Banana leaves are used for cooking, wrapping and food serving in a wide range of cuisines in tropical and subtropical Africa. How to ...
Liberia is known for its spectacular traditions, rustic culture, and delicious cuisine. The foods and flavors of this country are different in the sense that, they are special in their own sweet, spicy ways and are internationally popular. 1. Palava – Chunks of Smoked Meat or Fish in Spicy-hot Soup 196flavors.com What is it: Also […]
Baking a South African milk tart pie puts a creative spin on a classic African dessert recipe. African food means sharing. Turning a Melkte...
My work is leading me more frequently to West Africa. I posted about Accra late last fall, and this time, I'll be reflecting on Liberia. The country is small in size, but has a rich and diverse cuisine that reflects the influence of various groups that interacted with the local population. Arabs brought cinnamon, mint and other spices, while the Americo-Liberians made their contributions, as well, bringing pound cake to the country's dessert table. This evolved into a cake that is spiced with ginger and cinnamon, a nice variation on the theme! Still, there are some things that Liberia has in common with other West African countries. Ingredients such as tomatoes, palm oil, sweet potatoes, cassava leaves and a wide variety of seafood (including dried fish) are common in many recipes, often accompanied by massive portions of perfectly cooked rice. Liberians eat mashed cassava (fufu), but they are very serious about their rice! My time in Monrovia -- which is Liberia's capital -- was pretty short. I was fortunate to be accompanied by Liberians who knew the best places to eat. I made sure to stress that I wanted to eat in locally owned restaurants that served Liberian cuisine. The hotel where I stayed caters to the international, Western crowd. I went the night that I arrived, expecting to find Liberian dishes on the menu, only to discover that 90% of the offerings were continental. I asked if my choices could be Liberianized in some way. That didn't work so well. So I understood that I had to venture out to find local food. When I asked people for recommendations on where to eat, invariably I was told to go to Evelyn's on Broad Street. It's a pretty simple place -- definitely not fancy. But bear in mind that Liberia is still recovering from two brutal civil wars. Because a place is simple doesn't mean that its food isn't delicious! People directed me to Evelyn's, which is a favorite with both Liberians and ex-pats. It's good, solid Liberian food in a down-home, comfy environment! The menu is chock full of local favorites, which are usually spicy stews made with some kind of meat or fish cooked in a thick mixture of cassava leaves, palm oil, stock, and aromatic spices. The menu is organized around daily specials. I went on Monday and ordered the cassava leaf. I was between meetings and my lunch companion made sure that the wait would not be long! About ten minutes after placing the order, the stew arrived. I wanted something that was all seafood, but that would have taken more time. So I contented myself with the beef-fish concoction that was way too big for one person to eat! A large plate of perfectly cooked rice accompanied the stew as did the ubiquitous, homemade pepper sauce, a variation of which is found throughout West Africa. I love pepper sauce and devoured the entire plate. It is not for the faint of heart -- or for those who forget their Tums. Not kidding. The stew was flavorful, heavy and filling. I left nearly half of mine. I wanted to leave room for dessert! My eye was captured by Liberian rice cake, which looks like a variation on an American carrot cake. But the texture is thicker, grainier, less sweet. And it's made with either bananas or sweet plantains. The waitress brought me a warm piece that was just crispy on the outside and softer on the inside. I smelled nutmeg and ginger as the spices. I stupidly volunteered to share my dessert with my lunch companion. I could have eaten the entire piece myself! A slightly more upscale place was located in The Rose Garden Plaza, a spanking new building that housed a travel agency. Restaurant at der Platz is definitely more upscale than Evelyn's, and it had a much more extensive menu. Unfortunately, the time we had for lunch was even more compressed! So instead of choosing based on what I really wanted to eat, I was guided by what was already ready!! I chose fried fish (grouper), which came accompanied by a mountain of rice, onion sauce and . sweet plantains. This one, however, was accompanied by palm oil-- which is very, very rich, aromatic and flavorful--and bean gravy. I got a little carried away with the palm oil, forgetting about its richness. In Liberia, it's poured over the rice, which is then topped with the bean gravy. One thing that struck me about Liberia's restaurants was how expensive they were! I saw little difference between the prices in Monrovia as compared to the United States! And consider that fact that the country is very poor. One wonders how average Liberians afford to eat out! Most probably don't. They go to local markets like this one, located along the main road that goes to Sierra Leone: This open-air market, like others in West Africa, sell spices, meat, fish, and produce. I wish that I had had more time to explore this one, but alas, I was on the way to the airport and had time for only a quick drive by. I look forward to returning to Liberia. I hope to actually get into a kitchen and cook local food!!!
Black-eyed peas are a favorite ingredient in all of the regions of West Africa. There, traditional soups are rather plain, so to add cornmon greens, and/or okra to this soup would be considered quite "fancy" by most West Africans. And if you add the quantity of cayenne that most West Africans would, this soup would be considered insanely fiery by the majority of North Americans! Try varying the combination of vegetables a bit, playing with the quantities of the optional ingredients, or doubling the amount of greens. Reduce the water and you'll have a stew, delicious served on polenta or grits. Top each bowl with chopped scallions or more chopped cilantro.
Banana leaves are used for cooking, wrapping and food serving in a wide range of cuisines in tropical and subtropical Africa. How to ...
According to a recent article on Smithsonian.com, the notion that poison candy is routinely distributed to unsuspecting children on Halloween is a myth pe...
Jollof Rice 1 large boneless chicken breast 1 pound stewed beef cubes 1/2 pound thick sliced bacon 1 onion, diced 1 green pepper, diced 1 y...
Baking a South African milk tart pie puts a creative spin on a classic African dessert recipe. African food means sharing. Turning a Melkte...
Domada is the national dish of The Gambia, the smallest country on Africa's mainland. This stew is deliciously flavored African lamb ste...
Kombucha can be made at home with just a handful of ingredients. In this tutorial, we'll show you exactly what to do in detailed step-by-step instructions.
You all have been asking for years for this, and I'm finally going to deliver! Ma Mary's Americanized Collard Greens Ingredients: 1 bunch of collard greens 1 1/2 large yellow onions 6-10 cloves of garlic, pressed 3/4-1 cup vegetable oil 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning 1/2 tsp. black pepper 1 large chicken bouillon cube (prefer Maggi) 2-3 Habanero peppers Serve on a 'Liberian mound' of rice! Optional: Meat is optional. I usually use about 1 pound of beef stew meat, but you can add chicken or fish as well. I use kitchen scissors and cut the stew meat into small pieces. Toss in a bowl with italian seasoning and black pepper. Drizzle olive oil in a non-stick skillet and over medium heat, cook the meat until it’s almost done. You can add onion and garlic too. (If you want a very spicy dish, cut the top off of a Habanero pepper and add it to the oil first. Let it infuse the oil for a few minutes before adding the meat.) Preparing the collard greens is the most time-consuming part of the process. Start by cutting off the stem ends. I cut off up to where the base of the leaf starts. The easiest way to clean the greens is to clean your sink, fill it up with the leaves and water and start rinsing. It takes some ‘swishing’ to knock the grit out of the leaf veins. After the leaves are washed, you are going to chiffonade them. Stack the leaves on top of each other (10 leaves or so) and starting on one side, roll the leaves tightly (like a cigar), and then cut across the leaves to make fine ribbons. Liberians cut the leaves as thin as possible, plus they will cook quicker. Keep stacking, rolling and cutting until all of the leaves are all prepared. Take your onions and cut in half. Then you will thinly slice the onion halves--think shoestring onions. Using a garlic press, press 6-8 garlic cloves. To prepare your peppers, cut off the top and take out the seeds. Quarter the pepper and set aside. I use an 8-quart, non-stick, stock pot every time I cook my collard greens. Just make sure you have a good sized, non-stick ‘soup pot’ and you will be fine. Over medium heat, put enough vegetable oil in your pot to cover the bottom on the pot and give alittle depth (3/4 to 1 cup). Heat the oil until it’s warm, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and saute until tender. Add 1 tsp. Italian seasoning and 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Mix together and cook a few more minutes. Add the greens in batches, and toss so they get covered in the oil. You might have to add some greens and let them wilt down before adding more. After all greens are added, let them cook for about 5 minutes. I prefer to use a good pair of tongs to keep tossing the greens. As the greens start to wilt down you will start adding water, 1 cup at a time. Add 1 cup of water and continue cooking, tossing every 10-15 minutes. After the greens are all wilted, reduce the heat to low and simmer. Crush one large, or two small, chicken bullion cubes and incorporate it, along with your Habanero peppers when you start to simmer the greens. Keep an eye on the oil/water level--you don’t want it to go dry or the greens will burn. You can add another cup or two of water during the cooking time, which will steam the greens, and then you can toss less often. I prefer my greens to not be crunchy, so I usually cook them for at least an hour (most times closer to 2 hours). During this time I do a few taste tests and add more onion, garlic or spices to taste. Serve in a big bowl, over rice, and eat like a Liberian with a big spoon. You can also serve with fried chicken, pineapple or plantain/banana/root chips. Helpful Habanero Hints: This is your chance to control the heat. You can always add more spice, but you can’t take it away. Habaneros pack a punch...especially if you’re not acclimated to spicy food. The more seeds that you leave in the pepper, the spicier it will be. If you only prefer alittle spice, take out all of the seeds; the skin alone will spice the greens. I am very sensitive to hot peppers, so I always handle the peppers with a latex glove. Also, with collard greens, I use red and yellow peppers, so my family and friends can easily remove the peppers (totally not Liberian) if they can’t handle the spice. If you really want it spicy, you can add the pepper in the very beginning when you saute the onion and garlic. Now you can enjoy a taste of Liberia in your own home! P.S. I documented my cooking experience because I wanted to be one of those awesome food blogs for a day. But I've decided this post is too long for more photos...so maybe another time.
Annually, my dad went to a Liberian friend’s party which meant every year I could count on tasting Liberian foods. Dad would come back late at night bearing a plate of Liberian foods. What …
