These are East African(specially Coastal) receipes

Vitumbua-  is a Tanzanian dish, made from rice flour, coconut, yeast and cardamom. When made well it is fluffy and literally melts in your20 mouth.

Ingredients

2 cups finely ground rice flour
2 tblspn plain white flour
2 tblspn fresh grated coconut (available frozen in most Asian stores)
1 400 gm tin coconut milk
(half) cup hot water
1 tspn dry yeast
(half) cup sugar
(half) teaspoon roughly ground cardamom seeds
oil

Method

1.. Mix rice flour, grated coconut, and the coconut milk and hot water to form a thick paste. The temperature should be equivalent to body temperature.

2.. Add the sugar, cardamom and yeast and mix well.

3.. Cover and leave overnight

4.. Next day mix thoroughly

5.. Instead of using the vitumbua karai(pan), I used an appam pan which I have previously used to make ponganalu.

6.. Heat the appam pan, apply a drop of oil in each pan, pour in the batter so that the pan is ¾ full.. Cook for 2-3 minutes, and flip the vitumbua, this is quite tricky, but gets easier with practice.

7.. Cook the other side and repeat until all the batter is finished.

We have them for breakfast in the  morning. They can be served with a kuku paka. Recipe to follow.

< u>Tumbua Ndizi/Gonja or Sweet Plantain Fritters

Tumbua Ndizi is a typical East African dish, Ndizi means bananas in Swahili.

In East Africa we have  4 kinds of bananas

Matoke: Green (raw) bananas which never ripen to yellow, the flesh is mainly carbohydrate, and although when ripe it is sweeter, it can not be eaten uncooked. When cooked the flesh become soft, it is a bit like potato.

Gonja, are sweet cooking bananas, when cooked they do not become soggy and soft like ordinary bananas. When very ripe they are black on the outside. They can be cooked in coconut;  just fried or fried in batter (tumbua)

Ndizi was what we called the ordinary dessert banana

Menvu are small dessert bananas, about half the size of normal bananas, very sweet, these are the bananas we grew up on. They were always there, along with pawpaw (papaya). To get back to the tumbua ndizi - here is how you make them:

Ingredients

4 ripe gonja/plantains
1 cups self-raising flour (plain flour with 1 tspn baking powder)
2 tbspn Sugar
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup coconut milk (tinned is fine)
Roughly ground cardamom< br> Oil for frying

Method

1. Make batter, using flour, cardamom, sugar, milk and coconut milk. Cover, and then leave an hour.

2. The batter should be thick enough to completely coat the banana.

3. If it is too thin, add more flour, if it is too thick add a little milk.

4. Peel the plantain, cut into 3 / 4 pieces, cut each piece into 2/3 horizontal slices.

5. Dip each piece of plantain in batter, making sure they are well-covered, and then fry in hot oil until golden.

Mutton Biryani - East African Style

Ingredients

Mutton Masala:

2 lb mutton on the bone cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 cup yogurt
2 inches ginger; grated
6 cloves garlic; minced
5 chilies minced
1/2 tspn saffron
8 large tomatoes (blanched, peeled and liquidised)
12 small potatoes (extra oil to fry)
2 tablespn oil
2 sticks cinnamon
4 pods cardamom
5 cloves
1/2 spn cumin seeds
8 medium onions; minced fine in a food processor
2 tspn coriander/cumin powder
1/2 tspn turmeric
1 tspn garam masala
salt to taste

Rice:

3 cups basmati rice; was hed well; and soaked in water for 30 mins
1 tbspn oil
1 tspn cumin
1/2 tspn saffron soaked in a little warm water
salt to taste

Method

1. Marinate the mutton in yogurt, garlic, ginger, green chilies, half the tomatoes and saffron overnight if possible; minimum of 2 hours.

2. Deep fry the potatoes, these don't have to be cooked through, as long as the surface is sealed.

3. Pressure cook the mutton, or boil until tender.

4. Heat the oil in a pan, add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves; cumin seeds, cook for about 3 minutes, the cloves and cardamom should have puffed up.

5. Add the onions and fry until they are a rich golden brown, this is the most important for biryani masala. You can buy prefried onions if you want - available in Indian shops.

6. Add the other half of tomatoes, cook for about 5 minutes, add the turmeric, cumin/coriander powders.

7. Add the cooked mutton and the potatoes, mix, making sure that meat and potatoes are coated with the tomato/onion sauce. Cook for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the rice, add 1 and cups of water per cup of rice for 15 minutes.=2 0Heat some oil in a frying pan, add the cumin, pour the oil and cumin mixture on the rice.

Pour the saffron and water mixture on the rice.

This is an East African style Biryani, the meat curry and rice are kept separate. Serve the rice on a large platter with the meat sauce place on the top.

Mayai Dungri's  shaak -  or -Spicy Scrambled Eggs

Mayai is eggs in Swahili, dungri is onions and shaak is curry in Gujarati, this is a traditional family recipe. We usually have it as a light supper or lunch. Not breakfast, but hey anything goes!

Ingredients
1 medium potato; diced
1 medium onion; chopped finely
2 tomatoes; blanched, peeled and chopped finely
1/2 cup chopped chives
2 cloves garlic; minced
1 inch ginger; grated
2 chilies; chopped finely
1 tspn coriander / cumin powder
1/2 tspn turmeric
3 eggs; beaten
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste
2 Tablespoon olive oil

Method

1. Heat the oil, and sauté the potatoes until cook, remove and set aside.

2. Fry the onions until golden brown, add the garlic, ginger and tomatoes20fry for a few minutes.

3. Add the cumin/coriander and turmeric powders, stir and fry for 2 minutes.

4. Add the potatoes, salt, chives and stir and cook for 2 minutes.

5. Add the eggs, stir until cooked.

6. Add the coriander, mix and serve hot with chapatti or on toast.

serves 2

'Fried' Mogo – Fried Cassava

Mogo is Cassava in Swahili

This is a 'no fry', healthy recipe

Ingredients

1 large tuber of cassava (or 1 pkt frozen cassava)
Juice of 2 Limes
1/2 cup olive oil
chili flakes
salt

Method

1. Cut the tuber into 3 pieces, peel 20 by slitting the skin on one side, the skin will peel of quite easily.

2. cut in large chips and boil with a little salt. (In the case of frozen mogo; boil with some salt)

3. Slice into thin (1/2 - 3/4 inch wide.

4. Mix the olive oil, lime juice, and chili flakes, add to the cassava, toss to ensure that all the pieces are evenly coated.

5. Place the cassava chips on a baking tray and cook in a hot oven (220 C) for 20 minutes or until the mogo looks golden brown, and is crispy.

Serve with tamarind chutney, (coconut chutney).

Pinto Beans Curry –or-Spicy Maharagwe  - which is Swahili for Beans

Having lived in East Africa , our preparations are  peppered with Swahili and Gujarati.

Ingredients

1 cup dried pinto; soaked overnight and boiled (I used the pressure cooker; about 10 mins)
2 Potatoes, peeled and cut in small cubes
3 Cloves garlic; peeled and minced
2 inch ginger; peeled and grated
3 large tomatoes; blanched, peeled and chopped
1/2 tspn cumin seeds
1 tspn mustard seeds
2 - 3 chilies slit through the centre
1/2 tspn turmeric powder
2 tspn coriander and cumin powders
2 tspn oil
salt to taste

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the chilies, cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Cover and let them pop and splutter.

2. Add the tomatoes, garlic and ginger cook for 5-6 minutes, add turmeric, coriander and cumin powders, cook for 2 minutes.

3. Add the potatoes, cook for a few minutes, add the salt.

4. Add the boiled pinto beans, with 2 cups of the water the beans were boiled in.

5 Cover and cook, until the potatoes are done.

I served it with paratha.

Matoke in a Groundnut Sauce or Green Bananas in a Peanut Sauce

Matoke is a typical Ugandan dish, it is stuff that we grew up on. Groundnuts are used in many African countries as a base for a savory sauce for meat or vegetables

4 Matoke or green bananas; peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
1/2 cup peanuts (I have used pink skinned, but any peanuts will do)
1 tbspoon of vegetable oil (not olive because that is rather strong tasting)
1 stem of coriander; chopped finely
1 medium onion; chopped finely
2 cloves garlic; minced
1 inch ginger; grated 3-4 chilies; minced
4 tomatoes; blanched, peeled and chopped finely
1/2 tspn turmeric powder
2 tspn coriander/cumin powder
1 tspn cumin seeds
1/2 tspn mustard seeds
salt to taste

Method

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the whole mustard and cumin, wait for it to pop, and add the onions, fry until golden brown. Meanwhile grind the peanuts finely.

2. Add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger and chilies, fry for about 5 minutes, add the turmeric, coriander and cumin powders, cook for a further 5 minutes.

3. Add the matoke, mix, until all the matoke is coated by the tomato sauce. Cook for a few minutes.

4. Add the ground peanuts, and mix so that all the bananas are coated with the tomato/peanut mixture, add 1 and 1/2 cups of water.

5. Bring to boil, and cook for 20 minutes.

6. Garnish with the chopped coriander.

It is lovely by itself or with some Chevro.

Mandazi - Coconut Bread

This East African coconut bread is slightly sweet and has often been likened to doughnuts. It is available everywhere in East Africa ; it is typical street food, Mandazi is eaten at anytime, for breakfast with tea, for a snack or with bharazi(lentils)  for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups plain flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon yeast
1 tablespoon freshly grated or dried coconut
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon roughly ground cardamom
warm water to bind
Oil to deep fry

Method

1. Mix all the dry ingredients, add the coconut milk and mix, add warm water for form a soft dough (not sticky). Knead thoroughly.

2. Place the dough in an oil polythene bag and put in a warm place (airing cupboard) for 2-3 hours; until it has doubled in size.

3. Knead the dough and divide into 6 - 7 portions

4. Roll a roti like circle and cut into four parts

5. Fry in hot oil, two to three at a time, holding them under the oil on the first side until they puff. Turn over until brown on both sides.

Serve with bharazi

Mbaazi za Nazi - Pigeon Peas in Coconut Sauce

This is also an East African dish. It is usually served with Mandazi (coconut bread). Nazi is Swahili for Coconut. The combination of the two is heavenly ! Try it for yourself.

Ingredients

1 cup dried pigeon peas; soaked overnight, and boiled (in the pressure cooker)
1 400gm can of coconut milk
1 medium onion or 2 small; finely chopped
2 clove garlic; minced
1 inch ginger; grated
3 chilies; minced
1/4 tspn turmeric powder
1/2 cup coriander; chopped fine
1 tbspn vegetable oil
salt to taste

Method

1. Fry the onion in medium hot oil, when golden brown, add the boiled pigeon peas and the coconut milk.

2. Then add the garlic, ginger chilies and turmeric and salt.

3. Cook for 3o minutes. If necessary add a little water. Add the chopped coriander.

4. serve with Mandazi.

Mogo (cassava) with Lamb in Creamy Coconut Sauce

Ingredients

2 lb cassava (frozen can be used)
1 pack of coconut cream (a picture can be seen here)
1 lb lamb, cut into cubes
3-4 garlic cloves; minced
2 inch ginger; grated
3-4 chilies; minced
1/4 tspn turmeric
1/2 cup chopped coriander
salt to taste
2 limes; juiced
coriander leaves for garnishing.

1. Marinate the meat with garlic, ginger and sal t for at least 2 hours.

2. Peel the cassava, cut into large chunks and boil and drain. Cut into cubes.

3. Boil the meat, drain, add coconut cream to the meat stock, add the turmeric, chilies, coriander leaves and cassava; cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, mash cassava roughly, add the meat and mix well, cook for another 5 minutes. Add the lime juice. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with Chevro

Mogo (Cassava)

Mogo is another East African food that we relish. It can be eaten just boiled; like the sort we used to get in the canteen at Schools, Tanzania with just some salt and red chilies, yum. It cost 10 cents, for 50 cents you could get it fried with tamarind chutney.

We (the girls) also used to sneak out to Deejays on Sunday afternoons, via the kitchen at the back, we were not supposed to eat at Deejays. But every Sunday, we would go for 'a walk' armed with 50 cents from Uncle, straight to Deejays! When we got home Dad  and Mom  used to wonder why we were not as hungry as we normally were! Ahhhhhhh those were the days.

This is a masala version - of mogo
=0 A
Ingredients

1 large tuber of cassava (or frozen cassava)
1 400gm can of tomatoes; crushed
1 large onion; chopped finely
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seed
2/3 cloves of garlic; minced
2/3 green chilies; minced
1 inch ginger; grated
1 tablespn cumin/coriander mix
1 tspn turmeric powder

Method

1. cut the cassava into 3 pieces, peel by slitting the skin on one side, the skin will peel off quite easily

2. cut in large chips and boil, when tender, cut into 1 inch cubes.

3. Heat some oil in a pan, add the cumin, mustard seeds and onions.

4. Fry the onions until golden brown, add the garlic and ginger, fry for one minute, add the tomatoes, green chilies, turmeric and the cumin/coriander; fry for a few minutes. Add the cassava pieces, and 1 cup of water, leave to cook for about 20 minutes, until it is soft and gooey. Garnish with Coriander

Matoke with beans (green bananas with beans)

Ingredients

4 - 5 matoke (green bananas from Uganda )
1 400g can red kidney beans
1 200g can peeled tomatoes
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 inc h ginger - grated
2 chilies - minced
1 table spn vegetable oil
1 tspn mustard seeds
1/2 tspn turmeric
2 teaspoons coriander/cumin mix
salt to taste

Method

1. Peel the green bananas and place in cold water, (otherwise they discolor).

2. Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds, as soon as they start to splutter, add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger and the minced chilies, stir and fry for a few minutes.

3. Add the cumin, coriander and turmeric, fry for a few minutes. Add the bananas and the beans and mix so that the vegetables are coated with the mixture.

4. Add one cup water and salt and cook for 20 minutes

serve with chapatti or rice

Makate Mimina (coco nutty rice pancake)

This is an East African Dish. Usually served with a hot coconut chicken curry (bit like Thai green curry).

Ingredients

2 Cups Rice
1 pint milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tspn yeast
1/2 packet creamed coconut or 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk
2 table spn butter or margarine
1/2 tspn cardamom seeds
1 1/2 cups water
(makes 2)

Method

Wash the rice and Soak it for 3-4 hours or overnight.

Add the yeast to a little water with 1 tspn sugar.

Let it ferment.

Dissolve the coconut cream in 1 1/2 cups of hot water.

Drain the rice and add warm milk to it, liquidize until smooth.

Add the coconut liquid/milk, yeast and cardamom seeds.

Cover and leave in a warm place for 3 hours, or until the mixture is frothy and doubled in volume, add the remaining sugar.

Divide mixture into two.

Heat a nine inch frying pan, add 1/2 the butter, when melted add half the batter, cover and cook at very low heat for 30 minutes, uncover and grill the top until brown.

Remove from pan.

Repeat for the second pancake.

Serve warm, relish with melted butter

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