View the shortlisted entries for the #AfricanCITYFOODMonth Photography Competition 2022

“Nourishing our Cities Towards Equitable Recovery”

Different cities and regions in Africa are endowed with diverse ingredients that are carefully crafted into unique regional delicacies. The food is bursting  with fresh, bold and sometimes subtle flavours. The ingredients are sourced either fresh from the garden, at a market stall, the back of a pickup truck or from the basket of a street vendor. Whether on a day to day or on special occasions, there are always certain meals that are impossible to turn down and we begin to refer to them as our favourite meal(s). 

How do you prepare your favourite meal? The story should  be a composition of 3 photographs that clearly show each of the following: 

1. Where you acquire some of the ingredients (is it from the garden, your favourite market stall or the supermarket),  
2. Method of preparing your favourite meal while highlighting the energy source used (is it on a charcoal stove, a gas or electric cooker or a mud oven?)
3. Plating and/or sharing the meal or the final product. 

We encourage you to incorporate your city’s delicacies and foods popularly known for their high nutritional value to align with this year’s theme Nourishing our Cities towards Recovery.  

Chilala Moco

@mocochilala | Luanda Angola

Grandma’s Massambala is a dish based on the massambala seed, which is grown in almost all the provinces of my country (Angola), predominantly in the southeastern regions of the country, namely the province of Cuando Cubango. It is prepared mainly with natural ingredients, composed of massambala seeds, cabbage, green cabbage, garlic, beans, beef hand, basil, red pepper, beef lard, red tomato, onion, carrot and salt.

I chose this dish because its ingredients are pretty much available to consumers in terms of cost, and because they are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, proteins and other nutrients. The dish itself has a very important meaning to me, my family and socioculturally in Angola, because my grandmother used to cook it a lot in the winter season to comfort us from the cold, and because it comprises very nutritious products, which are also very easy to access and grow. My grandmother would prepare the massambala with heart and soul, and even liked to talk to the ingredients, as if they were angels of God. She would calmly put each ingredient into her clay or metal pot, and heat it in burning wood. According to her, it was so that the ingredients would not lose their properties. “Very good for the skin and bones!”, she would say.

The preparation would go as following: Bring a pan to the heat, place the beef lard, make the garlic and the onions pulled from the cloves and join them in. Then put the tomato and let it sauté. After a few minutes, add the carrots and then the other ingredients: the cabbage, the massambala, the beef, the beans, the basil and finally the beef broth. Cover the pan and let it cook for 10 minutes.

All products were purchased at Areal Market, Benfica, municipality of Belas, Province of Luanda, Angola. The dish was made by my dear friend Neide Cruz, with the help of our friend Rute Muecália, both my fellow countrywomen, in the village of Mucalaça, next to the Linfune river, in the municipality of Dande, Province of Bengo, Angola. Chilala Moco

 

Stephane Mirimba

@thisissteph___ | Bujumbura, Burundi

Le mukeke et l’uburobe sont deux specialités burundaises. la première est un poisson savoureux qu’on ne peut se procurer que depuis le lac tanganyika au burundi. la seconde est une pâte à base de manioc obtenue après trois étapes bien précises, une technique perfectionnée dans les collines du pays. On commence par bouillir le manioc dans de l’eau sans y ajouter du sel, on plonge ensuite le manioc dans une eau tiède et on l’y laisse pendant deux jours. ce delai passé, il est enfin pillé jusqu’à obtenir la précieuse pâte blanche qui se mariera parfaitement avec le mukeke, la préparation du mukeke est elle plus simple: on prépare le poisson en ôtant les écailles, les nageoires et les entrailles; sur une assiette on mélange moutarde et le sel que l’on applique ensuite sur le poisson, Il suffit ensuite de baigner le tout dans de l’huile chaude. Mais avant tout ça il faut d’abord aller le chercher, ce fameux poisson! Dès que le soleil sort des collines, il faut se diriger vers les étals des poissonniers car le mukeke est alors frais, tout juste sorti des eaux du lac tanganyika , il faut s’accaparer des pièces les plus intéressantes car évidemment, vous n’êtes pas la seule personne à le vouloir à sa table pour midi. Après acquisition de votre precieux sésame. il faut aussi penser à acheter en accompagnement des oignons blancs, un cube maggi, un citron et du piment si vous en voulez. vous pouvez aussi même acheter des tomates si vous souhaitez faire une sauce maison! ce plat est prise par le burundais et très apprecié par les étrangers venus découvrir le pays et sa gastronomie. plus encore, il est passé au rang d’icône de la cuisine burundaise. tellement il est chéri par la population! de nombreux ressortissants, dès leur retour au pays demande qu’on le leur cuisine: c’est un plat qui reconnecte aux souvenirs joyeux. Ce plat fait parti de l’identité nationale, au même rang que les tambours sacrés. On l’aime le mukeke, On l’aime l’uburobe.

Mukeke and uburobe are two Burundian specialties. the first is a tasty fish that can only be obtained from lake tanganyika in burundi. the second is a cassava-based paste obtained after three very specific steps, a technique perfected in the hills of the country. We start by boiling the cassava in water without adding salt, then we immerse the cassava in lukewarm water and leave it there for two days. after this time, it is finally plundered until obtaining the precious white paste which will go perfectly with the mukeke, the preparation of the mukeke is simpler: the fish is prepared by removing the scales, the fins and the entrails; on a plate we mix mustard and salt which we then apply to the fish, then just bathe everything in hot oil. But before all that, you first have to go get it, this famous fish! As soon as the sun comes out of the hills, you have to go to the fishmongers’ stalls because the mukeke is then fresh, just out of the waters of Lake Tanganyika, you have to grab the most interesting pieces because obviously, you are not not the only person who wants him at their table for lunch. After acquiring your precious sesame. you should also think about buying white onions, a maggi cube, a lemon and chilli if you want it. you can also even buy tomatoes if you want to make a homemade sauce! this dish is taken by Burundians and very appreciated by foreigners who come to discover the country and its gastronomy. even more, he has become an icon of Burundian cuisine. he is so cherished by the population! many nationals, as soon as they return to their country, ask that it be cooked for them: it is a dish that reconnects with happy memories. This dish is part of the national identity, in the same rank as the sacred drums. We like the mukeke, We like the uburobe.

Grady Lum

@grady_lum01| Kinshasa, République Démocratique du Congo

LE PONDU (FEUILLE DE MANIOC)
Je fais le choix de travailler sur l’histoire du pondu ou feuille de manioc en français pour son côté traditionnel et délicieux par ce que or mis sa popularité le pondu (feuille de manioc) en république démocratique du Congo elle représente toute un historique gastronomique et ethnique dans la communauté congolaise. Mais avant de vous parle de son origine laisser-moi vous démontrer le pondu dans sa définition complète…
Vous avez déjà sans doute entendu parler de feuille de manioc connu sous le nom de pondu ?   
Cependant les feuilles de manioc sont des feuilles des plantes de yucca (généralement connu sous l’appellation de manioc). Elle est caractérisée par des grandes feuilles vertes qui sont très rependu dans l’Afrique centrale. Le pondu est un plat très spécial pour ceux connaissent elle ses mangent généralement avec le fufu ou du riz blanc et Elle tire son origine dans le deux Congo c’est-à-dire la RDC et le Congo Brazza ou il est appelle « saka saka »
Etant donné sa popularité le pondu a aussi une importance qui ne passe pas inaperçu il est très riche en fer et en calcium. Elle contient aussi beaucoup de vitamines C et A ce qui fait que le pondu renforce le système immunitaire, Cela rend le pondu très important dans sa consommation que ça soit en familiale ou culturelle.
Ainsi donc voici la méthode préparation :
•        Hachez l’oignon, l’aubergine, le poivron et l’ail.
•        Dans une casserole, ajoutez les feuilles de manioc qui on était piler jusqu’à l’ostentation d’une patte solide ajoutez l’oignon, l’aubergine, l’ail, le poivron, la muscade, le sel.
•        Ajouter de l’eau et couvrez la casserole ensuite laisser cuire à un feu vif jusqu’à ce que les feuilles de manioc soient cuites.
•        Lorsque le feuilles de manioc sont cuites, ajoutez l’huile de palme. A ce stade ne remuez pas la casserole, remettez le couvercle et laissez cuire 20 à 30 minutes. 
•        Remuer, retirer du feu et servir
NOTER :
Les feuille de manioc ont un très bon gout servi avec un bon plat d’accompagnement comme le fufu du riz ou bien plus encore… 
Parfait pour de diner en famille ou entre amis. L’avantage de feuille de manioc est que tout le monde contribue dans sa préparation ce qui fait que les feuilles de manioc soient toujours le plat le plus aimer dans l’Afrique centrale

En dernier lieu le pondu ou feuille de manioc est un plats a adoptez non seulement dans la communauté local mais aussi sur le plan international car elle offre plusieurs avantages dans la santé et elle est aussi un très bon plat qui mérite aussi sa place dans la consommation internationale. 

 

THE PONDU (CASAVA LEAF)
I make the choice to work on the history of pondu or cassava leaf in French for its traditional and delicious side because or put its popularity pondu (cassava leaf) in the Democratic Republic of Congo it represents a whole gastronomic history and ethnicity in the Congolese community. But before telling you about its origin, let me show you the pondu in its complete definition…
You have probably already heard of cassava leaf known as pondu?
However cassava leaves are leaves of yucca plants (commonly known as cassava). It is characterized by large green leaves which are very common in Central Africa. The pondu is a very special dish for those who know it, it is generally eaten with fufu or white rice and it originates in the two Congos, that is to say the DRC and Congo Brazza where it is called “saka saka »
Given its popularity, pondu also has an importance that does not go unnoticed: it is very rich in iron and calcium. It also contains a lot of vitamins C and A which makes the pondu strengthen the immune system, This makes the pondu very important in its consumption whether in family or cultural.
So here is the preparation method:
• Chop the onion, eggplant, pepper and garlic.
• In a saucepan, add the cassava leaves which were crushed until the ostentation of a solid paw add the onion, eggplant, garlic, pepper, nutmeg, salt.
• Add water and cover the pan then cook over high heat until the cassava leaves are cooked.
• When the cassava leaves are cooked, add the palm oil. At this stage do not stir the pan, put the lid back on and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Stir, remove from heat and serve
TO NOTE :
Cassava leaves have a very good taste served with a good side dish like rice fufu or much more…
Perfect for dining with family or friends. The advantage of cassava leaf is that everyone contributes in its preparation which makes cassava leaves still the most loved dish in Central Africa

Finally, the pondu or cassava leaf is a dish to adopt not only in the local community but also internationally because it offers several health benefits and it is also a very good dish that also deserves its place in consumption internationally.

Winner MODE NLOGA

@wiiner.nloga| Yaoundé, Cameroun

Originaire de la région du Littoral du Cameroun, le ndolè est un plat traditionnel très prisé durant les grandes cérémonies (mariage, dote, fête familiale, réception des hôtes de marque). Son côté légèrement amer et salé à la fois, a conquis d’autres peuples du Cameroun au-delà de l’aire culturel Sawa (peuple du Littoral). Il est ainsi devenu le plan national auquel tous les Camerounais s’identifient surtout dans un contexte actuel marqué par les crises de réclusion communautaire. Les feuilles de ndolè sont alors commercialisés dans les marchés et supermarchés des autres régions du Cameroun et préparer de manière particulière à chaque région.

Aujourd’hui le ndolè représente également un véritable patrimoine culturel et touristique du Cameroun dont l’écho résonne même au-delà des frontières. C’est ainsi que le célèbre chef français Fred Chesneau a revisité ce plat dans le cadre de son émission « Les paris du globe cooker ». C’est donc avec une grande fierté que nous sommes ravis de partager la recette de ce plat qui a bercé notre enfance.  Lorsqu’il fallait le préparer, ma mère prenait toute une journée de travail pour cueillir les feuilles dans le petit champ de ma grand-mère. Il fallait ensuite faire cuire les feuilles pendant au moins 30 minutes, puis les frotter pendant longtemps afin de réduire la dose d’amertume avant de passer véritablement à la cuisson. Chaque moment de consommation était un moment convivial et de grande retrouvaille en famille.
La recette
Ingrédients
        200g de boules de Ndolè lavées
        300g d’arachide cru (émondés)
        200g de poisson fumé
        100g oignons
        50g de gingembre
        Piment
        Huile végétale
        2 bouillons cubes 

Préparation
Faire cuire les arachides dans une casserole remplie d’eau. Après ébullition, retirez les arachides du feu pour les 
Ecrasez les arachides en purée.
Coupez finement les oignons épluchés. Ecrasez les 3/4 des oignons avec le gingembre et le piment.
Faites revenir dans l’huile les ingrédients écrasés, pendant environ 5mn. Ajoutez ensuite les arachides. Mélangez doucement et portez à ébullition tout en remuant pour éviter que cela ne colle au fond de la casserole.
Pendant ce temps préparez le poisson fumé et les boules de ndolè lavées auparavant
Lorsque la sauce d’arachide est bien cuite, ajoutez progressivement les boules Ndolè émiettées.
Rajoutez un peu d’eau. Assaisonnez avec le sel et une touche de bouillon de cube afin de mieux relever le goût.
Rajoutez le poisson fumé et laissez cuire à feu très doux pendant environ 15mn.
Pour une touche esthétique de votre plat,  faites revenir le reste d’oignons dans une poêle, puis les versez sur le ndolè, et mélangez. Terminer votre plat en y ajoutant un filet d’huile végétale
Voilà votre ndolè est prêt. Servir bien chaud avec du plantain mûr, des baguettes de manioc (miondo), de la patate douce ou du macabo. 
Bon appétit !!!

 

Originally from the Littoral region of Cameroon, ndolè is a traditional dish very popular during major ceremonies (wedding, dowry, family celebration, reception of distinguished guests). Its slightly bitter and salty side has conquered other peoples of Cameroon beyond the Sawa cultural area (people of the Coast). It has thus become the national plan with which all Cameroonians identify, especially in a current context marked by crises of community confinement. The ndolè leaves are then marketed in markets and supermarkets in other regions of Cameroon and prepared in a particular way for each region.

Today the ndolè also represents a real cultural and tourist heritage of Cameroon whose echo resonates even beyond the borders. This is how the famous French chef Fred Chesneau revisited this dish as part of his program “Les paris du globe cooker”. It is therefore with great pride that we are delighted to share the recipe for this dish that rocked our childhood. When it had to be prepared, my mother took a whole day of work to pick the leaves in my grandmother’s small field. The leaves then had to be cooked for at least 30 minutes, then rubbed for a long time to reduce the dose of bitterness before actually cooking. Each moment of consumption was a friendly moment and a great family reunion.
Recipe
Ingredients
 200g of washed Ndolè balls
 300g raw peanuts (shelled)
 200g of smoked fish
 100g onions
 50g ginger
 Chilli
 Vegetable oil
 2 stock cubes

Preparation
Cook the peanuts in a pan filled with water. After boiling, remove the peanuts from the heat to
Mash the peanuts into a puree.
Finely chop the peeled onions. Crush 3/4 of the onions with the ginger and chilli.
Brown the crushed ingredients in the oil for about 5 minutes. Then add the peanuts. Mix gently and bring to a boil while stirring to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Meanwhile prepare the smoked fish and the previously washed ndolè balls
When the peanut sauce is well cooked, gradually add the crumbled Ndolè balls.
Add a little water. Season with salt and a touch of bouillon cube to enhance the taste.
Add the smoked fish and cook over very low heat for about 15 minutes.
For an aesthetic touch to your dish, brown the rest of the onions in a pan, then pour them over the ndolè, and mix. Finish your dish by adding a drizzle of vegetable oil
Here is your ndole is ready. Serve hot with ripe plantain, cassava sticks (miondo), sweet potato or macabo.
Enjoy your meal !!!

Fadikpe Arsene

@Kraft_photographie| Lomé, Togo

Plutôt que de refaire l’histoire de la cuisine africaine en général son historiographie permet d’appréhender comment se sont construit l’image prestigieuse de celle-ci. Voici la sauce claire du foufou (foutou) ou encore appeler la sauce sérum.

Cette sauce simple rapide est un délice dans la vie des Togolais communement appelé en langue éwé ”foufouissi”. Il est composé essentiellement d’aubergines, de tomates, du poivron, de l’oignon, du piment vert et en plus d’une viande de son choix. La sauce sérum est l’une des sauces la plus cuisinée dans mon pays le Togo vu les ingrédients et composants.
C’est l’une des choses les plus faciles à réaliser en matière d’art culinaire et qui en plus d’être un complément alimentaire, il a beaucoup de vertus d’où son nom sauce sérum.

Au Togo, cette sauce a aidé beaucoup de famille en matière de santé je me rappelle du jour où j’étais malade pour la petite histoire j’étais atteint de grippe et j’étais encore en plein adolescence c’était dans les vacances d’été plus précisément en moins de juillet (le mois de en #africanCityfoodmonth)

Et les parents étaient en voyage pour des raisons de travail j’étais seul à la maison avec mon grand frère et comme ce fut coutume dans notre famille il m’a fait la sauce sérum sauce blanc pour que je puisse avoir la force je n’en dirai pas plus mais cette sauce a fait des miracles dans la vie de beaucoup de Togolais. Voici comment est réalisé ce merveille chez moi au Togo. Mettez à votre disposition tous les ingrédients cité un peu plus haut, verset de l’eau dans un casserole ajouter en même temps tous les ingrédients et surtout n’oubliez pas la viande de votre choix que ce soit du poisson ou de la viande crue laisser mijoter laisser bouillir pendant 10 à 13 minutes et assez après ajouter la viande à moitié cuit assaisonner et laisser vous emporter par les odeurs de cette merveille vous pouvez l’accompagner avec du foufou (igname pilée ou soit du riz) de son nom la sauce claire ou encore sauce sérum loin d’être une sauce remède dans ses lignes c’est un hommage rendu assez mais succulent des pays africains qui a pris son origine depuis le temps des grands empires africains et est un vrai délice est souvent servi avec du foufou ou du riz.

N’oubliez pas de passage au Togo ou en Afrique de toujours goûter à la sauce claire ou la sauce tomate vous m’en direz des nouvelles dans ces trois images voici un bref aperçu de sa préparation et de sa composition.

 

Rather than redoing the history of African cuisine in general, its historiography allows us to understand how its prestigious image was built. Here is the clear sauce of foufou (foutou) or call it serum sauce. This quick simple sauce is a delight in the life of Togolese commonly called in the Ewe language ”foufouissi”. It is essentially composed of eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, onions, green peppers and in addition a meat of your choice.

The serum sauce is one of the most cooked sauces in my country Togo given the ingredients and components.
It is one of the easiest things to do in the culinary arts and which in addition to being a food supplement, it has many virtues hence its name serum sauce. In Togo, this sauce has helped a lot of families in terms of health I remember the day I was sick for the little story I had the flu and I was still in the middle of adolescence it was on summer vacation was more precisely in less than July (the month of in #africanCityfoodmonth). And the parents were traveling for work reasons I was alone at home with my big brother and as was customary in our family he made me the serum sauce white sauce so that I could have the strength I don’t I will say no more but this sauce has worked miracles in the lives of many Togolese.

Here is how this wonder is made at home in Togo. Provide you with all the ingredients mentioned above, pour water into a saucepan add all the ingredients at the same time and above all do not forget the meat of your choice whether it is fish or raw meat leave simmer let boil for 10 to 13 minutes and enough after add the half-cooked meat season and let yourself be carried away by the smells of this wonder you can accompany it with foufou (pounded yam or rice) from its name the clear sauce or serum sauce far from being a remedy sauce in its lines it is a fairly but succulent tribute to African countries which originated from the time of the great African empires and is a real delight is often served with foufou or rice.

Don’t forget when you are in Togo or Africa to always taste the clear sauce or the tomato sauce you will tell me about it in these three images here is a brief overview of its preparation and its composition.

Samy Ntumba Shambuyi

@samyntumbashambuyi| Kinshasa, Congo-Kinshasa

LA FOUGÈRE DES SAVANES (Pteridium Centrali-africanum) l’aliment préférais des kinois. 

Un aliment qui prend de l’ampleur dans la cuisine kinoise.  À Kinshasa capital de la République démocratique du Congo, l’insécurité sanitaire a fait que la population kinoise se donne de plus en plus à ce produit de cueillette qu’ils appellent affectueusement « MISILI ». Exposé sur les étalages au marché Delvaux, un quartier situé à l’ouest dans la Commune de Ngaliema ou les mamans y vendent et la population achète à un prix très abordable.

Aliment remplis des vitamines, protéines, …. ; Elle soigne les inflammations des articulations dans le domaine de la pharmacopée traditionnelle ; utilisée comme gel, elle est un aliment riche en fer. Les légumes n’étant pas suffisamment acheminés en ville, la population ne dispose pas de la nourriture suffisante en qualité et en quantité pour son alimentation, d’où l’insécurité alimentaire. De ce fait, elles recourent à la consommation des produits provenant de la cueillette à cause de leur prix raisonnable sur le marché et leurs valeurs nutritives. Nous vous présentions cette série de trois photos qui démontre la particularité ce légume dans son acquisition, la préparation ainsi que sa présentation à table. Pour cette recette, elle se prépare avec du poisson fumé, la pâte d’arachides ainsi que le champignon.

Pour commencer la cuisson, il a fallu bien nettoyer les légumes en ôtant les petites fleurs au bout des tiges, et les découpés moyennement en suite placée une marmite d’eau bouillante au feu pour y plonger les fougères en l’enlevant au bout de cinq minute ; puis mettre une poêle au feu en y versant l’huile, attendre qu’elle devienne suffisamment chaude puis y mette les ingrédients (tomates, Oignons, Aies, Muscade) et les préparées. Après cela, on renverse le contenu de la poêle dans la marmite à fougère contenant les poissons fumé et le champignon bien nettoyé a l’eau chaude puis y ajouter la patte d’arachide, un peu d’eau et du sel et laissé mijoter pour environ 23 minutes.

Un plan succulent et appétissant qui se consomme avec l’aliment de votre choix comme le fufu, la chikwang, les pommes de terre, et bien d’autres Accompagnements. Malheureusement, la fougère est un aliment qui suit un circuit commercial court, c’est-à-dire n’ayant pas beaucoup d’intermédiaires entre les marchés aux producteurs (marchés primaires) et les marchés aux consommateurs.

Bien que peu considérée, la fougère offre une diversité des denrées alimentaires pouvant couvrir les besoins alimentaires d’un peuple et répondre particulièrement à la demande extérieure.

 

SAVANNA FERN (Pteridium Centrali-africanum) the preferred food of Kinshasa people.

A food that is gaining momentum in Kinshasa cuisine. In Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, health insecurity has caused the Kinshasa population to give more and more to this harvested product which they affectionately call “MISILI”. Displayed on the shelves at the Delvaux market, a district located to the west in the Commune of Ngaliema where mothers sell there and the population buys at a very affordable price.

Food filled with vitamins, proteins, …. ; It treats inflammation of the joints in the field of traditional pharmacopoeia; used as a gel, it is a food rich in iron. Since vegetables are not sufficiently transported to the city, the population does not have sufficient food in quality and quantity for its diet, hence food insecurity. As a result, they resort to the consumption of products from the collection because of their reasonable price on the market and their nutritional values. We present to you this series of three photos which demonstrates the particularity of this vegetable in its acquisition, preparation and presentation at the table. For this recipe, it is prepared with smoked fish, peanut paste and mushrooms.

To start cooking, it was necessary to clean the vegetables well by removing the small flowers at the end of the stems, and cut them moderately, then placed a pot of boiling water on the fire to plunge the ferns into it, removing it after five minute ; then put a frying pan on the fire, pouring in the oil, wait for it to become hot enough then put the ingredients (tomatoes, onions, aies, nutmeg) and the prepared ones. After that, the contents of the pan are reversed into the fern pot containing the smoked fish and the mushroom, well cleaned with hot water, then add the peanut leg, a little water and salt and let simmer to about 23 minutes.

A succulent and appetizing plan that is eaten with the food of your choice such as fufu, chikwang, potatoes, and many other Accompaniments. Unfortunately, the fern is a food that follows a short commercial circuit, that is to say not having many intermediaries between the markets for producers (primary markets) and the markets for consumers.

Although little considered, the fern offers a diversity of foodstuffs that can cover the food needs of a people and respond particularly to external demand.

Ahmed Ibrahim

@ahmi91| Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Wa’at (In Amharic: ወጥ) is a simple traditional Dish that consists of Water, Onions, Tomatoes, Salt, some seasonings, chili powder/Berbere (Amharic: በርበሬ) and Meat which is a choice between Cow meat or Sheep meat which are the most common. When thinking of making Wa’at its common first to visit the vegetable market/Atekilt Tera (Amharic: አትክልት ተራ) where we choose the best onions and the best tomatoes and then the next destination is the Cattle market/Beg Tera (Amharic: በግ ተራ). Gathering ingredients is not an easy task especially at crowded markets like Atekilt Tera (Vegetable Market), you need an experienced eye to choose the best vegetables and a good level of negotiation skill to get the right price, it’s a common practice to negotiate in such markets. 

After buying the necessary ingredients the process of making Wa’at is as Follows – First you wash all the ingredients such as the onions and the tomatoes. And you also need to Slaughter the Sheep or the Cow and cut the meat to be used in the Wa’at this part might take time. Secondly what you do is chop chop chop, chop the onions and the tomatoes, this also takes time because you need to chop it to have a fine texture not chunks. While all the chopping and meat cutting is going on we have a person who is lighting up the fire, the hardest part in my opinion I always struggle at doing so, at many occasion (which include – Religious holidays, celebrations; weddings, graduations, family gatherings, and others more) when we make Wa’at we use large pots which can’t fit on a normal stove so the best option is an old fashioned wood fire which “for me” is hard to set up. What do you think the next step is? Guess What, we place the pot on the fire, add water, let it boil and the action begins. To the boiling water we add the onions first and give it some time and then the tomatoes are add and followed by the meat and you let it cook. While its cooking we add salt, few seasonings and the Chili Powder/Berbere which gives the Wa’at a dark red color. You stir stir and stir and wait for the meat to cook well and then its done – wala! Chiefs kiss.

The Wa’at or in more detail now the Qey Wa’at (Amharic: ቀይ ወጥ) – Red Stew is an easy dish and a really common one in Ethiopian cuisine but it needs patients and certain amount of experience to make, in my opinion it’s of the best dishes.

Mercy Adebayo 

Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria

Plantains could serve as a substitute to Potato or Yam, It’s  been a nutritious staple food in tropical region of the world, it contains dietary fibre, potassium, vitamins, high in starch and low in sugar content. In addition to these, there are so many ways in which we can prepare plantain such as preparing it into porridge, chips, roasted plantain (grilled over charcoal), and boiled plantain eaten with either egg sauce, stew made with tomatoes or with vegetable sauce, which is what I made. 

The yorubas flaunt their special delicacy, Efo Riro, the purest form of vegetable sauce. Anyway, this dish is usually made with ugwu (spinach) with a lot of assorted meats. There is a bit of culture mix with my dish, I used Jatropha tanjorensis locally called ‘hospital too far’. Yorubas call it ‘efo ìyànà ipaja’. It’s very common in the southern part of Nigeria mostly Edo state and Eastern Nigeria. It itches when rubbed against the skin. It is so rich in Vitamin A and C and other minerals like Calcium, Protein and Iron.

I chose this dish because of it’s finger-licking goodness and nutritional values. It has a way of provoking my African tastebuds. I call it my African Pota-iron (potassium and iron).

Boiled plantain and Èfọ́ rírò Recipe:
Plantains
Fresh vegetables (in this case, Tree Spinach)
3 medium /2 big size bell peppers (Tatashe)
1 and 1/2 scotch bonnet (Rodo)
1/2 cup Palm Oil
1 and 1/2 medium size red onions
Assorted meats of your choice (Shaki, Kpomo, cow leg, smoked turkey or beef are ideal)
Dried stockfish (Panla)
1 tablespoon Locust beans (Iru)
2 cubes of any seasoning your choice 
3 tablespoons ground Crayfish (Optional)
Salt to taste

1. Wash your ripe (or unripe) plantain and cut it into a pot with little salt for taste, allow it to boil (with the peel still on) for 20 to 25mins. Remove from fire and peel the skin of the plantain, serve accordingly. Boiling with the peel is to retain the nutrient content and also to avoid unwanted stains on clothes and hands.
2. Wash and Boil your meat, pomo ( thick cow skin)and stock fish together with seasoning and onions as desired. When it’s cooked, set aside. 
2. Wash your vegetables, shred them and set aside. 
3. Blend or grate your scotch bonnet, bell peppers and onions together
4. Place a pot on the fire and pour in your palm oil, allow it to stay few seconds till it’s clear then pour in your blended pepper, iru, salt, crayfish and seasoning as appropriate then let it simmer for some 10-15mins.
5. Then add the pomo,roasted fish, stock fish,meat and let it cook for 10 minutes. 
5. Pour in your washed and shredded ‘hospital too far’ (or any desired vegetable(s))  and mix it properly. Allow it to cook on low heat for about 5 minutes, then turn off the heat. Your Èfọ́ rírò is ready.

 

Anésio Manhiça

@esio.crm | Maputo Mozambique

Badjias are fried snacks typical of Indian cuisine. They were introduced into Mozambican cuisine via contact with the Goans at the time of Portuguese colonization. However, despite going through the same preparation mode, Mozambican badjias are produced with different ingredients from Indian “bajiins”. Throughout this text I propose to demonstrate why badjias have become the most demanded products for breakfast and snacks in the city of Maputo. However, its production and commercialization as a ‘fast food’ encourages the use of plastic bags, thus increasing urban pollution. In this sense, it is worth investigating what sustainable alternatives there can be to reduce single-use plastic around the preparation and consumption of badjias.

Feeding citizens: At 5:00 am, the sound of the bowl grinding cowpeas can be heard in the backyard of some houses in Maputo. Between 6:30 am and 10:30 am, students and workers are flocking around the places selling badjia with bread – bakeries, around supermarkets, open markets and small stalls inside or close to educational establishments, public and private institutions and places where there are ongoing civil construction works. Throughout the city, there are also many street vendors of badjia with bread.

Traditionally, badjias are served with bread. This is because the combination is relatively cheaper when compared to other options sold in the streets such as bread with fried egg, chorizo or palone. While bread with badjia costs 2MZN, bread with chorizo costs 25MZN; with egg, 10MZN; and with palone 10MZN. Badjia, however, is smaller compared to other products. The catch is that badjias give the consumer the possibility to decide how much money they want to spend on the garnish.

Boosting the use of plastic bags: At 06:00am, the exact time when the badjias are fried, one can smell plastic burning. This smell is caused by badjias’ saleswomen who use plastic bags to light their coal stoves. They realized that plastic bags are highly flammable and, therefore, useful to facilitate coal to catch fire. This fire will be used to heat cooking oil to fry badjias. In the marketing process, plastic bags measuring about 14cmx8cm are used to pack bread filled with badjia. One of the saleswomen said: “We use three packages of plastic bags a day. Each package contains 50 plastic bags. We use a package of the larger plastics every 3 days.” This means that, on average, each badjias’ salesperson distributes more than 150 plastic bags a day in Maputo.

Plastic pollution: While burning, plastic microparticles spread into the air and are inhaled first by the fire maker and then by people standing nearby. A marine biologist said: “When I was pregnant, I left my house very early in the morning to go to work, to lock myself in the office and avoid having to put up with the smell of smoke and plastic that my neighbor in reis-do-chão made”. Moreover, plastic bags used to wrap bread with badjias are mostly discarded on the floor or in the garbage can after a single use. This puts pressure on solid waste management systems. At the end of its journey, plastic bags reach the Indian Ocean where they threaten the marine fauna. Along the way, plastic blocks drainage ditches, making it difficult for rainwater to run off, thus increasing the risk of floods and creating a conducive environment for mosquitoes to proliferate.Research by Camilla Bjerklis (2005) in Addis Ababa and by Nelsom Mugabe (2020) in Maputo city shows that plastic bags are harming animal and human health. Furthermore, plastic bags are responsible for the degradation of natural environments and for 80% of water pollution in the world (Sulenman, et al 2022).

What to do? To avoid plastic pollution, customers who buy bread with badjias should use ecological and recyclable packaging. One can also think of a movement to recycle discarded plastic.

Preparation of Badjias

Ingredients: cowpea flour, garlic, ‘piri-piri’ chili, salt, oil and water.

Preparation:

1. Soak cowpeas for 24 hours.
2. Crush garlic (you can also mix it with piri-piri chili).
3. Mix the garlic and cowpeas in a bowl grinder, add salt and water and grind until it turns into a homogeneous paste.
4. Heat enough oil to fry tablespoon-sized dumplings in high temperature.
5. Use a tablespoon to make dumplings and place them in the frying pan until golden brown – about 6 min should be enough.