tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25605807791379913512024-02-18T21:03:26.256-08:00Hot PlantainA creative stamp on Ghanaian grub.Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-79092689398825679902013-02-04T17:15:00.003-08:002013-02-04T17:19:18.763-08:00A little midnight snack...So I'm doing two things at once right now: listening to the radio, writing a new post for the blog as well as keeping an eye out for my gorgeous chicken thighs that are bubbling away in the oven - that's three things in fact, I'm taking multi-tasking all the way here! I'm excited mainly because I got to use my Caan for the first time, which I'm doubting any of you will know what it is; well, it's a Ghanaian style pestle and mortar used for grinding together herbs and spices to make all manner of delicious marinades and sauces for meats and fish. It's a lot sturdier than the pestle and mortars you can find in town; sort of resembling a mini wok and will genuinely last a lifetime. As I only got the Caan tonight, I just couldn't wait to try it out, so I decided to throw together a little meal when I got home from the gym, not entirely West African I'll admit, but I've used some of my favourite ingredients and it's a complete doddle to make. I'm calling this my late night chicken - give to a go.<br />
<br />
Stuff you'll need<br />
<br />
500g boneless chicken thighs (the thighs offer so much more flavour!)<br />
2 large garlic cloves<br />
1 inch knob African or Caribbean ginger, standard ginger will suffice<br />
1 long red chilli pepper<br />
Juice of 1/2 lemon<br />
1 chicken or vegetable stock cube<br />
1 teaspoon oil<br />
<br />
1) Put the chicken in a bolwl and combine all the remaining ingredients in a pestle or mortar, or a Caan! (If you're lucky like me!)<br />
2) Grind everything in a semi paste and combine with chicken and mix well.<br />
3) Line a baking tray with oil and place the chicken on top, spacing apart evenly.<br />
4) Cook in a preheated oven for 20 minutes on 180.<br />
5) Gobble it down!<br />
<br />Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-58993772733610379712012-12-06T16:25:00.001-08:002012-12-06T17:21:03.990-08:00Moving on!Yes, Hackney Homemade was fun and I've enjoyed selling my wares at this market for the past two months. I've met some great, inspiring people who have broadened my expertise and more importantly all the people who bought my stuff and gave it a passionate thumbs up have given me the boost I need to unleash myself to the wider community. I'm in the process of acquiring a new site, so be prepared! My little plantain set up, in both guises (sweet and hot) is moving on up! It'll be interesting to see how my products go down with a new crowd, and while I'm doing something altogether a bit niche, I believe it's that very reason that brought people over to my stand; the coconut yam biscuits were the best sellers week after week, which I'm pretty proud as it was quite a surprise initially. The show stoppers were a tie between supermalt brownies - dense, dark and sexy - and the plantain cupcakes with ginger frosting. I'm toying with some new recipes for my next venture that I'm excited about, so when everything's set and up and I'm raring to go, I'll let you all know where you can find me and my little red canopy. Bye for now.Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-52227264468855314572012-09-18T18:29:00.000-07:002012-09-18T18:29:30.940-07:00Hackney HomemadeThe details are simple: every Saturday local artisan producers of home-made food get together to sell their stuff on the church grounds opposite Hackney Central station - this is Hackney Homemade and it's rivalling some of the other more established set ups in the area, like the up and coming Chatsworth and the long running Broadway market in London fields, AND, I'm pleased to announce that Hot Plantain will be there as of this Saturday 22nd selling the sweeter side of things, so think cakes, biscuits, flapjacks, brownies all given a more exotic, ethnic twist. I'm incorporating all the great flavours of Ghana and West Africa to create some new and exciting goodies and you can be sure that plantains will be making an appearance in some format! I'm keeping pretty quiet about this, so you'll just have to make the schlep over to Hackney to investigate this fab market. I'll be following up with a post about my first day, complete with tempting photos. See you soon.Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-85966915022327460522012-08-14T17:59:00.001-07:002012-08-14T17:59:43.868-07:00Turkey breast steaks with a peanut and chilli rubThis is the type of recipe most people enjoy - it smacks of the current food trend floating about -...insert appropriate cuisine...food made easy, 30 minute meals, quick tasty and delicious. Yes, we all lead busy lives, but I know for one, I love to spend hours in the kitchen, if time permits, getting stuck into some crazy recipe I pulled from some cook book. I guess my latest recipe came from watching Lorraine Pascale new BBC1 TV show - fast, fresh and delicious - yes, it's those darn culinary adjectives again! I often get home late and this recipe does live up to being tasty in the face of haste and late working hours - give it a try and like this post, it's a quick one. Enjoy with plantain - of course.<br />
<br />
<i>Ingredients</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
300g lean turkey steaks or chicken steaks<br />
1 teaspoon paprika<br />
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper<br />
1/2 teaspoon sea salt<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
A handful of dry roasted peanuts<br />
<br />
<i>Prep:</i><br />
<br />
1) Using a pestle and mortar, grind the peanuts into a relatively fine powder.<br />
2) Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly and cover the turkey breast with the mixture.<br />
3) Grill the steaks on a medium setting for about 10 minutes and serve with roasted plantain and a green salad.<br />
<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-83836504988961930352012-07-22T16:20:00.001-07:002012-07-22T16:33:30.522-07:00Changes...Hi guys, I've been a very busy chap lately, what with moving house (major upheaval), job changes and other slight annoyances that make life what it is. But, we keep calm and carry on eating good food. I've had a whole gamut of great cuisine lately, from a delicious homemade Cambodian curry to tasty BBQ street food and I can't forget the continuing presence of African food that I see all around London (which reminds me, I must try that Ivorian place in Deptford). What this means I don't know, and food trends come and go; when it comes to what's hot on the media buzz list, its about 'being out there',take the surging popularity of Brixton market. I think good solid food, whether 'on point' or not will always prevail, which can only be a good thing. Look out for me, somewhere soon!<br />
<br />
I'll be back soon with some more fab recipes...and spread the word!Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-1179442263630204872012-03-20T18:30:00.003-07:002012-04-09T06:54:36.051-07:00Crispy paprika plantain chipsI've cooked plantain in all its guises from plain and boiled to roasted to deep fried in hot spices - but I seem to return to my good old fail safe: the chip...or crisp...either way, they're damn tasty and perfect for mid-week snacking. Let me share my recipe with you and I defy you to return to Walkers after munching through a bowl.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<br />
1 or 2 medium sized hard plantains<br />
250 ml of virgin olive oil<br />
1 teaspoon smoked paprika<br />
1/2 teaspoon hot cayenne pepper<br />
1/2 teaspoon Cornish sea salt or equivalent<br />
<br />
1) Start by cutting up the plantains into slices as thin as you can get them<br />
2) Arrange in a bowl and then heat the oil in a pan until very hot (you can test the temperature by dropping in a slice; if it sizzles madly, you're all set!<br />
3) Fry the chips in small batches( the secret to a really crisp chip is to space them out so they don't touch)<br />
4) Once you've completed frying the plantain, transfer to a bowl and add the pepper. paprika and salt and give it a good mix!<br />
<br />
You can give the chips more bite if you like by adding an additional 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne. I like to cool these chips down with a really simple lemon mayonnaise, which consists of the juice of half a lemon with a good dash of salt stirred into your fav mayonnaise.Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-22545771286545094442012-02-26T13:28:00.002-08:002012-02-26T13:33:44.198-08:00Supper club night: Part 2<div class="MsoNormal">So my second attempt at cooking what I can only describe as West African fusion resulted in a mixed bag of friends and friends of friends dining at my Mum’s house last Saturday night. It was my mother’s suggestion of holding the event at her house, whether she wanted to witness with her own eyes that I could muster something more taxing than a poached egg (despite my mother hearing of the rousing feedback I got from the first supper night) or whether it’s because to her Peckham and dining just don’t sit comfortably together, I went along with the offer nonetheless, and besides, my mum could always pitch in and peel a yam or two? I’d toiled and fussed around with the menu for sometime before the supper club and had it finalised well in advance. I even started preparing three days prior and the last thing I wanted was to start cooking when the guests had arrived – Come dine with me contestants should take note. So the order of service went as follows: - </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Starter<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Gold Coast Cocktail</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Hot Plantain platter</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Plantain bites</div><div class="MsoNormal">Mini beef kebabs</div><div class="MsoNormal">Akwaaba nuts</div><div class="MsoNormal">Tender battered gizzards</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><st1:place><i>Main</i></st1:place><i><o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Fish stew</div><div class="MsoNormal">Black rice</div><div class="MsoNormal">Spinach and carrot salad</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Desert <o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Sweet yam ice cream</div><div class="MsoNormal">Banana fritters</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The cocktails were a hit, of which the components have to remain a secret, needless to say, mixology isn’t my forte, but a few self taught lessons and I’m already thinking of a few more to add to my repertoire. I loved how the plantain bites turned out – crisp and greaseless with a kick of pepper and ginger. Overall, the platter does take time to assemble, but it packs a punch both aesthetically and flavour wise. It would also work well served as nibbles at a party, so the next time I have a few friends round, I'm going to be sure to whip up my hot plantain platter. Equally, the main course - the fish stew - which consisted of snapper and cod combined with okra and sweet potato was fresh and modern while still retaining elements of traditional Ghanaian food.</div><div class="MsoNormal">The most experimental dish of the evening was the yam ice cream, certainly an acquired taste, my thoughts when creating this was to challenge the usual elements of Ghanaian food - savoury ingredients used under the guise of a sweet dish, keeping things creative by utilising spices and herbs uncommon in the staple soups and stews - it's all about thinking beyond conventions. I'm definitely running with this for awhile. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So, now I retire to conjure up a new menu for the soon to be announced supper club three. If you fancy attending the next event, drop me an e-mail.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-51784166662097907582012-02-12T11:11:00.000-08:002012-02-12T11:11:30.921-08:00Preparations, musings and indecisions - cod vs snapper? Hmm...Now, I've been counting down the days (and hours and minutes - literally) until I host my next supper club for six unsuspecting guests, for two reasons, I think; I love entertaining, as you're probably well aware, but namely because I've been itching to share the great menu I've created after much pen chewing deliberation: it's fresh, a little spicy, but most of all, I know my guests will leave plesantly stuffed with a cuisine that's new to them. It's pretty much the main reason I've joined the underground restaurant revolution - the need to share with people what I love doing most - cooking! I won't reveal too much about the menu, you'll have to tune in next week for a full, mouth watering review of all the delicousness that went down! Hint: chilli powder, plantains and chicken gizzards. Stumped? Yep, I thought so. <br />
<br />
Anyway, all that aside, a fishy conundrum remains - do I use Cod or Red snapper for my main course? Opinions, please?Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-33557400448224366442011-12-19T17:27:00.000-08:002011-12-19T17:27:01.180-08:00Christmas: it's that timeSo it's here! Another year gets swallowed up in a fuzzy haze; you ponder retrospectively and consider your achievements during the last 12 months, if like me, a sudden case of 'What the *#!?!! have I done?' hits you square between the eyes, rest assured you're not alone. But one thing I always remember are all the fab meals I've had, recipes I've cooked and restaurants I've visited - and the new year always brings the giddy excitement of all the new places I wanna try, kind of like the anticipation of Christmas morning. So, what's everyone cooking for Christmas lunch? This year, I've been assigned the task of roasting a duck, which I hasten to add I've never done before, so it should be interesting if not a tad challenging. Roast duck, christmas pud and bucks fizz aplenty - that's my kind of Christmas! Well, have a great one, whatever you're doing and eat well and don't forget to check back for new posts in 2012!Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-67410129147478692132011-11-08T17:40:00.000-08:002011-11-08T17:49:01.518-08:00Supper club night: Part 1So, it came and went leaving me pondering and more convinced than ever that Ghanaian food has a place in the mainstream. Yes, granted a few things need to change to make it more accessible, but ultimately, it has potential because it's good, flavourful and interesting. In a world where we are becoming more inclined to seek out the more exotic and experimental, t<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">his is all pretty exciting for me.</span><br />
<br />
Back to the events of Saturday evening. Being the organised person that I am, I had the menu sorted out weeks ago - I knew exactly what I wanted to cook for what would be the introduction to my supper club - something tasty but with impact. So, it went as follows:<br />
<br />
<em>Starter</em><br />
Peanut soup<br />
<br />
<em>Main</em><br />
Pimento roasted plantain<br />
Supermalt basted pork chops<br />
Stir fried okra<br />
<br />
<em>Dessert</em><br />
Grapefruit ginger ice cream <br />
<br />
My guests for the premier night of my supper club were all of Ghanaian extraction, which was an intentional decision, as I wanted to gauge the response from people already familiar with the cuisine. The feedback was great and fervently positive -namely being that something of this ilk is really needed to give West African cuisine the kudos it rightly deserves! I was of course extremely chuffed with all this praise showered on me, which led me to think of all the great things I could make for the next event. All in all, a merry time was had by all, with great conversation flowing with each course. I'll also admit that my snazzy red and green Ghanaian print shirt was a hit, as was one of guests, who also chose to wear one - well keeping with the theme was the sartorial aim on my part for sure! Details for the next event will be posted shortly.Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-71374313928013850852011-10-09T18:27:00.000-07:002011-10-09T18:27:15.449-07:00Mackerel and spinach stew<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Call this my introduction into autumn; although at the moment the weather feels more like <place><city>Takoradi Beach</city>, <country-region>Ghana</country-region></place>, than Peckham, south <city><place>London</place></city>. The kids are back to school, the clothes are minimal, the chicken shops are full – it could only mean one thing, an Indian summer! The local markets are bursting with colourful, seasonal vegetables and my culinary senses are like a police radar racing down Cold harbour lane – well, that’s partly a lie – it’s never seasonal along Rye lane – it’s plantains, yams and red snapper all year round. I did pick up some Mackerel, Pumpkin and fresh thyme for this tasty stew that’s gonna get you reminiscing about school day conker fights, bonfire nights and onset of the dreaded winter. It’s rich, warm and spicy and it just loves a bowl of brown rice in which to smother its juices all over. Mackerel is great for this dish, but substitute it for any variety of robust fish, like tuna or halibut</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZcAj9VYovgi43Ton2gNsO5EX4iFk0g7RVMLhKr-NAe04FHZuxgUjGX2SVoaZo8qIR3nuG1nTuDfJTKCnqpD5Fgxn9KJ9wkas60Gvu22q4WaZRpN-zD6jT18DYScDwMhPFEBAq1-MfE4/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150px" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZcAj9VYovgi43Ton2gNsO5EX4iFk0g7RVMLhKr-NAe04FHZuxgUjGX2SVoaZo8qIR3nuG1nTuDfJTKCnqpD5Fgxn9KJ9wkas60Gvu22q4WaZRpN-zD6jT18DYScDwMhPFEBAq1-MfE4/s200/002.JPG" width="200px" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8FkPP0TkonFqRTAqvzqgT_DEgwFe0ATuEVHr_k8-kkqfxZFUA7bzCkIhhDXPIeFzEBSIkg9a30w_y-7NvVcL7lDkQxt6y3GncFDz15GfOesm0t2bH1ELBKrdh5acZp06sEqdlE0rJaQ/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8FkPP0TkonFqRTAqvzqgT_DEgwFe0ATuEVHr_k8-kkqfxZFUA7bzCkIhhDXPIeFzEBSIkg9a30w_y-7NvVcL7lDkQxt6y3GncFDz15GfOesm0t2bH1ELBKrdh5acZp06sEqdlE0rJaQ/s320/003.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Ingredients:</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 small pumpkin</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">1 400g tin peeled plum tomatoes</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">A bunch of spinach, roughly chopped</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">10 okra fingers</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 large onion</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">A 2 inch piece of ginger, finely chopped</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">2 large garlic cloves, minced</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">1 Mackerel fish scaled and gutted and cut into three pieces</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 Scotch bonnet pepper</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">3/4 teaspoon nutmeg</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">1 teaspoon paprika</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">3/4 teaspoon cumin</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">3/4 teaspoon salt</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">3 sprigs of thyme</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">3 tablespoons olive oil.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">1) Begin by sweating the onions in the olive oil over a low heat in a large pot.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">2) Chop the tops and ends off the okra fingers and cut in half and add to the pot along with the ginger, nutmeg, cumin, paprika and salt. Continue cooking over a low heat, stirring occasionally.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">3) Add the peeled plum tomatoes, spinach, thyme, garlic and the scotch bonnet pepper, stir and resume cooking for five minutes</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">4) Add the pumpkin and the mackerel, cover the pot and cook for 25 minutes on a low heat.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-16911761269304649372011-09-25T13:16:00.000-07:002011-09-25T13:31:40.024-07:00Suya in PeckhamAs you may be aware, Peckham, my glorious riot ravaged residence is home to what seems like the overspill of Lagos' monumental populace. Colourful, loud and multi lingual, it resembles the Nigerian capital more than the traditonal working class community it once was. One of my fav pastimes (other than eating) is to sample all the great ethnic eats in the area and for African food, particularly Nigerian, you're pretty much guaranteed for some tasty treats. So, after returning to Peckham on another gruesome bus ride, I find myself standing amidst the slightly less salubrious residents of Only fools and horses territory at midnight with a rumbling stomach. I wasn't in the mood for cooking - after all it's pretty late and I fancied something hot, spicy and meaty without playing midnight chef over the stove, and I knew just the place to satiate my craving- Obadele Suya. It's a grimey, no frills hole in wall with a sparse interior, but the menu reaches out to you in all it's descriptive prose, like a tantalising poem: Goat suya marinated in a spicy sauce with Jollof rice or fried plantain and fried fish, complete with pictures as well - I was sold at this point. Suya is basically grilled meat - usually beef, goat or chicken - coated in a spicy rub of ground peanuts and chilli. Half an hour later (we're dealing on APT here - African people's time) I was tucking into a large parcel full of goat suya mixed with grilled tomatoes and onions. I left, full and content, armed with the personal promise to return!Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-85236200143298364072011-06-26T17:57:00.000-07:002011-06-26T17:57:28.386-07:00New recipe: Kahcrow<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">A great bonding session came about with my Aunt Thelma while making the new recipe for HP. Let me explain further: I needed advice with creating a new dish for the blog and my sister, Katherine suggested I contact Aunt Thelma for help (which I did), as she was a renowned caterer in her younger years back in Ghana; so a couple of catch-up, I haven’t heard from you in ages, when are you getting married conversations and I’d made a date to visit my Auntie. She hasn’t changed: jolly, cheerfully loud and she remembers my voracious appetite, so had a steaming plate of rice n beans with meat stew waiting for me! And all within 10 minutes of rocking up at her house! Well, after I was satiated, we went about knocking up a great, traditional Ghanaian delicacy called ‘ Kahcrow’ (Kaaahcrow) which consists of mashed plantain, hot green Ghanaian chilli peppers, ginger and a spice called ‘Soh’ which has a smell akin to cloves, but looks like a mini piece of brown twig. Having never heard of ‘Soh, I was really excited and expectant as to how the dish would taste. Aunt Thelma made it all look so easy (as you can imagine, with all her years of experience), while engaging in conversation and talking on the phone all at the same time – Ghanaian woman take multi-tasking to a whole new level – and did I mention she has an ten ring stove? Industrial cooking appliances are the mark of a true Ghanaian caterer! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtG5YrH90ipv4kXclysaUJZMaaSTnLT7cHb_ctggYPYXCSnLN4YYxe8NAVlgmhUeA4kP0AVag88k1GiKhKt-fjZ_pP3G0upkD8QuajzcA5muATfIg3rN_ICf0Q-0iuIab08PDuwKqVv8/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtG5YrH90ipv4kXclysaUJZMaaSTnLT7cHb_ctggYPYXCSnLN4YYxe8NAVlgmhUeA4kP0AVag88k1GiKhKt-fjZ_pP3G0upkD8QuajzcA5muATfIg3rN_ICf0Q-0iuIab08PDuwKqVv8/s200/003.JPG" width="200px" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_Gyozg6wzvowsFlOvIoOgxnPX8kuBEE3Lpe2_xGn2sRfoZqfTmAKjp0QAysoV3GmR4Yxw9wxVDbX9SVHVuHyLMfXL7JAU2y4i2G9JB6wHwMCdiuhgP9OHUv-3WyBd7YvTC89a4MulDM/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_Gyozg6wzvowsFlOvIoOgxnPX8kuBEE3Lpe2_xGn2sRfoZqfTmAKjp0QAysoV3GmR4Yxw9wxVDbX9SVHVuHyLMfXL7JAU2y4i2G9JB6wHwMCdiuhgP9OHUv-3WyBd7YvTC89a4MulDM/s200/004.JPG" width="200px" /></a></div></div>Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-63667206844357623252011-05-14T11:35:00.000-07:002011-05-15T05:22:17.441-07:00Making waves: Ghanaian food on the BBC.So, there I was getting caught up in all the tawdry nonsense of super injunctions and dishonest football players, that I forget I was actually trawling the net for new evidence that Ghanaian food is 'out there'. It is so out there in fact, that I had somehow failed to notice the new addition of Ghanaian recipes on the BBC Food website! (Don't ask me how, I'm acutally quite embarrassed) I even refreshed the page twice to make sure it was indeed a recipe for Jollof rice and fried plantain! Well, knock me over the head with a dusty yam and call me Comfort! I'm thoroughly impressed and slightly ambivalent in writing this post, lest you all desert me for the Beeb! But remember, you can't get more authentic than me - I know, I know, Jollof rice is Ghana's prized food, but I'm going to bring you the dishes that BBC readers would cry in horror over - like fried turkey gizzard and cow foot broth...maybe not, but you catch my culinary drift. So what do you all think, readers - does this news usher in the hope that Ghanaian food can break the stale obsession with Indian and Italian food? Hmm...Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-8878638635101690482011-02-27T09:37:00.000-08:002011-03-11T16:20:48.350-08:00Bitterleaf and garden egg stew<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZh2yIpYSQEd6jGkV5ZtVIJjab4P9hdpJDQ-J58s9v4MhK3lYYsbSayCJwn7YlX-aEBIAUBAyUw4vFchVFfx1CYbPAYn_U2Ajw_HpClai4kDXfDSp8uzmCfvb49tP3exOKl_FcOJQ2acg/s1600/203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZh2yIpYSQEd6jGkV5ZtVIJjab4P9hdpJDQ-J58s9v4MhK3lYYsbSayCJwn7YlX-aEBIAUBAyUw4vFchVFfx1CYbPAYn_U2Ajw_HpClai4kDXfDSp8uzmCfvb49tP3exOKl_FcOJQ2acg/s200/203.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSIZcLxZbMTUosKn3EK7UAxuvVtJAv7ymIyP2_34M7_kVHaiQy-P9TLQ5_cvYMy6NtSOPIux2Dnj1wsZlI_81bzCBhWkeKeGaX6KPvdjnjs0hg7bu3bL7xE5MNQz-25lQney7_LMrQ94/s1600/202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSIZcLxZbMTUosKn3EK7UAxuvVtJAv7ymIyP2_34M7_kVHaiQy-P9TLQ5_cvYMy6NtSOPIux2Dnj1wsZlI_81bzCBhWkeKeGaX6KPvdjnjs0hg7bu3bL7xE5MNQz-25lQney7_LMrQ94/s200/202.JPG" width="200" /></a>Hmm…this recipe may not grab you at first or cause your saliva glands to work overtime; maybe it’s the bitterleaf which may bewilder some of those less familiar with this tropical spinach-like vegetable, or maybe it’s the garden eggs? What are those I hear you cry!? They are similar to an aubergine, off white in colour and an absolute essential in any Ghanaian pantry worth its weight in plantain. As winter draws its curtains for a 3 month hiatus, if we’re lucky (hey, May is the new August) my food thoughts turn to lighter ingredients, grilled meats and easy to rustle up dishes with lots of flavour, so what better way to mark this turn in the culinary calendar than to give you a final, heart warming recipe. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This dish goes well with plain white basmati rice, or, for the adventurous among you, chop up and boil a large, ripe plantain, along with half a chopped and peeled cassava. A side of hot sauce always goes down well.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Ingredients:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">5 garden eggs </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A small bunch of bitter leaves</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>The above can be obtained from any well sticked African market. If you don't have much luck, susbtitute the bitterleaf for spinach and the garden eggs for 1/2 an aubergine.</em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/2 large onion, roughly chopped</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 400g tin chopped tomato</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 inch knob of ginger, finely chopped</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 - 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (seeds removed)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A few springs of fresh thyme</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 level teaspoon all-purpose seasoning</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">300 ml chicken stock</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">250g large fresh prawns<br />
300 ml coconut milk</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 tablespoon olive oil</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Salt to taste (optional)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1) Wash the garden eggs/aubergine, chop into small pieces and place in a small pot of water and boil until tender. If using garden eggs they will become translucent, which is when you'll know they're cooked and you'll also need to peel the skin off them, but only when they're soft and cooked. Set aside.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2) Add the oil to a large pot with the chopped onions and garlic and fry until the onions soften slightly and then add the ginger, chopped scotch pepper and a touch more oil if needed and continue cooking.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3) Add the tinned tomatoes, thyme, seasoning and the garden eggs and continue cooking on a low heat</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">4) Tear the bitterleaf/spinach into the stew and gradually add the stock.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">5) Lastly, add the prawns, cover the stew and cook for a further 10 -15 minutes.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div>Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-34565634922192369612011-01-16T16:50:00.000-08:002011-01-16T16:50:26.962-08:00Ghana needs a Nigerian idolNow, I like to be inclusive with my reporting on all the funny stuff that makes the world go round; so what better way to bring a smile to ones face then to recommend you all somehow, someway, subscribe to Sky or any cheap broadband provider (heck, steal a dish if you have to - did I just say that?) to watch what is possibly the contender for the reality TV show of 2011( and it's only January) - yes, that's right, Nigerian idol is here! The search for Nigeria's musical persona is proving to be a hit not only with the Nigerian community in London, but for those looking for pure comedic value to Simon Cowell's relentless franchise, in a caption: compelling; was it fair for Rachel to go? Who will impress the judges this week? Where did the presenters get those American accents? All will be revealed...catch it on Sky 204. But I can't help wondering, will Ghana follow suit and what would it be like? Any ideas, guys?Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-44186588086772989782010-10-17T11:45:00.000-07:002010-10-18T16:44:44.813-07:00Fun with FufuI want to introduce you to what is perhaps the one dish that strikes a vivid and often cold twinge of nostalgia in me: fufu. Commonly mispronounced, 'foofwee' as it is called, manifested itself in a kind of mini panic attack, when my Mum would announce this 'delicacy' at oft dinner times. I recall as a kid being served huge bowls of this peculiar white mass of tasteless rubber. I always resisted, I threw a tantrum, I even tried to hide the stuff in the baggy pouches of my five year old cheeks, but my Mum always found a way to get me to eat it; namely through bribery, with the alluring promise of a Toffee Crumble or a Fab (remember those?) They never materialised and you'd think I would have sussed out my Mum's cunning fufu ruse; but no, I ate the stuff with full, gullible gusto. I never quite understood why my Mother refused to eat it herself?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkI0vBgRKXOSZr5Yem0HAIIsPyYOq5wnYsp8oEc4dVWzg9cTtn9PEi-GLl-42zP8tbvv8yNJNxJB-Jx5SHyaeqW-zj9hKUM78ONGEkiULTmjD5W72FEhLL8G7zLd6afxMnEKjv2GJ8Fk/s1600/214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkI0vBgRKXOSZr5Yem0HAIIsPyYOq5wnYsp8oEc4dVWzg9cTtn9PEi-GLl-42zP8tbvv8yNJNxJB-Jx5SHyaeqW-zj9hKUM78ONGEkiULTmjD5W72FEhLL8G7zLd6afxMnEKjv2GJ8Fk/s200/214.JPG" width="200" /></a></div> Now, I can fully appreciate how tasty and versatile fufu is; it is the essential carbohydrate to accompany many a stew or soup from Groundnut to light soup or okra stew. Fufu is prepared from pounded cassava, plantain or yams in a giant pestle and mortar with two people, one to flip the mixture over and one to pound the dough as it thickens. It takes absolute concentration in addition to a complete trust in the person pounding the dough (the picture below sums up that point quite nicely!) What do you think? Is fufu capable of making it to household tables nationwide?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5ieTmx3jzpYIAaWpS-jp-aEXvRGhDdDl6a2NS9Usd4nyskQzKXxAjwzH9ORjKaL6QNy0jiqMsl_n3mOKTY4mRUQBLkkrPPRG1D73gkwuQFszW1kQWuR89L0509S7AYpvszG0wgEP00M/s1600/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5ieTmx3jzpYIAaWpS-jp-aEXvRGhDdDl6a2NS9Usd4nyskQzKXxAjwzH9ORjKaL6QNy0jiqMsl_n3mOKTY4mRUQBLkkrPPRG1D73gkwuQFszW1kQWuR89L0509S7AYpvszG0wgEP00M/s200/018.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-31811997026416005242010-08-24T15:49:00.000-07:002010-10-17T11:49:20.463-07:00African cuisine: The last food taboo?It's really the ultimate mystery for a foodie like me: why the lack of a mainstream African food scene? I sit and ponder this; I cry, I raise my hands heaven ward in search of a divine clue, I console myself with re-runs of Dorinder Hafner on dodgy VHS or I venture to Brixton market and loiter suspiciously around the mounds of dried salt fish and plantain; but still, it doesn't elicit any answers! I then decided enough was enough and a more pro-active approach was needed, so I went on line and posted on a well-known food website searching for peoples theories on the billion-cedi question. The responses hit me with the ferocity of a plane door opening at Kotoka airport (guys, you know what I mean, that heat is serious!), African food is considered inferior! Some of the responses to my enquiry went as follows: 'It's all bland pastes and tough meat' (Please sit down while I spoon feed you my Mum's homemade shito, and then tell me how bland you think 'African food' is!) 'I know nothing about it!' They keep it in the community' ' African food? You mean Moroccan ?...And other comments of an annoyingly similar ilk. My comeback to this? Nothing. Take note my trusted Hot Plantainers, for all will be revealed in due course...but in the meantime, get involved as I'm fond of saying; what are your opinions as to the reasons why Sub-saharan food isn't as popular as other cuisines?Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-85063456098688872972010-07-11T14:12:00.000-07:002010-07-11T14:12:08.483-07:00Interesting Ghana facts part 2Here's another bunch of interesting tid-bits about Ghana:<br />
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1) Lake Volta in the Volta region is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. It occupies 3.6 per cent of Ghana's surface.<br />
2) Surprisingly, English is the official language of Ghana.<br />
3) Ghana is the third African country to reach the quarter final of the 2010 World Cup.<br />
4) 24 million people occupy Ghana, with the Akan tribe being the largest.<br />
5) The personal assistant of Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana's first president) was Erica Powell, an English girl from Brighton. Some believe their relationship wasn't always professional...Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-37332191826611909612010-06-24T14:16:00.000-07:002010-06-28T13:02:09.587-07:00Pepper crust pork with yam balls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMAZkZ3JwsJZ8zMk2HPP5Tefj6iIt6P2lCmh8fJnh3Zmr5MhsatKCi6GNLXZXttJAd3sesQ5wW1kukcCW3d8BzOd6fmgtHuuU8WyPm0nQhmxBoET2XNVwodM7g0-qdGuwmL5JIZQfWRY/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMAZkZ3JwsJZ8zMk2HPP5Tefj6iIt6P2lCmh8fJnh3Zmr5MhsatKCi6GNLXZXttJAd3sesQ5wW1kukcCW3d8BzOd6fmgtHuuU8WyPm0nQhmxBoET2XNVwodM7g0-qdGuwmL5JIZQfWRY/s200/004.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJUpskV3uiL0VfbyKkHVSKlZSK8MZyU4LiBqTleXH5jF180_TC9sI8KNCzbiDenaeyq3auwkGC2zfVAH3ARjW_C43RHk15vp1kajFDyM4_8M98CVZbYlzJyAVqyxNrpvoSNy-cSFZsgA/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJUpskV3uiL0VfbyKkHVSKlZSK8MZyU4LiBqTleXH5jF180_TC9sI8KNCzbiDenaeyq3auwkGC2zfVAH3ARjW_C43RHk15vp1kajFDyM4_8M98CVZbYlzJyAVqyxNrpvoSNy-cSFZsgA/s320/001.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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Lordy! What one has to do to find a nice bit of pork in this town! My mission to track down the elusive pork belly has taken with well out of my comfort zone and into unexplored territories (well, the supermarket as it goes!) I looked through Peckham, I traisped around Brixton, and I even considered buying my pork from the dodgy corner shop at the end of my road! But my senses got the better of me, and alas, I got the pork belly, with delicious layers of rind, fat and meat - perfect for the latest recipe; not bad for £4.00! <br />
This recipe hails from the Greater Accra region and is called <em>Domedo (Doh-meh-doh), </em>and it's a firm favourite amongst the Ga folk. The yam balls are so versatile and go with anything. Now, roll your sleeves up and get stuck in!<br />
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<em>Ingredients</em><br />
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<em>For the pork</em><br />
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<em>A 400-500g slab of pork belly</em><br />
<em>1 tbsp of dried, red chili peppers</em><br />
<em>1 large garlic clove</em><br />
<em>1 tbsp olive oil</em><br />
<em>1/2 tsp sslt</em><br />
<em>1/2 tsp black pepper</em><br />
<em>1 tbsp Maggi sauce</em><br />
<em>A squeeze of lemon juice (optional)</em><br />
<em>1 pork stock cube</em><br />
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<em>For the yams</em><br />
<br />
<em>A large yam (African yams are ideal, but settle for European if you can't find African ones)</em><br />
<em>A slice of wholemeal bread, blended into crumbs</em><br />
<em>1 egg yolk</em><br />
<em>1 tsp of mixed herbs</em><br />
<em>150 ml milk.</em><br />
<em>1/2 tsp salt</em><br />
<em>200ml olive oil</em><br />
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Start by washing the pork belly and placing on a small, foil covered tray. With a pestle and mortle, crush the red chili's into a rough paste and add the rest of the ingredients for the pork, minus the stock. Cover the entire surface of the top of the pork with the mixture, smoothing around the sides of the paste runs over. Place into a pre-heated oven on a high heat for 1/2 hour, checking sporadically. After 1/2 hour, remove from oven and turn heat down. Prepare the stock by crumbling the stock cube into 150 ml of hot water and pour over the pork, then put back into the oven for a further 45 minutes; the top of the pork should be nice and crisp!<br />
Peel and chop yam into small pieces and add to a large pan of boiling water, add salt and turn down a little and cook until very soft and then take off heat. Add the egg, herbs and milk and mash until smooth and creamy. Blend the bread and place in a bowl. Form the yams into smallish balls with your hands and roll in the bread crumbs, repeat until finished. Next, fire up a pan and heat oil until very hot. Drop yams into the pan and fry until crisp (this only takes around 1 minute of so and you should fry about 4 balls at a time) and place in a bowl. So, what do you think - delectable or delectable?Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-27679893031688676032010-06-16T14:14:00.000-07:002010-06-21T13:46:37.594-07:00World Cup 2010: Ghana football factsThe World Cup is off to a cracking start already; so far we've seen England draw with U.S.A and Ghana win their match with Serbia; I'm sure they'll be more drama's and the usual theatrical diving, along with the prerequisite penalty shoot out. Good grief - football can be a farcical sport! Well, for some respite from all the goings-on, I've compiled a little fact file about the Black Stars - Ghana's football squad. If you know any more tidbits about the team, let me know!<br />
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The Ghana Black Stars were founded in 1957, shortly after Ghana gained her independence.<br />
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The Black Stars were the only African nation to reach the second round of the 2006 World Cup.<br />
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Stephen Appiah is the team captain, while Abedi Pele is the top goal scorer.<br />
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Each member of the team received a $20,000 bonus from the President for reaching the final of the African Cup of Nations.<br />
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Michael Essien, who plays for Chelsea, is perhaps Ghana's most famous football export.Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-33840586420038025532010-05-30T13:47:00.000-07:002010-06-17T15:02:08.645-07:00Black bean and carrot stew<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFXzmkmNKecxJLwgyGXEN-uY6PdLUQim23GYERFxbyUtsC1SOEaMs8S3PmqcThaCoaxydqvsimxt64XwOVUgEAUftdwtqUDIGxTDPDX3sMExmkEW1SPVcf-x9jFzp299x36g06OvY2z8/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFXzmkmNKecxJLwgyGXEN-uY6PdLUQim23GYERFxbyUtsC1SOEaMs8S3PmqcThaCoaxydqvsimxt64XwOVUgEAUftdwtqUDIGxTDPDX3sMExmkEW1SPVcf-x9jFzp299x36g06OvY2z8/s200/007.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABn4Juj3Dbctf6rbBI2YkOh3lccTfsgP9HZ3K8QuR3RjWd738siOaK4eqerXevrn_x8PScAKmsXrlynlo0krkFaKSemDR89zcYYiXrKl1EBK5Isk-rOe-BzCMdO6enMgqk9NdiR8jhaI/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABn4Juj3Dbctf6rbBI2YkOh3lccTfsgP9HZ3K8QuR3RjWd738siOaK4eqerXevrn_x8PScAKmsXrlynlo0krkFaKSemDR89zcYYiXrKl1EBK5Isk-rOe-BzCMdO6enMgqk9NdiR8jhaI/s320/009.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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I was given a mission by a friend who was coming for dinner: prepare a vegetarian Ghanaian dish. Okaaaayyy, I thought; simple right? Just whack together some okra, tomatoes and garlic and my meat-loathing mate would be none the wiser. Wrong! He'd susssed out the blog and basically knew what I was capable of, so he was expecting something a little more elaborate than a basic, generic tomato stew with a few bits of okra. Damn, what to do? Does vegetarianism exist in Ghanaian society? Well, not really; telling someone in Ghana you're a veggie, is like telling a true Ga man that the Nigerian government are taking over Ghana: you can imagine the reaction; not worth thinking about, believe me. So, here is my veggie dish: Black bean and carrot stew, aka Yor flo in the Ga language of Southern Ghana. Feedback appreciated, folks.<br />
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<em><strong>Stuff</strong></em><br />
<em>3 medium tomatoes</em><br />
<em>1 finely chopped onion</em><br />
<em>2 tbsp virgin olive oil</em><br />
<em>3 cloves garlic</em><br />
<em>2 large carrots</em><br />
<em>200g Black eye beans</em><br />
<em>1/2 tsp Allspice</em><br />
<em>1/4 tsp Mace</em><br />
<em>1/2 tsp Black pepper</em><br />
<em>1/2 tsp salt</em><br />
<em>1 tsp cumin seeds</em><br />
<em>1/2 tsp chilli powder (optional)</em><br />
<em>1 fresh tuna steak or 1 small tin of tuna (optional)</em><br />
<em>A few springs of fresh parsley for garnish</em><br />
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In a small pan half-filled with water, bring to a boil the black eye beans and once boiling, turn down to a medium heat and stew for around an hour, or until partly soft. Take off heat, cover and set aside. Next, soften the onions slightly in the oil on a low heat and add the allspice, mace, black pepper, salt and chilli powder and continue to heat on a low setting, mixing intermittently. Meanwhile, blend together the tomatoes and garlic and add to the pan of onions, mix together and add the black beans and cumin seeds. If using the tuna, grill for 3 minutes on each side, cut up and add to the dish. Chop up the carrots and soften for a few minutes in a pan of boiling water and blend into a rough pulp and add to the ingredients. Cover and continue to cook, stirring once or twice for 10 more minutes. Take off heat and serve with a garnish of chopped parsley. This dish is ideal served with plain, boiled plantain or yam. Enjoy!Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-61374884813067649342010-05-11T12:22:00.000-07:002010-06-17T15:03:10.325-07:00Easy fried chickenJust like that - prepared and cooked with minimal fuss and oh, so tasty! So much so, that the ole' colonel from UFC (Unidentified Fried Chicken) is sniffing around for the recipe for my secret blend of herbs and spices, but I reckon he's the one who's onto the money, judging by the worrying piles of knawed fried chicken bones scattered around town! I was happily sitting on the bus one sunny day last week, when it suddenly clouded over for a few seconds - what had just happened, I wondered? It turned out we'd just passed a KFC so large, it made T5 look like a dog kennel! Only in Peckham, I thought! But the answer continues to evade me; what's the fuss with all these chicken shacks? Opinions, please?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShY6XJ8qTjaB_KJ8AyRYnwwc6N1rOY0C2Sq_uqWMCifi5nCjjkWNMpFHfA6EPjmQ6kDodjuZtBjN9HAT734aQSORRqSQLZ0HiHjd7LqyyJwDtHCd2vn-q4i0RHfoQPs8iQVgkFPqjSsU/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShY6XJ8qTjaB_KJ8AyRYnwwc6N1rOY0C2Sq_uqWMCifi5nCjjkWNMpFHfA6EPjmQ6kDodjuZtBjN9HAT734aQSORRqSQLZ0HiHjd7LqyyJwDtHCd2vn-q4i0RHfoQPs8iQVgkFPqjSsU/s200/001.JPG" tt="true" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUVRQHOxn4Y4_E3Td5evrG85hh2XS6VNXAftzZkpNgimGcAjFWOdlS4QE52wEmZ1x27UDG3USIopZwPs3MdbFuxRuXaWo4I4Y0EVOYQ1ytLL1xD85igPlhYbbcyzda6JOq6wWDhajk4g/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUVRQHOxn4Y4_E3Td5evrG85hh2XS6VNXAftzZkpNgimGcAjFWOdlS4QE52wEmZ1x27UDG3USIopZwPs3MdbFuxRuXaWo4I4Y0EVOYQ1ytLL1xD85igPlhYbbcyzda6JOq6wWDhajk4g/s200/003.JPG" tt="true" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><em>I<strong>ngredients</strong></em></div><br />
<em>3 chicken leg pieces</em><br />
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<em><strong>For the marinade</strong></em><br />
<em>1/2 tsp salt</em><br />
<em>2 large minced garlic cloves</em><br />
<em>1 level tsp black pepper</em><br />
<em>1 tbsp Maggi sauce, available from all good ethnic supermarkets</em><br />
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<em><strong>For the coating</strong></em><br />
<em>3 slices wholemeal bread</em><br />
<em>1/2 tsp hot chilli powder</em><br />
<em>A pinch of salt</em><br />
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<em><strong>Utensils</strong></em><br />
<em>Food processor</em><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Start this recipe by washing the chicken and cutting each leg into two pieces - I also removed the skin on mine, but that's entirely optional. Put chicken into a large bowl and score randomly. Add salt, garlic, Maggi sauce and black pepper and rub well into flesh, ensuring marinade is pressed into slits - this enhances the flavour nicely - set aside.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Toast or grill the bread until crisp and break up roughly and add to the food processor - blend into fine bread crumbs and add to a bowl, mix in the chili and a pinch of salt. Finally, whisk the egg in a separate bowl. Now, heat approx 2 cm of oil in a pan until very hot - test the temperature by dropping a crumb into the oil, if it sizzles, you're ready to fry! Roll each chicken piece in the egg and then dip into bread crumbs, making sure each piece is covered well, place the chicken into the oil and fry for about 5 minutes on each side. Once all the chicken has been fried, transfer to a foil covered tray and place in a pre-heated oven for 25 minutes. Remove and devour with carefree abandon! Also, marries well with jollof rice!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-80998375462479389212010-04-26T13:45:00.000-07:002010-05-13T13:56:15.918-07:00Ghana reflections part 2<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">More pics of the tropical Gold Coast. These were taken at Kakum National Park - it's a reservation site protecting a vast swathe of Ghana's rapidly disappearing rainforests. Did you know that just 15% of Ghana's original rainforests remain? Illegal and commerical logging are the predominate reasons behind the loss, but by visiting Kakum you are ensuring your money is being spent on protecting the rich bio-diversity within these forests. </div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVkgearbeTaWL_s2i4tYhzdrWYvS6xHGGhBkZKfjozJNF4GUp0LlSEYOmK8a7JHWZ6qRETkSWii__hsgx9WcI8pnX9l0DUVQYcR2aYCtPkaomp9Lpyz_RvrxYt2CDk3UmQsN5IJlygBdQ/s1600/074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVkgearbeTaWL_s2i4tYhzdrWYvS6xHGGhBkZKfjozJNF4GUp0LlSEYOmK8a7JHWZ6qRETkSWii__hsgx9WcI8pnX9l0DUVQYcR2aYCtPkaomp9Lpyz_RvrxYt2CDk3UmQsN5IJlygBdQ/s320/074.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div>Niihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967618814055860870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560580779137991351.post-41896152043011742962010-04-20T12:35:00.000-07:002010-06-17T15:03:38.544-07:00Unusual similarities - Chinese and Ghanaian food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Who would have thought, Ghanaian and Chinese cuisine sharing <em>any </em>similarities! All you hardcore I-can't find-any-good-fufu-in -London Ghanaians are probably thinking it's as unlikely as finding a Mexican burrito in Mokola Market - just wouldn't happen, right? Well, you're kind of right. If you recall, I touched upon Chinese/Ghanaian food in my post Ghanaian cuisine and it's really not that much of an anomaly. Recently, over the last 10 years or so, Ghana (namely Accra) has seen an influx of immigrants from China, Thailand and India travel to its sandy shores to set up businesses along with the more established Lebanese communities who have been residents in Ghana since the 50s, as my Mum warmly remembers in an innocently, sightly un-pc way - 'They owned all the shops'. So, walking through Accra today you will find a number of Chinese restaurants and Ghanaians LOVE an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet for 3 cedis! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My Mum came home last week with a bottle of Chinese chili sauce she'd picked up from Wing Yip and as she was preparing dinner she mused, ' It's just like shito'. After a quick inspection of the ingredients, I realised how right she was! Made from fried and minced shrimps with chili powder, the sauce is identical - so, is it Ghanaian chili sauce or Chinese chili sauce - I prefer <em>Ghanese</em> myself. What do you think of my pretty naff amalgamation? Thoughts please!</div><br />
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