Name: Zimbabwe Candy Cake | Chikenduza
Yield: 7 cakes
Ingredients: 2 tsp instant-; 3/4 cup sugar; 1/2 cup milk ((warm)); 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup butter (, softened); 2 tsp vanilla extract; 1 large egg; 1/4 tsp salt; 1 cup powdered sugar; 1-2 Tbsp water; red food coloring

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Monday Meal Review: Zimbabwe

The marathon is complete. We did it. We ate every country in the world.

(Breathe in, breathe out)

The first thing Ava said about completing our challenge?

“Can we start cooking the world all over again?“

And, later:

“When are we going to start another Global Table Adventure, mama?”

This child was barely seven months old when we started.

Here she is with Afghanistan… (sigh)

I can’t look at this photo without tears coming to my eyes. I just… can’t.

It symbolizes how much happens in four years.

How much changes.

I had the strangest sensation as I was taking my last bite of candy cake for Zimbabwe. Every time I blinked my eyes, I’d open them expecting to find my seven month baby nestled in my arms. All over again.

That’s probably not what Ava meant when she suggested we start over.

But every time I opened my eyes… there Ava was… all grown up, four and a half years old, talking about staying “hwydrated.”

I kept blinking. I kept hoping for a moment of time travel…

Even if not to the beginning, to some small moment in our Adventure, before she became such a big little girl!

Perhaps when we shared the spicy potatoes from Bangladesh… in which Keith demonstrated (demonstrated?) his obsession with “laser eyes.”

Aloor Dom (Potato Curry).

Any number of tea parties…

Tea party to enjoy with Hembesha.

North African Mint Tea for Maurtius.

I can’t help it.

Lomi Lomi from the Maldives.

I just… can’t.

Trying Alligator

Childhood is fleeting. So fleeting.

Chicken Paprikas

Frankincense Ice Cream

Making Artisan French bread with Ava.

Sometimes this adventure was difficult.

Sometimes I wanted to throw in the towel.

But at some point I knew I couldn’t give up.

Stuffed Artichokes.

Homemade Pita Bread

The adventure became a part of our family.

Roasted Whole Fish from the Maldives

Alfajores

An understood part of our gatherings and meals…

Yogurt Naan

Latvian Birthday Cake

Carne Asada

Lamb Plov

Central Asian Tea Party

Even when I miserably failed at grilling whole fish for the Maldives…

I still had the love and support of my family…

Learn how not to do this…

Not only were Ava and Keith counting on me, you all were counting on me.

You told me you were using our recipes at home, at school, for potlucks, and parties.

You cheered us on.

Turkish Kisir and Pizza

You sent emails.

You made me smile.

So thank you!

Thank you so very much.

Rainy Day Cous Cous

From the bottom of our hearts…

Armenian Honey Cake

Swedish Princess Cake

I know I’m supposed to be talking about Zimbabwe.

But it’s nearly impossible to talk about this last country without talking about the rest.

I can’t end without examining the journey that led us to this place.

Because, in every bite of Zimbabwe, I could taste the last four years, the struggles, the joys… all of it.

I could taste the world, even as we made this final leap.

Victoria Falls, First Gorge, Zambian Side. Photo by DoctorJoeE.

THIS WEEK’s FOOD:

3 Quick Recipes for Zimbabwean Pumpkin and Squash [Recipe]

What I loved most about these dishes:

Definitely the acorn squash with corn and cheese… oh my goodness. Ah-mazing. Keith said that this is how he wants his acorn squash. Always. The butternut with peanut butter was awesome, too. It is such an unlikely combination, but it just works!

What I loved least about these dishes:

Nothing! These are all great fixes for the upcoming holidays (and wonderful conversation starters).

Zimbabwe Candy Cake | Chikenduza [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

I’m so happy I found a “cake” to celebrate the final meal of the adventure. This one is yeasty, dense, and sweet. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever had, though familiar to many favorites. I can see how Zimbabweans crave this, especially when living abroad. It was fun to decorate, too. Ava really enjoyed topping hers with an extra generous portion of pink icing.

What I loved least about this dish:

I was unsure I’d done it right, but thankfully social media came to the rescue. I got confirmation through Pinterest and Twitter that the recipe was correct. Fantastic!

What’s Next?

While this is the final post of this Adventure, I can’t stop here.

In a week or so, I’ll post up pictures from our Global Table Experience event. Then, after a brief respite, we’ll be picking up with the next phase of Global Table Adventure!

Much hasn’t been decided yet (my brain is still very much attached to this adventure, but I do know a few things… There will be a weekly recipe. A monthly video. And all of it will be themed around Global Holidays!

Finally, stay tuned for my memoir. (You can sign up to be notified when National Geographic releases it, in the fall of 2014!)

And now, for another little Rewind

Here’s Keith’s first video… from Austria… oh, those sweet little hands!

I wish I could go back in time and hug that little baby a million more times.

Friends,

We hope you’ll continue our adventure and share it with your loved ones. Together, we can make the world a friendlier place. Together, we can celebrate what we all have in common: the food of our global heritage. At the very least, a little stovetop travel can bring you places you may have never imagined were possible!

We love you all. Thank you for being a part of this crazy Global Table Adventure!

xoxo

Sasha, Keith, and Ava

Zimbabwe Candy Cake | Chikenduza

Candy. Cake. From Zimbabwe.

Given the name… and the fact that we needed a celebration recipe (this being the last recipe of our ‘official’ adventure to eat a dish from every country in the world)… well, I had to make it.

That’s not to say there weren’t other choices for celebration food. I could have made sweet potato cake (spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg) or sliced mango with custard.

But I was sold when I saw the shiny pink glaze on the mound of cakey bread.

I would have never known this cake existed, if it weren’t for several homesick Zimbabweans who shared their pinings on Fiso’s Kitchen. This is a treat you’d find in Zimbabwe’s city bakeries.

Mutare, aerial view of main street looking south. Photo by Seabifar.

From what Fiso says, Candy Cakes are usually big and dense, made in a double a standard muffin, but I made mini ones in my muffin tin so I wouldn’t have to go buy special equipment. Though her version is yeasty, she also mentions a recent trend of baking powder being used in Zimbabwe’s Candy Cake. Personally, I’m with her: the old way tastes good. Really good.

Makes about 7

Ingredients:

2 tsp yeast
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup warm milk
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup softened butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp water
red food coloring

Method:

Add the yeast, sugar, and warm milk to a bowl. Let proof until frothy, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, measure out the other ingredients. Mix them all together until a thick but wet dough forms (kind of like cookie dough).

Let proof for 1 hour.

Measure in 1/4 cup sizes, roll into balls and place into greased muffin tins. Preheat the oven to 350F while letting the cakes rise a second time, for about 20 minutes.

Bake until puffed and golden about 30 minutes.

Now let’s make the icing:

First, find some Zimbabwean sugar cane.

Field of sugarcane in Triangle. Photo by Macvivo.

Whisk the powdered sugar with enough water to make a thick icing. I only needed about 1 1/2 Tbsp of water. If you use too much water, it’s easy to fix: simply whisk in some more powdered sugar.

Add a drop or two of food coloring, to make it pink.

This is a great one to do with kids. There’s no “right” way to get the pretty pink icing on top.

Just so long as you get plenty!

Thank you, Zimbabwe.

Thank you from the bottom of my sugar-happy heart!

Zimbabwe Candy Cake | Chikenduza

Servings

7 cakes

Servings

7 cakes

Zimbabwe Candy Cake | Chikenduza

Servings

7 cakes

Servings

7 cakes

Ingredients

2 tsp instant-
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk (warm)
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter , softened
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp water
red food coloring

Servings: cakes

Units:

Instructions

Add the yeast, sugar, and warm milk to a bowl. Let proof until frothy, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, measure out the other ingredients. Mix them all together until a thick but wet dough forms (kind of like cookie dough). Let proof for 1 hour. Measure in 1/4 cup sizes, roll into balls and place into greased muffin tins. Preheat the oven to 350F while letting the cakes rise a second time, for about 20 minutes. Bake until puffed and golden about 30 minutes.
Now let’s make the icing: First, find some Zimbabwean sugar cane. Whisk the powdered sugar with enough water to make a thick icing. I only needed about 1 1/2 Tbsp of water. If you use too much water, it’s easy to fix: simply whisk in some more powdered sugar. Add a drop or two of food coloring, to make it pink.

Zimbabwean Pumpkin & Squash

Everywhere I go, I see the rust, orange, and gold of pumpkins and squashes. Some smile from my neighbors’ front stoops. Some have been tagged for this year’s Thanksgiving pie or pumpkin pancakes (Hello, Russia!). Even Pinterest looks like a digital pumpkin patch of late.

All this for good reason. These beautiful gourds are autumn. They represent breathless hikes to pick out the biggest, the gnarliest, the cutest in the bunch.

But for all that, I can only look at so many pumpkin recipes before my eyes glaze over.

Until Zimbabwe.

Sunrise Matobo National Park. Photo by Macvivo.

In this southern African country, gourds are served up in fun and fresh ways. In my wildest dreams I never considered putting peanut butter with butternut squash. But my goodness… it works!

Here are three recipes from Zimbabwe to add interest to your global fall fest.

1. Roasted Acorn Squash with Cheddar & Corn

Oh man, oh man, oh man. Seriously.

I’d be proud to call this lunch any time of day. This recipe was originally made with a “gem” squash in Zimbabwe, which I can’t obtain in Oklahoma. I found acorn squash to be a perfect substitute, although you could do this with pumpkin or butternut squash, too.

This will be made often in my home. And in large quantities. Again, thank you, Zimbabwe.

Serves 2-3 (Adapted from Eternal Zest)

Ingredients:

1 small acorn squash
2/3 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup grated cheese, like cheddar or mozarella

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400F. Meanwhile, cut an acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Slice a bit off the round side of the squash halves, so they will stand up straight on the baking sheet.

Brush liberally with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Spoon in 1/4-1/3 cup of frozen corn per side (no need to thaw the corn) and top with shredded cheddar cheese (about 1/4 cup per half).

Roast until the squash is tender when pierced with a knife and the cheese is bubbling and browned. Cooking times will vary, but a small squash may be done in 45 minutes, whereas a large one may take an hour.

I found the cheese browned perfectly after about 50 minutes. If the cheese starts to brown too much for your taste, simply cover the squash loosely with foil.

Eat hot with great Zimbabwean gusto.

Ah-mazing.

2. Pumpkin with Cinnamon

Roast or steam some pumpkin (or any other gourd). Sprinkle with cinnamon and salt. Voila!

Granted, this one isn’t so unusual, but it’s neat to see Zimbabweans enjoy their pumpkin with cinnamon, too!

Small world. Smiling world.

3. Peanut Butter & Butternut Mash (Nhopi)

I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t tasted it: the combination of butternut squash and peanut butter is ridiculously good. And vegan! The flavor is like a ghost of peanut butter, with a cheery sprinkling of salt, on the sweet squash. It’s the perfect sweet/salty combo. Thank you Zimbabwe!

Serves 2-4 (Adapted from Fudu Now)

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, or to taste (natural preferred)
warm water, to thin as needed (optional)
salt or sugar

Garnish: crushed peanuts, as desired

Method:

Peel, cube and steam butternut squash for about 30 minutes. Be sure to cook it until extremely tender, to ensure a smooth mash (take it from me, if you rush the cooking process, you can end up with lumpy squash).

Next, mash the peanut butter into the squash directly with a little salt or sugar.

OR, if your squash seems dry, whisk the peanut butter with a couple of Tbsp water until a smooth sauce is formed. (Personally, I prefer no added water, since that dilutes the flavors).

Either way, mash the butternut squash with peanut butter and season with salt or sugar, as desired.

To get a silky smooth texture, use an immersion blender.

Top with crushed peanuts.

Love, love, love.

After this, I think Zimbabwe just might have a place at my Thanksgiving table….

Are you planning on sharing any global dishes this Thanksgiving?

Zimbabwean Pumpkin & Squash

Here are three recipes from Zimbabwe to add interest to your global fall fest. #1 Roasted Acorn Squash with Cheddar & Corn #2 Pumpkin with Cinnamon #3 Peanut Butter & Butternut Mash | Nhopi

CourseSides & Salads
LifestyleGluten-Free, Potluck Friendly, Vegan, Vegetarian
Food TypeMiss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegetables

Zimbabwean Pumpkin & Squash

Here are three recipes from Zimbabwe to add interest to your global fall fest. #1 Roasted Acorn Squash with Cheddar & Corn #2 Pumpkin with Cinnamon #3 Peanut Butter & Butternut Mash | Nhopi

CourseSides & Salads
LifestyleGluten-Free, Potluck Friendly, Vegan, Vegetarian
Food TypeMiss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegetables

Ingredients

Roasted Acorn Squash with Cheddar & Corn

1 small acorn squash
2/3 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup cheddar , shredded -OR-
1/2 cup mozarella , shredded

Pumpkin with Cinnamon

pumpkin
ground cinnamon

Peanut Butter & Butternut Mash | Nhopi

1 butternut squash
1/4 cup peanut butter , creamy, to taste
warm water , as needed
salt
sugar

Servings:

Units:

Instructions

1. Roasted Acorn Squash with Cheddar & Corn

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Cut an acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Slice a bit off the round side of the squash halves, so they will stand up straight on the baking sheet.
Brush liberally with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Spoon in 1/4-1/3 cup of frozen corn per side (no need to thaw the corn) and top with shredded cheddar cheese (about 1/4 cup per half).
Roast until the squash is tender when pierced with a knife and the cheese is bubbling and browned. Cooking times will vary, but a small squash may be done in 45 minutes, whereas a large one may take an hour.

2. Pumpkin with Cinnamon

Roast or steam some pumpkin (or any other gourd).
Sprinkle with cinnamon and salt.

3. Peanut Butter & Butternut Mash | Nhopi

Peel, cube and steam butternut squash for about 30 minutes. Be sure to cook it until extremely tender.
Mash the peanut butter into the squash directly with a little salt or sugar.
-OR- if your squash seems dry, whisk the peanut butter with a couple of Tbsp water until a smooth sauce is formed.
To get a silky smooth texture, use an immersion blender.
Top with crushed peanuts.

Menu: Zimbabwe

Witch doctor of the Shona people close to Great Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe. Photo by Hans Hillewaert.

I don’t think I’ve ever done this. I’ve always told you the menu. Every Wednesday for 195 weeks, my choices have been in this space, recorded in black and white. But today…

I’m just not ready to tell you what I’m making. Perhaps it’s panic. What if I make the wrong choice this week? Or perhaps it’s denial. What if I’m not ready for it to be over?

I can tell you this much: there will be pumpkins and squashes. There will be peanuts and peanut butter. And there will be, I assure you, some kind of dessert.

Because I just don’t know how to celebrate the ending without a little something sweet.

So, bear with me, friends…

The first recipe will be up tomorrow.

UPDATE:

3 Quick Recipes for Zimbabwean Pumpkin and Squash [Recipe]

Three amazing recipes: 1) Acorn squash roasted with corn and cheese 2) Peanut Butter Butternut Squash 3) Cinnamon Pumpkin

Zimbabwe Candy Cake | Chikenduza [Recipe]

A dense, yeasty cake with sweet icing. A favorite in Zimbabwe’s city bakeries.

And here’s a proverb to ponder:

“A ripened fruit does not cling to the vine.”
Proverb from Zimbabwe

About the food of Zimbabwe

A bridge near Victoria Falls. Photo by Someone35

Yesterday, I mentioned my fear of crossing “the chasm”, towards the final post of this Adventure.

And yet, here we are. Time stalls for none.

This is the first step over Victoria Falls from Zambia to Zimbabwe.

"Here's a view of Victoria Falls from the helicopter. (You'll probably want to click the image to see a larger picture, where you'll find this caption waiting for you at the bottom.) At the left the broad Zambezi plunges 100 metres into the first gorge, raising the eternal cloud of mist and forming a rainbow visible in front of the bridge across the gorge. We're overflying Zimbabwe at the moment; the "Knife Edge" from which the first photo of the falls above was taken protrudes from the Zambia side above and to the left of the bridge. The bungee jumping platform is visible at the centre of the bridge, near the top of the rainbow. Electricity generation in Zambia is in excess of 99% hydroelectric; a power station is visible at the right of the image, along with outflow from the turbines into the gorge. After the falls, the Zambezi traverses a series of zigzag gorges, the first two of which are visible here." Photo and words by John Walker (2001)

“Here’s a view of Victoria Falls from the helicopter. At the left the broad Zambezi plunges 100 metres into the first gorge, raising the eternal cloud of mist and forming a rainbow visible in front of the bridge across the gorge. We’re overflying Zimbabwe at the moment; the “Knife Edge” from which the first photo of the falls above was taken protrudes from the Zambia side above and to the left of the bridge. The bungee jumping platform is visible at the centre of the bridge, near the top of the rainbow. Electricity generation in Zambia is in excess of 99% hydroelectric; a power station is visible at the right of the image, along with outflow from the turbines into the gorge. After the falls, the Zambezi traverses a series of zigzag gorges, the first two of which are visible here.” Photo & words by John Walker (2001)

There are a few restaurants near the falls, like the Rainforest Cafe, where you can get a Crocodile Tail Wrap with wasabi.

Talk about fusion!

The Boggie Clock in Gweru, Zimbabwe. In the background is the Midlands Hotel. Photo by Akumudzi.

As one travels further into the heart of this southern African country, more traditional foods appear, like pumpkin greens (bowara) cooked with peanut butter, peanut butter stews, and even pumpkin and peanut butter. (Here are three recipes for pumpkin and squash enjoyed in Zimbabwe)

Not enough peanut butter for you? Next time you boil up rice (white or brown), stir in a few spoonfuls of peanut butter – just enough so that you can shape the rice into balls. This is called Mupunga une dovi.

Zimbabwe Sunset. Photo by Steve Evans.

Serve your meal with anything from the tradtional sadza (a maize-based, stiff porridge), to the cities’ sweet buns made with yeast and sugar.

Many foods you might recognize from South Africa are also popular in Zimbabwe, such as malva pudding (a cake soaked in custard, like a South African “tres leches” of sorts), and Candy Cake [Recipe]. Since the papaya grows well in the hot climate, papaya candy, called mapopo, is a big hit with the children.

Pungwe Falls, Nyanga National Park, Zimbabwe. Photo by Babakathy.

Meat and fish are preserved by drying, then either enjoyed as jerky or reconstituted in stews.

You can wash it all down with a Rock Shandy, a refreshing blend of sparkling water, citrus juice, and bitters.

Maps and flag of Zimbabwe courtesy of the CIA World Factbook.

This country of plateaus and tropics, certainly has much to enjoy.

Now, how about a little proverb from Zimbabwe, for you to ponder:

“Until the lion tells his side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.”

I’m curious… do you agree?

Monday Meal Review: Zambia

Between Zambia and Zimbabwe lies the stunning chasm of mist and water called Victoria Falls. The water flows through both countries like some stealthy border walker, never fixed to one particular country. Never tied down. In this poetic space, where rapids, danger, and sparkling, spraying joy all tumble together, I see meaning for our own little cooking adventure.

Victoria Falls, First Gorge, Zambian Side. Photo by DoctorJoeE.

I’m on one side of the end, metaphorically sitting in Zambia, looking at Zimbabwe. Wondering what comes next. I’m so close to reaching my goal of eating every country in the world. So. Close. And yet, the “end” feels so, so, so far away. Almost unattainable. By this, I don’t really mean the cooking . Cooking one more country will be easy. I know how to research recipes. I know how to cook them. Sure, I make mistakes from time to time, but after four years, the process feels like breathing. No. It’s something else that feels far away, that feels unattainable.

Swimming at the edge of the falls in a naturally formed safe pool, accessed via Livingstone Island. Photo by Ian Restall.

Perhaps it’s that I don’t know how to reach a goal of this magnitude. Not with grace, anyway. I feel myself building momentum, while also sustaining a fear of tumbling down, down, down, and not reaching the other side. So much of this adventure was undertaken to alleviate my wanderlust, help Keith with his picky eating, and raise my daughter with an understanding of her global neighbors and new flavors. Somehow I fear the finding myself on the other side of the “falls,” in Zimbabwe, I will be lost. Without direction. I’ve never reached a goal of this magnitude. And I’m sort of afraid to. There’s no rational reason for this. The only way I can explain this feeling I have, is to say that it must be something like looking over the edge Victoria Falls. What do you do right before you reach a goal? Does it sometimes feel like the last few steps are treacherous and also, somehow, completely different from all those you took before? THIS WEEK’s FOOD Mealie Bread with Blackened Chilies [Recipe] What I loved most about this dish: The blacked chilies were a great hit. We especially loved the poblanos because they added great chili flavor without much heat. Plus, they’re beautiful! The bursts of corn are lovely, especially as a sweet contrast to spicy soup. What I loved least about this dish: Be careful when blending the corn. If you pulverize it too much, you risk making the batter too wet and it won’t cook properly. The best way to avoid this is do as the recipe states and set aside a cup of corn kernels while pulsing. That way they don’t get broken down, too. Zambia’s Spiced Tilapia Stew [Recipe] What I loved most about this dish: I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the bright lime juice coupled with the hot chilies makes for a very refreshing soup, warming on chilly fall afternoons, but also refreshing on a hot summer’s evening. There’s something just so… tropical… about the stew. What I loved least about this dish: I had a reader from Zambia write and say that limes and cumin are hard to get in the country, so even though we adapted the recipe from Marcus Samuelsson, whose recipes I love, you might consider making a plainer version for authenticity’s sake.

Mealie Bread with Blackened Chilies

If you ask my husband, there’s always room for cornbread. And he’ll eat twice as much cornbread if green chilies dot through the crumb. But what would he think if the cornbread came from half a world away? If it came from Zambia?

As a former “Mr Picky” he says:

Mealie Bread is a good way to bridge the gap for picky eaters to try something from another culture.

A Zambian woman. Photo by Tropenmuseum.

The result is moist (bordering on juicy), naturally sweet, and great on the side of any autumn stew (such as Zambia’s Spiced Tilapian Stew).

If you’re lucky enough to slice into the mealie bread while it’s still hot? Well… forget about having leftovers.

So why stud the mealie bread with chilies? Because Zambians love chili peppers. Chilies are available in the markets and grow easily in Zambia’s hot climate.

Plus the match serves a greater purpose: in Zambia, the chilies are used to protect the maize, a.k.a. corn, from attack:

Farmers can’t guard their crops twenty-four hours a day so they have started using chilli bombs—a mixture of ingredients which give off a spicy, pungent smell that offends elephants’ sensitive trunks and drive them away from crops. (Source: World Wild Life)

What a great idea!

I made our mealie bread with blackened poblanos to give a nice chili flavor, but almost no heat. This is great for people with kids. For more kick, try seeded jalapenos.

Today’s recipe is based on the Mealie Bread I made for Swaziland, which omits the peppers in favor of a sweeter corn bread. This is also a bigger batch.

Ingredients:

1 lb frozen corn kernels, thawed overnight in the refrigerator
4 eggs
4 Tbsp butter, melted
2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
4 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt

1/4 cup chopped blackened chilies, like poblanos

Method:

First, things first: blacken a poblano pepper over gas flame, or in a steel pan, or on the grill. You want the pepper to be black almost all over. Set aside to cool,then peel and dice it (leave seeds out to make a mild mealie bread).

If you’d like spicier mealie bread, use jalapenos.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Set aside 1 cup of corn.

Then, in a blender, pulse together the remaining corn, eggs and melted butter.

Add in the last cup of corn and pulse briefly to combine (this will give you pieces of whole corn in your corn bread – yum! Be sure not to pulse it much, or you might end up with too much moisture in your batter)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Then, stir in the corn mixture from the blender as well as the diced poblano.

Spread in a greased 8×8 baking dish and bake for 45-50 minutes.

Try to wait a few minutes to cut into it…But if you can’t wait, that’s fine, too!

Enjoy while overlooking a pretty bit of Zambian grass:

View of the Zambezi Flood Plain. Photo by Makeche.

*A little while back we made an amazing cornbread for Swaziland called Mealie Bread. This week we’re cooking Zambia, and I saw multiple sources suggesting mealie bread. Again! I knew we couldn’t recreate the same recipe, but when I found variations with charred chili peppers inside, I knew we were in business.

Mealie Bread with Blackened Chilies

The cornbread in Zambia is much like the cornbread in the USA – except it is made with fresh corn kernels instead of cornmeal. This makes the flavor come alive. Zambians call it mealie bread (mealie is just another name for corn; mealie bread is popular all over southern Africa). The result is moist (bordering on juicy), naturally sweet, and great on the side of any autumn stew (such as Zambia’s Spiced Tilapian Stew). If you’re lucky enough to slice into the mealie bread while it’s still hot? Well… forget about having leftovers. If you don't have time to thaw the corn overnight in the fridge, feel free to thaw it on the stovetop over medium heat for a few minutes.

CourseAppetizers & Snacks
LifestylePotluck Friendly, Vegetarian
Food TypeBreads, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes

Servings	Prep Time
1 8x8 pan	15 minutes

Cook Time

45-50 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
1 8x8 pan	15 minutes

Cook Time

45-50 minutes

Mealie Bread with Blackened Chilies

CourseAppetizers & Snacks
LifestylePotluck Friendly, Vegetarian
Food TypeBreads, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes

Servings	Prep Time
1 8x8 pan	15 minutes

Cook Time

45-50 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
1 8x8 pan	15 minutes

Cook Time

45-50 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb corn , (frozen) thawed overnight in the refrigerator
4 eggs
4 Tbsp butter , melted
2 cup all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
4 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 Poblano pepper , blackened and chopped (1/4 cup or so)

Servings: 8x8 pan

Units:

Instructions

First, things first: blacken a poblano pepper over gas flame, or in a steel pan, or on the grill. You want the pepper to be black almost all over. Set aside to cool,then peel and dice it (leave seeds out to make a mild mealie bread). If you’d like spicier mealie bread, use jalepenos.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Set aside 1 cup of corn, then, in a blender, pulse together the remaining corn, eggs and melted butter.
Add in the last cup of corn and pulse briefly to combine (this will give you pieces of whole corn in your corn bread – yum! Be sure not to pulse it much, or you might end up with too much moister in your batter)
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Then, stir in the corn mixture from the blender as well as the diced poblano.
Spread in a greased 8×8 baking dish and bake for 45-50 minutes. Try to wait a few minutes to cut into it.

Zambia’s Spiced Tilapia Stew

“Leading a race does not mean that you will win it.”
Zambian Proverb

It’s a chilly, wintery, blustery sort of day. Even the trees shudder, their leaves falling down in chatterings. Thankfully, Zambia makes quick work of dissipating the cold, with this Spiced Tilapia Stew. Each bite pops with fresh lime juice, tomatoes, and Napa cabbage.

A dusting of cumin, mustard seeds, fresh ginger and garlic give the broth depth.

But it’s the Thai Bird chilies that’ll clear your sinuses. Even just one in the pot promises a mellow tingle in every spoonful.

This is another kind of DIY soup, because of the garnishes.

Children will especially enjoy squeezing lime juice on their soup and sprinkling their bowl with parsley. Adults will enjoy seeing how many Thai Bird chili peppers they can handle. My husband added an entire sliced chili to his bowl; though he was sniffling and coughing from the heat, he then proceeded to add more.

A note on the Tilapia: traditional Zambian stews often use dried tilapia. We’ve used fresh because it’s more readily available here in Tulsa. Either one will add great flavor, though dried fish will add a chewier texture.

A resident fisherman enters Lukanga Swamp about 60 km west of Kabwe, Zambia. Photo DBrianWilson.

Adapted from Marcus Samuelsson’s “Discovery Of A Continent – Foods, Flavors, And Inspirations From Africa.” In Marcus’ version, he adds a cup of rice and a few other spices. Consider adding some rice for a heartier meal.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, quartered
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Thai Bird chili peppers, to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp pepper
peanut oil (vegetable oil may be substituted)

2 lbs tilapia filets (boneless)
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 head Napa Cabbage, shredded
juice of two limes
2 quarts water
salt, as needed

Garnish:

chopped parsley or cilantro
sliced Thai Bird chili peppers
lime slices

Method:

Hello Zambia! Are you ready to get cooking?

Zambian children in the countryside. Photo by Florence Devouard.

This recipe can be as simple as some fish, water, and tomatoes in a pot, or you can go all out with the spices as Samuelsson teaches.

In a large pot, fry the onion in peanut oil. When softened, add on the garlic, ginger, chilies, cumin, mustard seeds, and pepper. Cook a few more minutes, until fragrant.

Then, add the tilapia, chopped tomatoes, napa cabbage, lime juice, water, and salt.

A note on the salt: you’ll want to use a lot to balance out the tart lime juice (think the way the salt on a glass of margarita works), so don’t be shy about this!

Simmer 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes apart easily (use your spoon to break apart the fillets into desired portions.

Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt as needed.

Serve with a sprinkling of herbs, lime wedges, and chili peppers, as desired.

How many chili peppers can you handle?

One? Two? None?

I’m a half chili pepper girl, when it comes to this soup.

Zambia's Spiced Tilapia Stew

A note on the Tilapia: traditional Zambian stews often use dried tilapia. We've used fresh because it's more readily available here in Tulsa. Either one will add great flavor, though dried fish will add a chewier texture.

CourseSoups
LifestylePotluck Friendly
Food TypeMr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Seafood, Spicy

Servings

6 people

Servings

6 people

Zambia's Spiced Tilapia Stew

CourseSoups
LifestylePotluck Friendly
Food TypeMr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Seafood, Spicy

Servings

6 people

Servings

6 people

Ingredients

1 large onions , chopped
4 cloves garlic , quartered
1 inch ginger , fresh, peeled and grated
Thai bird chili peppers , to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp pepper
peanut oil , vegetable oil may be substituted
2 lb tilapia , fillets, boneless
4 tomatoes , chopped
1 head napa cabbage , shredded

Garnish

parsley , fresh, chopped -OR-
fresh cilantro , fresh, chopped
Thai bird chili peppers , sliced
lime , sliced

Servings: people

Units:

Instructions

In a large pot, fry the onion in peanut oil.
When softened, add on the garlic, ginger, chilies, cumin, mustard seeds, and pepper. Cook a few more minutes, until fragrant.
Add the tilapia, chopped tomatoes, napa cabbage, lime juice, water, and salt. Simmer 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes apart easily.
Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt as needed.
Serve with a sprinkling of herbs, lime wedges, and chili peppers, as desired.

Menu: Zambia

Fish market stall on Great East Road at the Luangwa Bridge, Zambia by Hans Hillewaert

“Talk to a person who can understand and cook for a person who can be satisfied.”
Zambian Proverb

I’m in the final phases of writing my memoir. By the end of November, the manuscript will be sent off to National Geographic to do their magic. At that point, they’ll work on final edits, layout, and publicity. And then, boom, next year there will be a book. My book. It’s the story of my search for food, family, and home – and I can’t wait to share it with you.

But right now, I’m in crunch time and the Zambian proverb above really spoke to me because, with my book, I’ll be talking to you and cooking for you. I’ll be telling you the story of my life, and the recipes that carried me through troubling times. Hopefully, as the proverb reads, you’ll understand and be satisfied!

These recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week.

Spiced Tilapia Stew [Recipe]

Typically made with dried tilapia, our version uses more readily available fresh fish, along with tomatoes, cabbage, ginger, and cumin. The heat comes from diced chili peppers – as many as you can handle!

Mealie Bread with Blackened Chili Peppers [Recipe]

A spicy version of mealie bread – the perfect way to warm up on a chilly day, especially on the side of soups and stews.

About the food of Zambia

South Luangwa National Park, Zambia by Joachim Huber

While you’ll find caterpillars and grasshoppers on the menu on the tropical plateaus of Zambia, maize (a.k.a. sweet corn) is far more common. This southern African nation will enjoy maize as a stiff porridge called nshima, in a beer called chibuku, and in sweet loafs (similar to our cornbread, but made with fresh corn [Recipe]).

Victoria Falls, Zambia by Someone35

Like many African countries, the groundnut (a.k.a. peanut) is beloved, especially when stirred into stewed greens. Peanut oil is also preferred by many Zambian families, as for when they fry up a batch of sliced plantains. There’s also the peanut sausage. According to the World Cookbook for Students:

A vegetarian “sausage” named after the wild orchid tubers called chinaka or chikanda (depending on the ethic group) used to gel them.

Amazing.

Fish market stall on Great East Road at the Luangwa Bridge, Zambia by Hans Hillewaert

Fishing has a big influence on the diet of Zambians who live near the many lakes, and it is often salted and dried for preservation or travel over long distances. The salted fish is later used in stews and soups, perhaps with a few onions and tomatoes [Recipe].

Typical Landscape of the Nyika Plateau by Dr. Thomas Wagner

Much of the population is concentrated in the cities, where meals like Mealie Tart (a beef and cornmeal pie of sorts) can easily be made in more westernized kitchens.

Outside of the cities, many kitchens are outdoors.

Kitchen in Kalomo, Zambia by Amanita Phalloides

Oh, and… P.S. WE MADE IT TO THE Z’s

No biggie. (Total Biggie)

(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Monday Meal Review: Yemen

“Oh yeah…” Keith says, chewing thoughtfully. “These are good!”

I look at him a moment, scanning his eyes, wondering if he is being truthful. Then I look down at the plate to check if he’d eaten the right thing. Sesame coated, almond stuffed dates.

Yup.

Could he really think the Stuffed Date Balls are good? To be fair, he had no idea what they were when he ate them, except I did warn him that the crunchy thing inside was an almond. Still, these date balls seem more challenging to me than sushi, more challenging that the raw beef soup for Laos, more challenging than the frankincense ice cream.

More challenging for me, at least.

We all have our difficulties when it comes to certain textures and flavors. And dates have always been mine.

Could it be that we project our fears onto our friends and families, expecting them to react the same way we will?

If so, no one has a chance. The favorites have been decided before anyone takes a bite.

The funny thing? By keeping my mouth shut, I was able to witness Keith’s delight, which in turn encouraged me to give the date balls a new shot.

And guess what? This week I liked the dates, too.

That’s the second time this adventure showed me how dates can, in fact, be good.

THIS WEEK’s FOOD

Yemeni Shakshouka [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

I enjoyed trying this spicy, scrambled version of shakshouka. While the saucy one will always have a near and dear place to my heart, this one got great reviews from Keith and Ava as well. I particularly enjoyed the cumin and spicy chili pepper, which gave the eggs kick (I think they’d be great for Father’s Day!).

What I loved least about this dish:

If you have about a tablespoon of tomato paste to spare, it adds a nice depth of flavor to this dish.

Stuffed Date Balls [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

Everything. This one is easy to make, vegan, pretty, and tastes delicious. The combination of dates and nuts/seeds is very PB&J, which is aces in my book. If Keith likes it (and I learned to like it), then anyone can.

What I loved least about this dish:

Nothing. Just be sure your almonds and sesame seeds are fresh. Remember, they go rancid after sitting too long… and you don’t want off flavors to ruin this treat.

Almond Stuffed Date Balls

When I made the amazing Pistachio Date Balls for Iraq, I thought I’d seen the easiest recipe in the world. It only uses two ingredients (third if you feel like getting extra fancy), and there’s no cooking. Well, today’s date balls are even easier: they don’t require a food processor.

Boom!

Even as simple as they are, the flavor is amazing – as though from a much more complex recipe. There’s a sweetness from the dates that transports me straight to Yemen… I mean, forget it.

Let’s just lay under some Yemeni trees for a while, before we get around to making this recipe. Okay?

Mawhit in Yemen. Photo by Franco Pecchio.

Now, maybe this sunny afternoon in Yemen has you wondering: why include almonds and sesame seeds? Why not just eat straight dates?

Well, you know how good peanut butter is with jelly? The balance of the nuttiness with the fruity date in this dessert is similarly satisfying.

And addicting. Before I knew, I ate three of these.

And to think. When I started this adventure, I (thought) I hated dates.

Makes 18 date balls

Ingredients:

18 dates
18 whole almonds
1/4-1/3 cup sesame seeds

Method:

You can make these for a party. You can make these for a gift. But you might want to make extra, because they go fast!

First, remove the pit from the date.

Tear the date in half and turn it “inside out.”

Put an almond in the middle, then roll it into a ball shape.

Do this with all the dates, placing them on a plate as you go. Your hands will be very sticky. Once you’re done rolling all the dates, wash your hands (this is a good time to wash them, as most of the messy work is done).

Next, put the sesame seeds in a small container. I started out on a plate, but soon learned that reusing the deep container the dates came in works much better. This is because you can drop one in, shake it around and pull it out, and it’ll be covered with sesame seeds.

Very easy.