African Recipes

Just 4 u

BEAN DROPS (BINCH AKARA)
1 pound black-eyed beans (peas)
2 teaspoons salt
1 small onion, very finely chopped
2 cups oil

Pour dry beans in a blender with a cup of water. Chop for one minute. Pour in large bowl add water. Stir
until skins float. Strain into colander; allow all skin and eyes to flow out. Blend beans, onion and
pepper. Pour in a bowl, add salt, and stir with a wooden spoon for two minutes. Heat oil until
moderately hot.
Drop mixture into oil with spoon. Fry until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper.
Small balls can be served with toothpicks.

CORNED BEEF CAKES
1 pound potatoes or yams
salt and pepper to taste
1 small onion, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
7 ounce can corned beef
2 cups bread crumbs for coating

Deep fat for frying
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
Peel potatatoes or yams; wash and boil in salted water until tender, drain and mash. Add pepper or
cayenne, chopped onions, parsley and corned beef. Add milk to eggs. Add two tablespoons egg mixture
and mix well. Form into flat cakes, brush with eggs, coat with bread crumbs. Fry in oil until golden
brown. Drain on tissue paper, serve hot.

AFRICAN VEGETABLE STEW (Serves 4):
"A spicy vegetable stew" I got this recipe from my mom, who got it from a friend. It's very easy to
make.
1 very large onion,chopped
1 bunch Swiss chard
1 can garbanzo beans 500 g (known also as chick peas, ceci, etc.)
1/2 cup raisins 75 g
1/2 cup uncooked rice 100 g
several fresh tomatoes (or 1 large can 800 g of canned tomatoes)
1 clove garlic (or more to taste)
2 yams
salt and pepper to taste
tabasco sauce to taste
Fry onion, garlic, and white stems of chard until barely limp. Add chopped greens and fry a bit. Either
peel the yams or scrub them well with a vegetable brush, then slice them into thick slices. Add
garbanzos, raisins, yams, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook a couple of minutes. Make a well in the
center of the mixture in the pot. Put the rice in the well and pat it down until it's wet. Cover and cook
until rice is done\(emabout 25 minutes. Add Tabasco sauce to taste. I find that the flavors of the
vegetables don't stand out unless you put in a lot of tabasco. But then, I've got a cast-iron tongue. You
should add enough to make the stew seem spicy to you. Difficulty: easy. Time: 15 minutes preparation,
30 minutes cooking. Precision: no need to measure.


CHICKEN STEW
2 pounds stewing chicken
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon "Mrs. Dash" seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups oil
1 large pepper, chopped
2 large onions
4 ounces tomato paste
2 tablespoons lemon juice (juice of 1/2 lemon)
1 large tomato, chopped or diced
Skin and trim fat from chicken. Cut 8 to 10 pieces. Rub in lemon juice. Rinse and drain chicken. Add
spices and rub into chicken. Refrigerate for 10 hours. Heat oil and brown chicken. Saute onions and
pepper for 1/2 hour; add tomato and tomato paste. Stir to distribute evenly. Add salt to taste, add
chicken, 1/2 cup water and simmer over low heat till chicken is tender 10-15 minutes.

PEANUT BUTTER STEW
1 pound stewing meat
2 large tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon "Mrs. Dash" seasoning
1 large onion, chopped or sliced
1 large pepper, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, optional
salt to taste
Season meat with Mrs. Dash. Let it absorb for three hours. Brown meat in oil. Add some water and
simmer until tender. Remove and set aside. In the same oil saute pepper and onions. Add tomatoes and
set aside. In the same oil saute pepper and onions. Add tomatoes and stir briskly. Mix peanut butter with
1/2 cup water to form a thin paste and add to stew. Stir, add meat, salt to tase ad let simmer 15 minutes
over low heat. Serve with rice, boiled yam, cassava and green vegetable.

SPINACH SAUCE (PLASAS)
2 packages of frozen chopped spinach
1/2 pound smoked fish, flaked
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup peanut butter
3 cups water
1 1/2 cup palm oil
2 hot peppers or 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound meat, stewing or chuck roast
Cut meat. Put in saucepan with two cups of water, salt, onion and pepper. Bring to boil and add palmoil.
Continue cooking partly covered. Cook for 1 1/2 hours over medium heat. Add spinach (previously
thawed and drained), flaked fish and peanut butter mixed with water. Stir, cover and simmer for 10
minutes. Serve with steamed rice, drained), flaked fish and peanut butter mixed with water. Stir, cover
and simmer.

KOEKSISTERS
12 oz flour 8 oz sugar 4 eggs 2 tsp cinnamon 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp mixed spice 4 oz butter 1/2 tsp yeast
fat for frying
Coating: 1 and 1/2 lb sugar 1 pint water
Mix the yeast with a little sugar, then add the mixed dry ingredients. Beat the eggs and add to the
mixture. Knead all together and leave to stand for 1 hour. Roll out and cut into rectangles. Fry in deep
fat. When cooked, dip into a syrup made from the 1 and 1/2 lb sugar and water boiled together with a
little more cinnamon for taste.

KOLOMBYNTJES
8 oz butter 1 lb sugar 5 eggs 12 oz flour 2 tsp cream of tartar pinch salt 1 tbsp milk 1 tsp bicarb. of soda
6 oz currants 1 tsp lemon juice
Cream together butter and sugar, then add the beaten eggs, flour, cream of tartar and salt. Dissolve the bicarb. of soda in the milk and beat this in. Finally add the lemon juice and currants. Pour into a greased
pan and bake at 325 degrees for about 20 - 30 minutes.

MELKTERT
Pastry: 4 oz flour 2 tsp baking powder 2 oz butter 2 egg yolks pich salt
Filling: 1 pint milk 8 oz sugar 2 tbsp cornflour 3 egg whites 1 oz butter cinnamon and sugar
Rub butter into sifted flour, baking powder and salt. Add egg yolks and enough milk to make a stiff
dough. Roll out thinly and line one large or two small cake pans.
To make filling, dissolve cornflour in a little of the milk and boil the remaining milk together with the
sugar. Pour milk/sugar onto the cornflour mixture and cook for 3 minutes, stirring all the time. Stir in the
butter.
Cool slightly then fold the stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour the mixture into lined cake pans, sprinkle with
sugar and cinnamon, and bake in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

Heerlike Poeding
This is a recipe from South Africa, but I do not know whether or not it originated there. "Heerlike
Poeding" (pronounced "here-lick-a pudding") literally means "Delicious Pudding" in Afrikaans. This is
not a dessert to be served at refined dinner parties. However, it is a truly delicious baked pudding in the
blue collar tradition that is perfect for hearty appetites on cold, wintry days. It's easy to make, too.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons apricot jam
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 egg
pinch of salt (about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon)
Beat egg and sugar. Add rest of ingredients except milk. Mix well, then add milk and mix well again.
(The mixture will be very liquid, but that's okay.) Bake for one hour at 350 deg F in a *deep* uncovered
casserole dish -- say about 7 to 8 inches square or round and 3 or 4 inches deep.

Just before the hour is up, prepare the following syrup:
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
Bring the syrup to the boil, then pour it into the dish, while the pudding is still hot from the oven. Let
stand for a few minutes before serving.
Can be served with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Leftovers may be reheated either in the oven or
microwave. It seems to taste even better the second time around!

Onion and Tomato Raita

4-6 Servings
Quantity Ingredient
8 oz. Yogurt (plain)
1 small Onion
1
2 t Salt
1 small Tomato
1
2 t Chat Masala (optional)
1
2 t Black pepper (ground)
1
4 c Milk
1. Beat yogurt and milk until smooth.
2. Chop onion and tomatoes and add to yogurt.
3. Add salt and pepper and sprinkle the Chat Masala over, and serve.

Boondhi Raita

Quantity Ingredient
1
4 c Besan
1
2 c Water
Ghee for frying
11
12 CHAPTER 3. THIS AND THAT
to taste Salt
to taste Pepper
to taste Chat Masala
1 1
2 c Yogurt
1
4 c Milk
1. Make a pouring paste of the besan and water.
2. Heat ghee and drop paste into it through a slotted spoon to get little
drops that fall one at a time (these are boondhi).
3. Remove the drops when golden brown and dry on a paper towel to
remove extra oil.
4. Soak the drops in warm water.
5. Add milk, salt, pepper, and add Chat Masala to yogurt.
6. Squeeze water out of boondhi and add to yogurt.

Mint and Coriander Chutney

Quantity Ingredient
1 bunch Coriander leaves
1 bunch Mint leaves
1 Green chili
1 oz. Seedless tamarind
1 tsp Salt
4 T Water
1 medium Onion
1. Wash and soak tamarind in water for 1
2 hour.
2. Clean, pick and wash the coriander and mint.
3. Separate pulp from the tamarind and squeeze out the pulp.
4. Grind coriander, mint, green chili and onion into a ne paste.
5. Add the tamarind pulp and salt.

Chapati (Phulka)

for 4, serving 1 or 2
Quantity Ingredient
1 c Whole wheat
our (or 1
3 white + 2
3 whole wheat)
1
2 c Water

1. Put
our in a large bowl with half the water.
2. Blend the two together until it holds.
3. Beat and knead well until it forms a compact ball.
4. Knead dough until it is smooth and elastic.
5. Set aside for 30 minutes.
6. Knead and divide dough into 4 to 6 parts.
7. Roll each ball into a tortilla like
at, about 1
8" thick.
8. Heat an ungreased skillet.
9. Put phulka on it, and let it cook for about 1 minute (The top should
just start to look dry and small bubbles should just start to form).
10. Turn and cook the second side for 2
3 minutes until small bubbles form.
16 CHAPTER 4. BREADS
11. Turn again and cook the rst side pressed lightly with a towel. It
should pu . Serve warm (maybe slightly buttered).
Note: Since the rolled out chappati's will dry out if they are left to stand
while cooking the others, it is advantageous to roll them out individually
before cooking them.

Paratha
Quantity Ingredient
1 c Whole wheat
our
Ghee
Water
1. Make chappati dough.
2. Divide into 6 parts and make balls.
3. Flatten and roll each.
4. Spread ghee over them and fold.
5. Roll again.
6. Heat the paratha on a griddle like you would a chappati, but spread
some ghee over the top side. Turn and spread ghee on the other side.
Fry until the bottom is crisp and golden, then turn and fry the remain-
ing side.
7. Repeat with all six.
8. Serve at once, since they lose crispness if stored.

Stu ed Parathas
Make dough for regular chappati's.
Fillings
1. Potato -
Boil potatoes, mash, add salt and chili to taste. Add Garam Masala
and mango powder.

STUFFED PARATHAS 17
2. Radish -
Grate one large Diakon Radish, add salt and leave for 1
2 hour. Squeeze
out all the water, add grated ginger, chili, and pomegranate seeds.
3. Cauli
ower -
Grate cauli
ower, add salt, pepper, garlic, and Garam Masala.
Method
1. Roll out 2 small chappati's. Place lling on one, cover with the second,
seal edges and cook as for parathas.
18 CHAPTER 4. BREADS

Snacks

Bhel
This is a concoction that I often bought from street vendors in India. My
mouth still waters whenever I think of Bhel. The recipe presented here was
taken o the net, and I haven't had a chance to try it yet. I include the note
from the contributors:
Warning: This recipe is directed at those who know what Bhelpuri
tastes like, quantities mentioned are approximate, proportions are
left to the reader's taste. Purists will have to go to an Indian
grocery shop. Deviationists may use substitutes. The most im-
portant thing is to keep the pu ed rice-sev mixture crisp by not
adding the other ingredients to it until it is served. This should
be done on the plate.
Quantity Ingredient
Pu ed Rice (1 carton of Rice Krispies may be used)
1 packet Bhel mix or Sev
2 cups Mashed boiled potatoes (mashed coarsely and then salted)
1
2 cup Chopped fresh coriander leaves (a.k.a Chinese parsley)
3 Tbsp Freshly roasted and ground cumin
to taste Green chilies
1-2 Tbsp Freshly ground black pepper
to taste Tamarind
to taste Jaggery (or Brown Sugar)
1 cup Chopped onions.
19
20 CHAPTER 5. SNACKS
Method
1. First boil the potatoes, mash them, salt them, and add pepper to taste.
Add some coriander leaves too.
2. Roast the cumin and grind it.
3. Dissolve about 4 Tbsp of tamarind concentrate in 1 cup of hot water,
and let it simmer and thicken gradually. Dissolve the jaggery (or sugar)
until the sauce becomes tart and slightly sweet. (You may add some
salt and ground red paprika, if you want to.) The sauce should be of
a consistency slightly thinner than maple syrup. Pour into a serving
container (like a creamer). Mix the pu ed rice and sev/bhel mix in a
large bowl.
4. On a plate, serve the rice-bhel mixture, add the potatoes, then the
onions, chilies, and then dust the cumin powder over it. Next pour
on the sauce and top with the coriander garnish. (Add salt/pepper to
taste).
5. Mix the ingredients on the plate and eat.

Bonda With Instant Mashed Potato
This recipe was taken from Saranya Mandava's book on Indian cuisine.
Quantity Ingredient
1 medium Onion
2 cups Potato buds
1 and 1
2 cup Peas and carrots
2 big ones Green chilies
1 teaspoon Lemon juice
1 cup Gram
our
1
2 tea spoon Mustard seed
pinch Turmeric
1
2 teaspoon Baking powder
1
4" piece Ginger
1 small bunch Coriander leaves
2 teaspoons Salt
5.3. PAKORAS (SAVORY FRITTERS) 21
Oil
Method - The lling is prepared as follows:
1. Mix potato buds and 1
2 teaspoon of salt with 1 cup of hot water.
2. Finely chop ginger, chilies, coriander leaves, and onion.
3. Heat oil (about 5 Tbsp) and add mustard seeds.
4. Add chopped ingredients and fry until onions are brown.
5. Add carrots, peas, turmeric and 1 tsp of salt and cook on low heat for
about 10 minutes.
6. Add potato (now mashed) and fry for 5 minutes.
7. Remove from heat, add lemon juice and let cool.
Method - The batter is prepared as follows:
1. Combine gram
our, 3 Tbsp of oil, 3
4 cup water, 1
2 tsp salt, the baking
powder and mix thoroughly
2. After the batter is prepared, make small balls out of the lling and roll
them in the batter. Next fry it in hot oil. You will get about 20-30
small bondas.

Pakoras (Savory Fritters)
Quantity Ingredient
Batter:
1
2 c Besan
5 oz. Warm water
1
4 t Red pepper
3
4 t Salt
1
2 t Garam Masala
paprika (optional)
Vegetables:
1 Small onion
1 Potato
22 CHAPTER 5. SNACKS
A few spinach leaves
Oil for deep frying
Method
1. In a bowl put the besan and half the water, and stir until it becomes
a thick batter. Beat hard for 5 minutes. gradually add the rest of the
water, and leave to swell for 30 minutes. Add salt, pepper and Garam
Masala and beat again.
2. Wash peel and slice the onion and potatoes.
3. Wash and pat dry the spinach leaves.
4. Heat oil until smoking hot, dip the vegetables in the batter and deep
fry until golden brown.
5. Serve hot.

Dahi Vada (Savory Balls in Yogurt)
Quantity Ingredient
1
2 c Urad dal
1
2 Moong dal
1 c Yogurt
Spice to taste (cumin and paprika)
Oil for frying
1
4 c Milk
Method
1. Clean dal, wash and soak in water for 4 hours.
2. Blend in blender at medium speed using the minimum amount of water
required to keep paste moving freely.
3. Add salt and start heating oil.
4. Drop spoonfuls of batter in the hot oil using a large tablespoon. Fry
until golden brown.

UPMA 23
5. Drop in water. Let it soak till ready to serve.
6. Beat yogurt with milk. Add spice according to taste. Squeeze out
water from the vada and add yogurt. Serve.
5.5 Upma
Recipe from Sriram, 1985
This is a breakfast dish in the southern part of India. Ingredients
Quantity Ingredient
1 cup Cream of wheat
1 Onion cut lengthwise
1 teaspoon Salt
1
4 teaspoon Mustard seeds
1
8 teaspoon Urad dal
1 Cashew-nut
1
4 Lemon
1
2 cup Peas
1 clove Garlic
1/10" piece Ginger
1 Green chili cut into small pieces.
Method
1. Fry cream of wheat on a dry pan for 5 minutes and set aside.
2. Put two tablespoons of oil in a pan and heat.
3. Add mustard seeds, Urad dal, cashewnut, and garlic clove. Wait till
mustard seeds stop splitting.
4. Add the onion, chili, and ginger and fry till the onion turns brown.
5. Add cream of wheat and fry for 3-5 minutes.
6. Add salt and peas.
7. Add two cups of boiling water and stir for 2 minutes. (Switch o the
stove as soon as the water is poured.)
8. Cover the vessel for 4 minutes. Add lime if needed.
24 CHAPTER 5. SNACKS


Vegetable Pu
12 pu s
This is a local Karnataka speciality.
Quantity Ingredient
1 Ready to use pastry roll (Pepperidge farms)
Mixed Vegetables. ( potatoes, peas may be added)
to taste Masala
Green Chilies
to taste Salt
Method
1. Cook a vegetable mix with potatoes, peas, green chilies and lots of
Masala. Check for salt, before you stu it in the pastry roll; no way
to rectify it later.
2. Thaw the roll for about 10 minutes before unfolding.
3. After the pastry roll has thawed, open it out on a
at sheet and roll it
with a pin to make it a little thinner. The pastry sheet would now be
about 12" x 12".
4. Cut the sheet into 6 pieces.
5. Place about 2-3 Tbsp of the cooked vegetable onto the sheet and fold
it around it. Seal all the corners, by pressing the sheets together and
applying a little water.
6. Stick it into a pre-heated oven (350 F
) for about 20-30 minutes or
until it browns. Make sure that you
ip it around every 5-10 minutes.


Vegetables

Gobi Aloo (Cauli
ower and Potatoes)
This is my own recipe.
This recipe livens up ordinary cauli
ower and potatoes into something
quite di erent. The recipe shown here has spices that are not necessary (like
cloves and cardamom) or at least that's not how mom made it at home,
however it adds a nice touch.
Quantity Ingredient
1 Large cauli
ower
3 Medium sized potatoes
1
2 large Onion sliced thinly in long slices
1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
2 or 3 pods Cardamom
1 teaspoon Coriander
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
1
2 teaspoon Turmeric
1 Bayleaf
3 Cloves
3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
Method
1. Start boiling the potatoes in a saucepan. Let them boil for at least 15
minutes. After they are done, turn o the heat and let them stand in
the water.
2. Cut the cauli
ower into small bite sized pieces (roughly 1" cubes),
throwing away most of the stem pieces. Wash and drain in a collander.
3. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a wide skillet until it
is very hot. Add the mustard seeds and wait until they start popping.
Add bay leaves, cardamom and cloves.
4. Mix around for a while and then add onions. Wait until the onion starts
to turn before adding the rest of the spices (except for turmeric).
5. Put the cauli
ower in the skillet and fry in the oil and spices for 2
minutes. While the cauli
ower is frying, cut up the potatoes into bite
sized pieces and add to the skillet. Add turmeric and stir.
6. Continue stirring the vegetables under medium heat for another couple
of minutes. Add 1
2 cup of water and reduce heat to low. Cover skillet
and let cook for 5 minutes.
7. Check tenderness of vegetables. If they are still too hard, add another
1
4 cup of water and cover again for 5 minutes.
8. Salt to taste and serve.