serve with Basmati rice.

A FOOD JOURNEY THROUGH AFRICA CLINTON MOODLEY AFRICA is a destination that boasts some of the world’s most gorgeous landscapes, friendliest people and ecofriendly wildlife experiences. The food scene is equally impressive. IOL Travel takes you on a foodie journey through Africa: Botswana: When in Botswana, try the national dish called seswaa.

Matemekwane, a dumpling stuffed with meat and vegetable, is also a popular dish for travellers.

Namibia: Travellers can also enjoy a plate of oshifima – a Namibian stiff porridge made from pearl millet flour.

Mozambique: Sink your teeth into peri peri chicken or tuck into a fresh seafood dish. Try Matapa, a meal prepared with cassava leaves.

Eswatini: Eswatini has strong South African and Portuguese influence. Try umbidvo wetintsanga, a meal made with boiled pumpkin leaves and nuts.

Braai food is also popular.

Kenya: The staple meal in Kenya is ugali, a meal made from either maize,

sorghum or millet. Pair it with nyama choma, a speciality of grilled goat meat.

Uganda: Dining in Uganda is a treat. Feast on matooke, a type of plantain, or try the Luwombo, a traditional Ugandan dish cooked in a banana leaf. End a meal with mandazi, similar to doughnuts.

Madagascar: Madagascar is renowned for romazava, the country’s national dish. Lasary, a dish made with cabbage, green beans and carrots, is also a winning dish for guests.

Zanzibar: Expect dishes with loads of spice. Try the Zanzibar pizza, which isn’t your traditional style pizza, biryani (also famous in India) and urojo soup.

Egypt: Koshari is Egypt’s national dish. The meal consists of spiced lentils, rice, tomato sauce, pasta and chickpeas.

Ethiopia: Coffee drinking is a ritual for locals that can take up to an hour.

Most meals are served on injera, a sourdough-risen flatbread made with

teff flour. People use the injera to scoop up whatever is served, whether a curry or meat.

Tanzania: Tanzania’s style of food packs a punch. Tuck into local barbecue, Chipsi mayai (chips and egg), nyama choma and ugali (see Kenya).

Zimbabwe: imbabwe’s foodie scene is among the most beloved on the continent. When here, eat sadza (also known as ugali) and Mopane worms. Or try Chimodho, a wood oven baked maize bread. Wash it down with locally brewed beer called usthwala or the non-alcoholic option of maheu.

Mauritius: Try the dholl puri, the country’s national dish, or a beautifully spiced rich tomato stew with sausages.

Other options include biryani, vindaye and an upside-down bowl called Bol Renverse.

Morocco: Couscous, the national dish of Morocco, and tagine are some of the many dishes to enjoy during your trip.

Koshari Ingredients: 1 can chickpeas 1 can lentils 1 cup dry macaroni noodles 1 cup medium grain rice 1 onion sliced Oil for frying ½ tsp cinnamon Can of tomato sauce Spice Mix Ingredients 1 tbsp cumin 1 tbsp red chilli powder 1 tbsp paprika 1 tbsp coriander 1/2 tbsp nutmeg black pepper

Method: Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions In a small bowl, combine the spices. Cook rice according to the package instructions, but add 2 tbsp of spice mix into the water.

You can use these instructions for cooking white rice in the Instant Pot. While the rice is cooking, make the tomato sauce. Put the tomato sauce, cinnamon, bay leaf, and the remainder of the spice mix in a pot or pan and heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Slice the onions very thin. Add a layer of oil to the bottom of a pot or pan. When the oil is hot enough that dropping an onion in causes the oil to bubble, you can begin frying. Add the onions into the oil and allow them to fry until crispy.

Remove from the oil and set on a paper-towel lined plate. Set aside.

In a small bowl, layer onions, chickpeas, lentils, sauce, macaroni, then rice, in that order. Flip the bowl over onto a plate, allowing the koshari to release itself from the sides. Lift away the bowl and enjoy!

A salmon dish, with the fish served atop a pool of cheesy, buttery fo nio that resembles polenta, is an easy start. And fonio toss ed with beetroot and spicy pickled carrots shows off it s lighter side.

Is fonio the new quinoa?

AN INDIVIDUAL grain of fonio is tiny, like a speck of sand. But this humble, mostly unknown grain has a massive mission: Stimulate the economy in sub-Saharan Africa.

It's fast-growing and flourishes in dry soil in a part of the world, West Africa, where few other crops grow and where unemployment is high.

Pierre Thiam is the leading evangelist of fonio. Thiam, a chef and cookbook author based in New York who hails from Senegal, is positioned to bridge the vast distance between the farmers of the sub-Sahara and America's upscale grocery store aisles.

As a boy, Thiam ate fonio at his greataunt's house during summer breaks in the southern Kolda region.

Thiam blames its relatively low profile

on the effects of colonization: Many Africans believe native crops to be inferior to imports. And so even the national dish of Senegal, the fish and rice dish known as thieboudienne, is made using the "broken" rice leftovers from Asia originally introduced to the country by the French.

"Countries like Senegal could be exporters, which would not only bring food security, it changes the mind-set. Now that mind-set is terrible - because of colonization, we look down at our own products."

His sales job is made easier by how easygoing fonio is in the kitchen. The grain cooks almost instantly. A quick boil and a fork fluff, and it's ready.

Erik Oberholtzer, a chef and co-founder of the fast-casual chain Tender Greens, first encountered fonio through his work

with Food Forever, an initiative aimed at increasing biodiversity. While Oberholtzer appreciates its environmental and economic benefits, he says he just likes it and its versatility. He tosses it with salads and uses it to sop up stewy dishes the way he might otherwise use rice. "It's a very intuitive grain," he says.

That simplicity makes it easy to use in a commercial setting, he says, unlike, say, beans - which need to be soaked and cooked to the exact right level of doneness.

Tender Greens has incorporated it into salads, and it's on the menu in a tabbouleh at Choice Market, the upscale Denver convenience store whose menu he helped create. "It's easy operationally to hand over to a kitchen crew," Oberholtzer says. | The Washington Post

CURRIED FONIO RICE PILAF (SERVES 6) Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cups onions, finely chopped 2 cups diced sweet potatoes (about 1 potato) in ¼ to ½cm dice Pinch of salt 3 tablespoons curry powder 1-½ teaspoons fresh grated ginger root 1 can chickpeas, strained and rinsed 4 cups cooked fonio 1 cup pomegranate seeds 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped 1 bunch mint, chopped Juice of 1 lemon Method: Add the oil to a large saucepan and place it on the stove over medium heat.

Add the onions, sweet potato, and salt.

Mix well.

Add the curry powder and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently so the onions don’t burn. Turn heat down to medium-low; add ginger and chickpeas. Mix well. Add more oil if the mixture seems dry, and continue to cook for 2 to 4 minutes more.

Gently fold in the cooked fonio.

Remove the mixture from the heat, and transfer to a bowl.

Allow to cool. Just before serving, mix in pomegranate seeds, parsley, mint, and lemon juice, stirring lightly to combine the flavours. | Recipe by Claire Alsup

Try these goat meat recipes These recipes will allow you to experiene the best parts of goat meat and change your mind about it. From the pulled shoulder and tagine, to the chops, they are three meals your family will heartily tuck into.

SPICY FRIED GOAT CHOPS (SERVES 4-6) Ingredients: olive oil (for frying) 12 goat chops 250ml chopped celery 2 red onions, sliced into wedges 10ml chopped garlic 5ml cumin seeds

5ml coriander seeds 1 red chilli (seeded and chopped) 400g tinned chopped tomatoes 500ml chicken stock 125ml orange juice maize fritters or rice (for serving) Method: Heat the oil in a pan and fry the chops until nicely browned.

Place them in an ovenproof dish.

To the pan add the celery, onion and garlic. Fry until soft.

Add the seeds and chilli and fry for a minute.

Add the tomatoes, stock, orange juice and seasoning and bring to the boil.

Pour over the chops and bake in the oven at 180°C for 40-50 minutes until tender.

Serve with maize fritters or rice.

SLOW-ROASTED PULLED GOAT SHOULDER (SERVES 4) Ingredients: 6 cloves of garlic, chopped 10ml salt 10ml za’atar spice 10ml sumac spice 60ml olive oil 10ml grated lemon rind 45ml lemon juice 1.5kg goat shoulder 750ml chicken stock roti (for serving) Method: Put the garlic and salt in a pestle and mortar and pound until smooth. Mix in the spices, oil, lemon rind and juice. Mix well. Rub this mixture into the meat.

Place in a roasting tin. Add the stock, cover tightly with foil and roast at 160°C for 3-4 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone. Remove the meat and when cool enough to handle, shred it finely. Put the juices from the pan into a pot and boil until reduced and thickened. Add to the shredded meat.

Serve with roti.

GOAT TAGINE (SERVES 4-6) Ingredients: 30ml olive oil 1kg goat stewing meat 2 large onions, chopped 10ml garlic, chopped 15ml grated ginger 10ml ground cumin 10ml ground coriander 10ml paprika 5ml harrisa ground spice 10ml salt black pepper 400g tin of chopped tomatoes 500ml lamb or chicken stock 125g dried apricots 50g whole almonds 125ml chopped coriander pap (for serving) Method: Heat the oil in a pot and fry the meat in batches until browned. Remove and set aside. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and simmer until soft.

Add the spices and fry until fragrant. Return the meat to the pot and add the tomatoes and stock and simmer covered until the meat is soft (1-2 hours). Remove the lid and add the apricots and almonds and simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Stir in the coriander and serve with pap, couscous or rice.

Chef Nicola Kagoro

THE CHEF WHO IS PIONEERING A VEGAN MOVEMENT IN AFRICA LUTHO PASIYA It was Nompumelelo Mqwebu who reminded us in her book, Through the Eyes of an African Chef, that African cuisine has always been plant-based.

She met a person who heard about the book and without having read it, commented: ’Oh it’s an African cookbook, it must be full of meat, I am a vegetarian.’ Mqwebu says she had the pleasure to educate her on our food history and our relationship with meat and how African cuisine is

mostly plant-based. And now more chefs are realising that and are going back to the roots of African cuisine, like Chef Nicola Kagoro.

The founder of African Vegan on a Budget Nicola Kagoro, aka Chef Cola has been challenging the common misconception surrounding plantbased diets in Africa.

A hospitality management graduate whose path took her not only to veganism but also to be on

the culinary front-lines of presenting vegan food and lifestyle in Africa and advocating its great benefits-both nutritional and environmental.

One of Kagoro’s primary aims is to spread awareness of vegan culture across Africa and give people the tools and knowledge to actively integrate plant-based eating into their lifestyles.

Her love for cooking started when she was 16 years old, and that is when

Kamini Pather.

she knew she wanted to be a chef.

“I had a passion for cooking for my family daily and experimenting with different ingredients. This led me to start looking into joining the hospitality industry in high school and finally studying hospitality management for three years.”

Her journey in plant-based food was completely accidental. It was when she was working at PLANT in Cape Town, that her interest was piqued.

“When I started working at the PLANT I had no clue what veganism was. As I started training as a vegan chef my interest in it grew further and I started understanding what the vegan lifestyle was about.”

She then started incorporating the vegan lifestyle into many aspects of her life, especially her food.

Asked why spreading veganism is important to her and how is it changing people’s lifestyles, she said working alongside rural communities in Zimbabwe showed her that unfortunately, people do not have access to meat and fresh products as compared to city centre individuals.

And this is due to the main reason that they do not have access to basic necessities like electricity. This echoes what Mqwebu said about the meat eating in Africa and why plant-based cuisine has been a part of the lives of many Africans, since the very beginning.

“If they keep livestock they do not slaughter them for daily consumption and meat drying practices are not so common in the rural areas I work,” Kagoro says. And so to make the plant-based life more accessible, she has made sure highlight that vegan food can be affordable, nutritional and most importantly, delicious.

“I spread the gospel of veganism because I present affordable nutritional and tasty meals that everyone from all walks of life can practice to ensure they maintain a healthy lifestyle. It is important to me also because most diseases that people face are due to poor diets or can be managed well with a change to one's diet. This is a positive change

to people's lifestyle.” While she admits that the uptake may take longer and people love their meat, she is hopeful that with science and dietitians helping to show how beneficial a plant-based lifestyle is, that more people, including other chefs, will take on the challenge.

“The vegan science in Africa is booming and is growing more and more. We still have a long way to go compared to other global markets and the way vegan brands are presented in the market but we are in a good space.

“More brands are coming out and introducing themselves in mainstream supermarkets and other channels of distribution.

“The scene can be better by adding more diversity to brand developers and market researchers who make the decisions. For example, chefs should be including in marketing vegan brands more. The faces behind the vegan brands who are presenting these products seem to have masks.

More diversity is needed.

Where she comes in, is to bring more Black faces to the plant-based movement in the continent and make the lifestyle more accessible to people who may think they won’t be able to afford being vegan.

“I am changing veganism in Africa

by making it more available to people of different cultures. My mission is to bridge the gap between rural and city individuals and show that vegan food can be affordable, tasty, and nutritional anywhere you eat it,” she said.

Another game-changer when it comes to the plant-based lifestyle is Kamini Pather.

The Masterchef SA winner, has taken an interest in the technology surrounding the food development.

Pather recently launched a new predominantly plant-based food delivery service called Fudy, a first of its kind in South Africa. She said Fudy is the solution to people who are committed to eating healthy but don’t have the time to cook.

“Each signature dish utilises carbs, fats, and protein (sources from plants and animals) to provide a wellbalanced meal.

“The meals are interesting to the taste buds with elements such as black bean and quinoa bombs spiced with cumin and coriander seeds or the plant-based vegan made with cashew nut cream; coconut milk satay with fresh lemongrass, bay leaves, and soy.

“The difference is clear. This food is made with simple ingredients but made the conscious way,” said Pather.

Street food is designed to fuel bu sy people who only ha ve a little pocket chan ge to spare and almost no time. But also, it’s so me of the best food.

African Street Food Recipes BEEF SUYA Ingredients: 680g boneless short ribs, sliced lengthwise into 6mm strips ¼ cup peanut oil, plus more for grilling 2 tbs store-bought or home-made ground suya spice blend 1 5cm piece fresh ginger, grated 2 garlic cloves, grated Kosher salt 2 medium plum tomatoes, sliced into 6mm strips, seeds discarded 1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced into rings 1 lime (optional) ¼ cup toasted peanuts, chopped Method: Lay several strips of meat on a piece of plastic wrap, leaving about 1.3cm between each slice,

and top with another piece of plastic wrap. Pound the meat strips with a rolling pin until 3mm thick. Repeat this process until all the meat has been flattened. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine ¼ cup peanut oil and 2 tbs suya spice blend, with ginger and garlic. Add beef, toss to coat, and season with 2 tsp salt. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the fridge, for 4 to 12 hours.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat, and brush with peanut oil.

Skewer the beef pieces on 12 pre-soaked wooden or metal skewers, wiping off any excess marinade.

Brush the meat with more peanut oil and set the skewers on a baking sheet. Working in batches, grill the beef skewers

until meat is cooked through and lightly charred on both sides, three to four minutes per side.

Transfer the skewers to a platter and sprinkle with more suya spice blend. Place the tomato and onion slices in a bowl, and squeeze lime juice all over.

Season with salt and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Strain any excess liquid. Top skewers with red onion and tomatoes, sprinkle with toasted peanuts, and serve with additional suya spice, for dipping.

Note: To make suya spice blend, combine ¼ cup dry-roasted peanut powder, 1 tbs ground ginger, 2 tsp ground cayenne, 2 tsp hot paprika, 2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder and 1 tsp fine sea salt. Makes about ½ cup.

KELEWELE (SERVES 3-5) A popular Ghanaian dish made with fried plantains Ingredients: 4-6 ripe plantains with little black spots 1/4 onion cut in pieces 1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper 1/2- 1 tablespoon chopped ginger 1-2 garlic cloves 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon stock powder oil for deep frying Method: Using a sharp knife cut both ends off the plantain. Slit a shallow line down the long seam of the plantain, cut only as deep as the peel. Remove plantain peel by pulling it back.

Cut plantains in diagonal pieces and set aside. Blend onions, ginger, garlic, in a blend or food processor, with just enough water to facilitate blending , then add cayenne pepper, lemon, nutmeg, salt and stock. Set aside In a large bowl toss the

plantain cubes and ginger spice mixture Let it rest for about 10 to 20 minutes to absorb the flavour Heat up a large pan with oil up to 1cm- medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Fry the plantain cubes in batches , turning once, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Do not overcrowd the pan (it will cause the plantains to be soggy and absorb excess oil Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried plantains to pan lined with paper towels. Serve warm.

SMOKIE PASUA Nairobi’s number one street food.

Ingredients: 1 onion 1 tsp salt 2 tbsp vinegar 1 tsp Red Wine Vinegar (plain vinegar also works) 2 tsps olive oil 2 tomatoes (the riper the better) 14 smoked sausages Method: Mince the onions to your desired size then place them in a small bowl, add in 1 tbsp of the plain vinegar and half the salt, mix well and leave to sit. In a separate bowl mix the remainder of the plain vinegar, red wine vinegar, olive oil and the remainder of the salt.

Cut the ends off two whole

tomatoes then cut them both in half.

Use a brush or spoon to spread just enough of the vinegar/oil mixture on the four tomato halves. Oil a baking tray or place parchment paper on it, place the sausages and the tomato halves on the tray and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes.

When sausages are baked they should be browned and semi-split.

Take a knife and make an incision almost all the way down across that line, then set them aside. Take out the tomatoes and leave them to sit for 3 or so minutes to cool.

Then cut the tomatoes lengthwise then across to the desired size, add them to the onions (juices and all) and mix well. Using a tablespoon scoop roughly half a tablespoon of the mixture into the smokies. You can garnish with a little coriander, serve while hot and enjoy!

African Beverages NIGERIAN CHAPMAN While no one has all the details of what inspired the Nigerian Chapman cocktail, there’s one thing that stands- it was created by a beverage genius named Chapman and many West Africans appreciate his contributions.

Described as a bright and bubbly festival for your mouth, the Chapman is the ideal drink for revelry. Recipes suggest mixing an orange soda and a lime soda, add some syrup and voila! But it doesn’t have to be non-alcoholic. You can add your favourite spirit to it to give it that edge.

Ingredients: 4 cups Sprite (or any lime/ lemonade flavoured soda) 4 cups Fanta orange (or any orange flavoured soda) ½ grenadine syrup/cordial bitters 1 medium cucumber 4 limes/lemon mint leaves 1 tray of ice cubes Method: Add sprite to ice tray for cubes.

This is optional but advisable, as using water makes it taste watered down and diluted as the ice melts.

In a jug or punch bowl, add equal amounts of the sodas.

Pour in the grenadine syrup, angostura bitters and mix properly together. (If alcoholic, then also add 360ml of your spirit of choice.) Slice cucumber and lime to desired shape and size then add to the mixture.

Finish up with some mint leaves and serve chilled.

NUTTY AFRICAN COFFEE Think of a nut flavoured Irish coffee, but with African flavours and you have the Nutty African Coffee.

Amarula liqueur is used to make this coffee, and it adds a creamy caramel flavour.

Ingredients: 22ml Amarula cream liqueur 22ml Frangelico liqueur 120ml freshly brewed coffee whipped cream (topping) finely chopped nuts, topping (optional) Method: Pour Amarula and Frangelico into coffee glass or clear mug. Fill glass or mug with hot coffee.

Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with nuts if desired.

ROOIBOS LATTE Now while we may give Gwyneth Paltrow the side-eye when it comes to most things, she does know a thing or two about the health benefits of teas. And she loves rooibos and had even shared a rooibos latte recipe on her site, Goop.

Ingredients: 3 Rooibos teabags 1 cup/mug of boiling water 1 tbsp ‘scoop of solid Coconut Oil 1 tsp ‘scoop’ of solid butter Pinch of Cinnamon 1/2 tsp Honey - or to taste.

Method: Boil the kettle and steep the 3 teabags for a few minutes in half of the boiling water.

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend for 30 seconds. Remove jug from blender then tap a few times of the worktop to remove large bubbles. Pour into mug, tap again if needed.

Sprinkle cinnamon, add honey to taste and enjoy your caffeine free delight!

The champions of African cuisine BUHLE MBONAMBI FUNMI Oy and Sdu Gerasch are people I regard as champions of African cuisine. They loudly advocate for African food to be present in more places.

Funmi Oy (a foodie and travel blogger) Why do you think has brought about more awareness about the foods that Africa has to offer the world?

Everything about Africa is colourful. We go hard with our music, our dances, our traditional attires and our charisma. The same can be said of our meals. I think the world is beginning to recognise the uniqueness of Africa’s dishes, because Africans themselves have taken the bull by the horn to project their food stories to the world.

Has social media played a part in there being an increasing audience for African cuisine?

Yes. Social media has played a big role in projecting African cuisines. The world is a smaller and much more connected place than it was 50 years ago. Social media is like a stage where everyone can post anything for the world to see.

What is it about our cuisine that warms your heart?

There is a homeliness to the way many Africans eat food. We have such a diversity of cuisines even in Nigeria, and especially throughout the continent.

However, everywhere you go, can taste the energy of the culture in the food. Our meals are made with so much time, love and detail, and the way we eat (often together) makes food an experience. Also, we love spice! Almost everything we eat is spicy and this does not necessarily mean hot, but full of spice.

Funmi Oy

Sdu Gerasch

What do we do to introduce people to indigenous African food, especially those who have only had South African cuisine and need to try out food from the rest of the continent?

Get them to see the other parts of the continent! Oh, how much people miss when they take a sample from one country and wrongly assume that that’s all the continent has to offer.

Sdu Gerasch (Baker and Food Writer) Which African country do you think has the best food?

That is a difficult question to answer because all countries have

their different cuisines and some are very similar but each country/ tribe will cook it differently. A typical example, in Nigeria you’ll find that the way Igbo, Yoruba or Hausa cook egusi soup, is completely different yet the ingredients they use are the same.

I personally like the Igbo way of cooking. So it depends on what you like and what tickle your taste buds. I personally will be at home anywhere within the continent. Our continent is blessed with an ample variety of food and spices, yet it is a pity that very few are keen to explore it.

When it comes to Jollof- are you pro- Nigeria or Pro-Ghana?

OMG, the question I was hoping won’t be asked. I’m seriously putting my head on the chopping board here. Okay, both Ghana and Nigeria have managed to execute great Jollof according to their countries, tribes and taste honestly they are 50/50. However, I’m 100 percent pro-Senegalese and Gambian Jollof. It is the most amazing jollof rice ever, and I guess both countries have the added advantage because it is an original, Senegambian recipe. They invented Jollof rice.

So say I’m at an African restaurant, what would you suggest we try out at a: Nigerian - Jollof rice, of course.

But also, we have lots of meals that are not part of any war. I recommend pepper soup for lovers of spice and egusi soup with pounded yam for something very rooted in Nigeria.

Ghanaian - Kelewele (spicy fried plantains). This is simple yet delicious and can be eaten alone as a side dish or with rice.

Kenyan - Nyama Choma (roasted meat). I think Kenyans pride themselves on this dish and it is worth trying.

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