Name: Mealie Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 1 loaf
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups frozen corn (, thawed); 2 large egg; 2 Tbsp butter (, melted); 1 cup all-purpose flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 2 Tbsp sugar; 1/2 tsp salt

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Mealie Bread

The next time you walk into your kitchen, walk into the warm, sweet scent of mealie bread. Let a smile curl along your lips as you taste that first, moist bite with your imagination.

Then take a moment for real indulgence: spread softened butter across the still-warm bread, only to see it melt into and down the sides of the tender crumb.

Mealie Bread is a treat you will find throughout southern Africa. In olden days, it was steamed over a campfire, with little more than ground corn, wrapped up in husks. They used white corn, not sweet, yellow corn. The end result was more of a wet corn pudding.

Today’s southern Africans, however, love mealie bread with more of a bread consistency, so they include flour. The jury is out, however, on whether or not the corn kernels should be pulverized smooth, or left with a few larger bits, as I have done.

Personally, I love how the occasional burst of whole kernels reveals that fresh corn went into this recipe.

We tried this Mealie Bread for our Swazi Global Table, though it would be as apropos when cooking South Africa or even Lesotho.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 eggs
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a loaf pan … preferably while overlooking a little cloud-dotted beauty, such as this:

Swazi Panorama… Photo by Sara Atkins.

Next, blend 1 cup of corn, the eggs, and melted butter together until a coarse mixture forms. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of corn and pulse the mixture one or two more times. Leave many kernels whole.

Next, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.

Using a large spoon, combine the dry ingredients with corn mixture until a thick mixture forms.

Add it to your loaf pan and bake…

Mine took about 30-35 minutes… let the bread cool slightly before slicing.

If you dare.

That is a true test of patience, my friends.

Enjoy warm, with butter, and a great appetite… not the least of which is for life.

How do you make your cornbread? Any tips or tricks? Do you like it spicy, cheesy, or sweet? Seems like every part of the world has their own special way of doing it.

Mealie Bread

I’ve had lots of corn bread before, but never something as rich and flavorful as this Mealie Bread. The main difference between this and ordinary corn bread is that it doesn’t rely on cornmeal, but actual corn to flavor the bread. Mealie Bread is a treat you will find throughout southern Africa. In olden days, it was steamed over a campfire, with little more than ground corn, wrapped up in husks. They used white corn, not sweet, yellow corn. The end result was more of a wet corn pudding. Today’s southern Africans, however, love mealie bread with more of a bread consistency, so they include flour. The jury is out, however, on whether or not the corn kernels should be pulverized smooth, or left with a few larger bits, as I have done. Personally, I love how the occasional burst of whole kernels reveals that fresh corn went into this recipe.

LifestylePotluck Friendly, Vegetarian
Food TypeBreads, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes

Servings	Prep Time
1 loaf	15 minutes

Cook Time

30-35 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
1 loaf	15 minutes

Cook Time

30-35 minutes

Mealie Bread

LifestylePotluck Friendly, Vegetarian
Food TypeBreads, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes

Servings	Prep Time
1 loaf	15 minutes

Cook Time

30-35 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
1 loaf	15 minutes

Cook Time

30-35 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups frozen corn , thawed
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp butter , melted
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Servings: loaf

Units:

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a loaf pan.
Next, blend 1 cup of corn, the eggs, and melted butter together until a coarse mixture forms. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of corn and pulse the mixture one or two more times. Leave many kernels whole.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Using a large spoon, combine the dry ingredients with corn mixture until a thick mixture forms.
Spoon into loaf pan and bake 30-35 minutes.

Menu: Swaziland

There’s an old Swazi saying that goes:

“A man who prides himself on his ancestry is like the potato plant, the best part of which is underground.”

Do you agree? Do we need to know our ancestors?* And are they the best part of who we are?

Once upon a time, we got our recipes from our ancestors. Grandma’s cornbread. Uncle’s avocado salad. Today we can find just about anything online, but the best recipes come from someone … from the long line of way back when. They’ve been tested and tried, adapted and improved upon.

This week’s recipes are inspired by the Swazi people (and beyond that, too, these are staple ingredients and recipes popular throughout most of Southern Africa). The ingredients are nod to fresh produce and the transition between winter and spring, which, like the alarm clock, keeps resetting (It’s 42F, right now, after an 80F weekend). The cornbread, as you’ll learn when the recipe posts, has undergone many changes over the years, to reach its straightforward, delicious self.

Sometimes I dream about living on a farm like those in Swaziland, away from the hustle and bustle. Thankfully, Tulsa doesn’t have the intensity of much larger cities, and it doesn’t take long to get out to the country, to where I can really breathe. And this menu goes a long way, too.

All recipes and the meal review will be made available throughout the week.

Swazi Salad, a.k.a. “Slaai” [Recipe]
Slaai means salad in Afrikaans. This particular salad includes everything from avocados, to lettuce, to beets, and radishes. The whole thing benefits from a fresh squeeze of lemon juice and grated ginger.

Mealie Bread [Recipe]
Africa’s answer to corn bread; this version is bursting with fresh corn flavor – no cornmeal in sight.

*I find this question particularly interesting when considered from the point of view of someone who may not know who their ancestors are/were. Does knowledge of our roots matter, or can they still support us sight unseen? Why or why not?

About the food of Swaziland

Stone Free Farm in Swaziland. Photo by Jenny M. Buccos.

This week we’re back in Africa, in a little tropical/temperate country called Swaziland, just north of South African and Lesotho. The Swazi people live in this beautiful land, among the mountains and undulating hills, tending their farms and rearing their cattle.

From their smooth slopes, come pineapples, citrus, and sweet sugar cane.

Many call Swaziland one of the world’s most beautiful countries, and I can see why.

Swaziland. Photo by Jenny M. Buccos.

While the traditional people might eat something as simple as emasi, or porridge, which can be made with sorghum or corn, you’ll also find corn, rice, and every kind of potato, including sweet potato. Many stews, such as spinach, pumpkin, or even green beans, grace the sides of such dishes. Salads are a given, especially when topped with avocado or beets [Recipe].

And did you know the Swazi eat beer? That’s right… beer is yet another carb; the Swazi consider their rich, thick home brew a food. (I read about it in the World Cookbook for Students.)

Outdoor kitchen in Swaziland. Photo by Jenny M. Buccos.

Outdoor kitchen in Swaziland. A place to make breakfast. Photo by Jenny M. Buccos.

If that’s too boozy for you, perhaps a simple slice of mealie bread [Recipe] (think corn bread with bolder, fresher flavor) would do the trick?

In fact, corn makes its way into many dishes, from samp and beans (hominy with beans), to pap (like the papa we made for Lesotho), to cornmeal breakfast pancakes (served with tangy yogurt and the occasional sprinkle of powdered sugar).

Traditional Swazi Hut. Photo by Anne97432.

P.S. I’d like to go back to that “beer for food” idea for a minute. Can you imagine beer making up an entire meal? Would this appeal to you? Or do you need something to go along with beer to feel that you’ve eaten? (Or do you not drink beer at all?)

P.P.S. Special thanks to Jenny Buccos, who shared almost all of the photos in this post from her trip to visit a friend in Swaziland. Her travels have made our stovetop travels all the richer.

Swaziland maps & flag courtesy of the CIA World Factbook.

Monday Meal Review: Suriname

Our little family went to Austin, Texas this week to watch the Moto GP race. Fourteen countries were represented and we had a great time! Anyway, the trip cut short our work week, so you’ll find most of our meal review in the video this week. That being said, I do have a short question for you to ponder this week… and I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

What do you hope they say about you when you are gone?

Do you hope they point out your many accomplishments at home, work, and beyond?

Do you secretly (or not so secretly) hope people cry?

Or do you hope they laugh?

The very thought of someone laughing at a funeral sounds twisted and wrong, but it doesn’t have to be.

An old proverb from Suriname suggests this most poignant idea:

“Where there is death, there must be laughter.”

What do these proactive words mean to me? Well. We need the good with the bad. We need joy with sorrow. We need to celebrate the life, before we bury the life. I just read something about Maya Angelou; someone once told her, during the dark days after Martin Luther King was assassinated, “You need to laugh, and you need to have somebody watch you laugh and laugh with you.”

How true.

May we all be graced with someone to laugh with.

THE FOOD

Mixed Vegetable Salad with Coconut Dressing | Goedangan [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

Everything; Goedangan is refreshing and tastes like a tropical escape. I especially love that the kids could fill up on the eggs, since they need some extra protein… the green beans and cucumbers were also popular; perfect toddler food. That being said, we adults didn’t feel like we were eating kids food; the salad is different enough from the “iceberg lettuce” variety of salad, that Goedangan feels like a special treat.

What I loved least about this dish:

Not much. I should warn you – By itself the dressing is really unusual. I almost didn’t think I liked it, but once I tossed it with the salad, it takes on a coconut curry sort of flavor.

Battered Plantains with Peanut Sauce | Bakabana [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. Once I got the recipe right, these were hard to put down. I really had to play around with several recipes to come up with a version that works, but I’m glad I did. It was well worth the effort. Mr Picky went from not interested to eating a whole plateful. Win, win.

What I loved least about this dish:

Not too much… Ava was scared to try these, but once she did, she seemed to enjoy them pretty well.

Lemongrass Dawet Slushie [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

Everything. Dawet is creamy thanks to the coconut milk (yet happens to be vegan), is pretty in pink, and has that haunting bright note from the lemongrass. Miss Ava and her friend spooned this right up, as did I. I love, love, love how easy it is to whip up a batch of the lemongrass syrup and really do think it makes for a great hostess gift.

What I loved least about this dish:

Nothing.

Battered Plantains with Peanut Sauce | Bakabana

Bakabana is a traditional treat in Suriname. All you do is take very ripe plantains (i.e. blackened), deep fry them, and dust the crispy, fried goodness with powdered sugar. Alternatively, you can serve them with homemade peanut sauce. The result is a crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside, finger-licking snack.

What could go wrong?

(Actually, a lot. I made this recipe three times, before I finally figured out that I needed cornstarch to make the batter crispy. For reference see below. The piece on the left is an all flour batter, the lighter piece on the right is half flour, half cornstarch – and much crispier…

…I also made a really bad peanut sauce…so bad I had to toss the recipe. Thankfully, I have an amazing peanut sauce recipe… my old standby, from when we cooked Indonesia. If you decide to make this peanut sauce, it will look like the picture below, not like the one pictured with the plantains.)

Thanks to our readers on Facebook, Megan H. and Natalie F., who suggested we try Bakabana. This was a fun one.

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

2-3 plantains
oil, for deep frying

For the batter:

1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2-2/3 cups water, or as needed to make a very thick batter
1/4 tsp salt

Serve with Homemade Peanut Sauce.

Method:

Let’s go to Suriname!

Colonial history / Veranda: Overview Vérand by Service for Cultural Heritage

Veranda: Overview Vérand. Photo by Service for Cultural Heritage

First, preheat the vegetable oil to about 400F. You’ll need enough to go halfway up the sides of your pot or deep pan.

Next, find some lovely plantains. The more blackened the better. Slice off either end, then cut it in thirds, lengthwise. This will give you nice, long pieces. I found it easier to crack off the peel after slicing.

Alternatively, for smaller pieces, you can slice the plantain in rounds, then remove the peel.

Whisk together the batter, then dip the plantain in it. If the batter drips right off the plantain, it is too thin. You want it to go up onto the plantain and stay there.

Deep fry the plantains until crispy and golden. They won’t get super golden, unless you substitute more flour for the cornstarch. Cornstarch just doesn’t brown (but sure does get crispy).

Dust the fritters with powdered sugar, or serve with peanut sauce.

P.S. How do you peel a plantain? These things are tricky!

Battered Plantains with Peanut Sauce | Bakabana

Servings

2-4 people

Servings

2-4 people

Battered Plantains with Peanut Sauce | Bakabana

Servings

2-4 people

Servings

2-4 people

Ingredients

2-3 plantains
vegetable oil , for deep frying

For the batter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2-2/3 cups water , or as needed to make very thick batter
1/4 tsp salt

Servings: people

Units:

Instructions

First, preheat the vegetable oil to about 400F. You’ll need enough to go halfway up the sides of your pot or deep pan. Next, find some lovely plantains. The more blackened the better. Slice off either end, then cut it in thirds, lengthwise. This will give you nice, long pieces. I found it easier to crack off the peel after slicing. Alternatively, for smaller pieces, you can slice the plantain in rounds, then remove the peel.
Whisk together the batter, then dip the plantain in it. If the batter drips right off the plantain, it is too thin. You want it to go up onto the plantain and stay there.
Deep fry the plantains until crispy and golden. They won’t get super golden, unless you substitute more flour for the cornstarch. Cornstarch just doesn't brown (but sure does get crispy). Dust the fritters with powdered sugar, or serve with peanut sauce.

Mixed Vegetable Salad with Coconut Dressing | Goedangan

Introducing Geodangan, your answer to healthy munchies. (Honestly, I’m not sure if there’s such a thing as healthy munchies. But if there were, then this is it.)

This Asian-style salad that is incredibly popular in Suriname. And for good reason.

Don’t be shy.

Geodangan is everything spring has to offer – crisp green beans, giant cabbages, golden yolked eggs… with the addition of a coconut, lime, yogurt dressing. (The dressing could also be coconut sambal, a spicy shredded coconut condiment.) Either way, you’ll feel like your in Suriname… by way of Indonesia.

And that’s definitely a good thing.

Colonial history / Churches: Church Front view by Service for Cultural Heritage

Today’s recipe for Goedangan is adapted from Holidays of the World Cookbook for Students; they suggest serving the salad for a traditional Surinamese lunch, which I think sounds just lovely.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

For the salad:

1 small head cabbage, cored, shredded and blanched
1 lb French green beans
1/2 lb mung bean sprouts
1 hard boiled egg per person
1 cucumber, sliced
shredded coconut or coconut flakes, optional

For the dressing:

1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup yogurt
1-2 tbsp brown sugar
1 hot chili pepper, or to taste
1 tsp ground coriander
1 lime, juiced
salt & pepper

Method:

Is it me, or does this cabbage look like a flopsy-eared bunny rabbit?

So cute.

Step 1:

Trim and slice up all your veggies. Next, blanch the mung bean sprouts, the shredded cabbage, and finally the green beans.

Seems like a lot to do… but it’s really not too bad.

I used a large spaghetti pot with insert. That way I could keep using the hot water for each ingredient. The mung bean sprouts only took a minute or two. The cabbage took a few more, and the green beans took the longest. Just give them all a little bite and cook them to whatever texture you’d like.

After cooking, immediately plunge them in an ice bath to retain the bright colors and keep them from overcooking.

Step 2:

Next, whisk together the coconut dressing ingredients. When you check the seasonings, do so with a bite of the salad. It really changes the flavor.

Layer the salad ingredients on a large platter. Decorate with the hard boiled eggs and sliced cucumbers. Drizzle the dressing over the top, or let your guests serve themselves.

This is a fun one for kids, especially if you cut back on the chili pepper. Just ask these princesses…

Happy Friday, friends!

I hope your weekend is refreshing and fun.

P.S. If you set a Global Table this weekend, be sure to share your photos and stories on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest, using hashtag: #myGTA

Mixed Vegetable Salad with Coconut Dressing | Goedangan

CourseSides & Salads
LifestyleGluten-Free, Potluck Friendly, Vegetarian
Food TypeSasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegetables

Servings	Prep Time
6 people	15 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
6 people	15 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Mixed Vegetable Salad with Coconut Dressing | Goedangan

CourseSides & Salads
LifestyleGluten-Free, Potluck Friendly, Vegetarian
Food TypeSasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegetables

Servings	Prep Time
6 people	15 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
6 people	15 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Ingredients

1 small green cabbage , cored, shredded, and blanched
1 lb French green beans - OR -
green beans
1/2 lb bean sprouts
6 eggs , hard-boiled
1 cucumber , sliced
shredded coconut - OR -
coconut chips

For the dressing:

1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1-2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 hot chili pepper , or to taste
1 tsp ground coriander
1 lime , juiced
salt
pepper

Servings: people

Units:

Instructions

Trim and slice up all your veggies. Next, blanch the mung bean sprouts, the shredded cabbage, and finally the green beans. After cooking, immediately plunge them in an ice bath to retain the bright colors and keep them from overcooking.
Whisk together the coconut dressing ingredients. When you check the seasonings, do so with a bite of the salad. It really changes the flavor.
Layer the salad ingredients on a large platter. Decorate with the hard boiled eggs and sliced cucumbers. Drizzle the dressing over the top, or let your guests serve themselves.

Lemongrass Dawet

Lemongrass. Coconut milk. Slushie. Pink. Pink. Pink.

Hello.

The weather’s been heating up lately, so when I happened up this Dawet recipe so beloved in Suriname, I knew we had to try it. When I discovered it was also enjoyed in slushie form? I did a little dance.

Slushies are always a good idea.

The refreshing, tropical drink is made with an easy, homemade lemongrass syrup, a swirl of coconut milk, and a splash of water (or ice, if making a slushie). Dawet originates from Asia, and is especially popular in Indonesia. The drink was brought to Suriname and popularized as a result of colonization and immigration.

In my research, I found several photos of the dawet in Suriname, and it seems the slushie is popular among street vendors.

Ava and her friend were fans.

There’s so many ways to make this drink. I suggest making the syrup and then toying with how much coconut milk you’d like, versus how much ice. The quantities given are what worked for me, but there really are no right answers.

The key is to add a healthy shake of salt to each batch, to enhance the coconut milk flavor. This may sound counter intuitive in a sweet drink, but the touch of salt really is lovely, traditional, and nearly undetectable.

Ingredients:

For the syrup:

2-4 ounces lemongrass
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
a few drops red food coloring or cola essence (for color, optional)

For the drink:

coconut milk, to taste
water, optional
salt, to taste
thicken with holy basil seeds, if available OR blend with ice to make a slushie

Method:

Find a peaceful place to cook. Like this little corner of Surinamese heaven…

Nieuw Amsterdam. Photo by We El.

For the syrup:

Slit the lemongrass several times lengthwise. This will help release the glorious lemon scent. Then add the lemongrass to a pot with the sugar and water. Boil 15-20 minutes, or until the mixture obtains a syrupy consistency. Stir in a few drops of food coloring.

Pour the lemongrass syrup into a clean bottle or jar and refrigerate until cool. Remove the lemongrass, if desired.

To mix your drink into a slushie (for 1 person):

Stir together 1/4 cup lemongrass syrup with 1/4 cup coconut milk and a pinch of salt. As you can see, the coconut milk on the left turned pink from the lemongrass syrup:

Blend this pink mixture with two handfuls of ice… This will make a slushie for one person in the blender.

(If miniature queens are making it, it might be more like 4 handfuls)

If you’re blender isn’t very powerful, consider buying crushed ice to make the job easier.

Pulse until the smoothie is ultra, silky smooth. It really makes for an almost ice cream like dessert (except totally vegan).

Yum, yum.

P.S. Consider making the lemongrass syrup and putting it in a cute bottle… for an unusual, globally inspired hostess gift. You could even include it with a can of coconut milk and some fun glasses in a gift basket for a friend.

P.S. What other ways do you use lemongrass? I’m always looking for ideas, especially since I’ve been able to grow it in my garden (just like any other ornamental grass). I really love it in chicken broth.

Lemongrass Dawet

There's so many ways to make this drink. I suggest making the syrup and then toying with how much coconut milk you'd like, versus how much ice. The quantities given are what worked for me, but there really are no right answers. The key is to add a healthy shake of salt to each batch, to enhance the coconut milk flavor. This may sound counter intuitive in a sweet drink, but the touch of salt really is lovely, traditional, and nearly undetectable.

CourseDrinks
LifestyleGluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Food TypeCold Drinks, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Non-Alcoholic Drinks, Sasha's Favorite Recipes

Servings

6-8

Servings

6-8

Lemongrass Dawet

CourseDrinks
LifestyleGluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Food TypeCold Drinks, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Non-Alcoholic Drinks, Sasha's Favorite Recipes

Servings

6-8

Servings

6-8

Ingredients

For the syrup

2-4 ounces lemongrass
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
red food coloring , for color

For the drink

coconut milk , to taste
water , optional
salt , to taste

Servings:

Units:

Instructions

Slit the lemongrass several times lengthwise.
Add the lemongrass to a pot with the sugar and water. Boil 15-20 minutes, or until the mixture obtains a syrupy consistency.
Stir in a few drops of food coloring.
Pour the lemongrass syrup into a clean bottle or jar and refrigerate until cool. Remove the lemongrass, if desired.
Stir together 1/4 cup lemongrass syrup with 1/4 cup coconut milk and a pinch of salt.
Blend this pink mixture with two handfuls of ice.
Pulse until smooth.

Menu: Suriname

Don’t be confused. Though this menu looks and feels quite Asian, these dishes represent Suriname as well as any other. We have everything from the traditional plantain fritters so beloved in South America, to Asian-inspired cabbage salad and even an addictive lemongrass slushie. Coconut milk is the common thread in the drink and the salad – the result being sweet for the drink, spicy for the salad dressing.

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

Mixed Vegetable Salad with Coconut Dressing | Goedangan [Recipe]
Hello, spring! Enjoy this bright and fresh salad of cabbage, green beans, eggs, mung bean sprouts… all dressed up in a coconut yougurt dressing.

Battered Plantains with Peanut Sauce | Bakabana [Recipe]
Indulge in Surinamese comfort food: deep fried plantains. Serve ’em up with either powdered sugar or peanut sauce. (Vegan)

Lemongrass Dawet Slushie [Recipe]
You’ll be pretty in pink while you sip this lemongrass, coconut milk slushie (or mix things up and serve the mix on the rocks). (Vegan)

P.S. Random Tidbit about Suriname: rumor has it, any adult under the age of 30 must have written permission from their parents to get married. What are your thoughts on this? Would that work for you and your lifestyle? Or would you rather be unhindered by the opinion of your elders when it comes to love?

About the food of Suriname

School girls in Bigi Poika. Photo by Wa El

Welcome to Suriname; welcome to South America. We haven’t cooked this part of the world in many months. And, in many ways, today might feel like we’re still somewhere else. That’s because Suriname’s food scene is all about fusion.

A melting pot, of sorts.

Nieuw Amsterdam. Photo by We El.

The food is at once typical of South America, but also laced with components from Indonesia, China, Africa, India, and even Europe. Surely, this is because of Suriname having once been a Dutch colony. Long ago, the Dutch connected the tropical rain forests and swampy flatlands of Suriname with these many regions of the world. Now, in the big cities, you can find everything from dhal, roti and chutney to creole stews and cassava breads…

Can I just point out that many restaurants of Paramaribo, the capital city, serve curry and chow mein?

So fun.

Market in Lelydorp, Suriname. Photo by Mark Ahsmann.

Maybe you’d like a side of deep fried plantains and spicy peanut sauce to go with that [Recipe]?

Sure thing.

In Suriname, you’d be as likely to cool off with Goedangan (a coconut-laced cabbage salad) [Recipe]and a summertime sipper, like lemongrass infused dawet [Recipe], as you would in Asia.

It’s just that kind of place.

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

Like they say in Suriname, “You cannot eat okra with one finger.”

In other words, we all have to work together.

And look at the cuisine that results from such ‘fusion’ of effort.

Monday Meal Review: South Sudan

What is a celebrity?

One definition is someone who commands “public fascination.”

Could this be the profile of one such person?

This week we shared our meal with a very special guest; someone who has actually traveled to South Sudan, slept in their huts, hunted in their forests, and enjoyed feasts while sitting at the right hand of the village Chief. I’d tell you when all this happened, but I’ve been sworn to secrecy.

I’ve wanted to invite this man to our table for a long time, partly because he is so passionate about the cultures of the world, but also because anywhere he goes, he comes back with stories.

Enough to fill a 450 page book, actually.

Say ‘hello’ to Brian Schwartz.

You might recognize him from his lengthy, insightful comments… He’s been sharing them from the very beginning of this blog. Without him, my adventures into Africa and parts of Asia would have been much quieter, but his memories (and music!) have livened up our stovetop travels … making me (and I’m sure many readers) feel as though we were right there, in the countries.

I consider him to be a Knight of the Global Table and … yes… even our own little celebrity. Certainly, in South Sudan he was treated as such (it is typical in South Sudan for travelers to be treated like celebrities).

As we ate our meal, we sat rapt while his deep tenor ambled through memories as he read from his book, A World of Villages.

If you haven’t already watched the video at the top of this page… go back.. and enjoy as he reads a bit of his prose.

THE FOOD:

Peanut Stew with Beef & Spinach | Combo [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

Combo comes together quite easily, and with some minor modifications (mainly more beef), I think I would make this again. At first, Ava tucked her Combo into her Kisra as a wrap, which was very cute and actually quite brilliant (a wrap is visually less intimidating way for a toddler to eat mushy spinach-laden food). Mr Picky, Brian, and I all went back for seconds, even thirds, and before long the giant platter was scraped clean. (A special thanks to Brian for the platter, what a lovely hostess gift!)

What I loved least about this dish:

Original recipes use twice as much spinach and more than twice as much peanut butter… while I would have liked to have tried this, even my giant pot could never have held that much food… and I already found the peanut butter to be quite strong.

Kisra | Sorghum Crepes [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

These are so wonderful and easy… and the idea of using a “Credit Card” to spread out the batter is so fun. They’d be great on the side of any soup or stew and I’m definitely making them again. The sorghum gives the kisra a wholesome, wholegrain flavor and a delicate snap, which makes them hard to stop eating. Just ask Ava…

What I loved least about this dish:

I made these twice because I didn’t realize I needed to add some all purpose flour the first time I made them. When they cracked and fell apart, I learned most South Sudanese add some flour so that the gluten will bind together the gluten-free sorghum. Once I did this, they came out perfect.

Sudanese Tomato Salad [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

Everything! This salad is so refreshing and is a great weeknight dinner option. The combination of peanut and lime juice feels very tropical. That being said, I think I’ll add more Thai bird chili peppers in the future.

What I loved least about this dish:

While I enjoyed the mild flavors, I think a super hot version would be more authentic and fun to try some time. Since Ava can’t eat super spicy food, I separated out a bit of the dressing for her before I added the chilies, so in this case I’d do the same. Other than that, the sauce does separate… so be prepared to whisk it up right before serving.

Peanut Stew with Beef & Spinach | Combo

Combo. It’s one of South Sudan’s most popular dishes – a thick, wet combination of spinach, peanut butter, tomatoes, and (sometimes) meat.

Peanut butter is a common meal component throughout Africa (like Ghana’s Groundnut Soup, Sierra Leone’s Gluten-free Peanut Bites, Senegal’s Cinq Centimes Cookies, and Malawi’s Peanut Balls), but Combo stands out as one of the more rustic dishes I’ve come across. Even still, South Sudanese no longer living in South Sudan make Combo to bring themselves back.

That’s how they taste home again.

Combo first came to my attention thanks to Brian Schwartz who kindly phoned the South Sudanese embassy to ask about popular dishes.

Thanks Brian!

You can have it with or without beef (or perhaps goat is more to your fancy?). I’ve even seen it with sweet potatoes in the mix.

No matter what you do, just be sure to include the essentials: spinach and peanut butter.

Adapted from the South Sudanese Cookbook.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lb beef, cubed
vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 cups beef stock
3 bunches spinach, rinsed, dried, and shredded
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup unsweetened peanut butter

Method:

Find a pretty little spot to make your stew. Maybe travel back in time a few years?

Azande people. Photo by Richard Buchta (1845-1894)

Once you settle in, let’s get cooking.

Brown the meat in oil. Then, add the onions and garlic, cook several minutes, until the onions begin to soften and even color a bit.

Pour on the stock and simmer until liquid reduces by half.

Now for the fun… stir in the peanut butter until well incorporated. The mixture will become very thick (see below). Add the tomatoes, spinach and cook until the spinach wilts and the peanut butter releases its oils, making the dish shiny.

This only took a few minutes for me…

Serve with a flatbread, like kisra, or rice.

Enjoy with your eyes shut, dreaming of beautiful South Sudan on a sunny afternoon.

Local boy fishing at Lake Kazana in Maridi area – Equatoria region of South Sudan. Lake Kazana and scenic beauty of Maridi area. Photos by Akashp65. Boat on the White Nile, Photo by Andreas Benutzer.

Peanut Stew with Beef & Spinach | Combo

CourseMain Dish
LifestylePotluck Friendly
Food TypeMeat

Peanut Stew with Beef & Spinach | Combo

CourseMain Dish
LifestylePotluck Friendly
Food TypeMeat

Ingredients

1 1/4 lb beef , cubed
vegetable oil
2 onions , chopped
4 cloves garlic , crushed
3 cups beef broth
3 bunches spinach , rinsed, dried, and shredded
3 tomatoes , chopped
1 cup unsweetened peanut butter

Servings:

Units:

Instructions

Brown the meat in oil. Then, add the onions and garlic, cook several minutes, until the onions begin to soften and even color a bit. Pour on the stock and simmer until liquid reduces by half.
Now for the fun… stir in the peanut butter until well incorporated. The mixture will become very thick. Add the tomatoes, spinach and cook until the spinach wilts and the peanut butter releases its oils, making the dish shiny.
This only took a few minutes for me. Serve with a flatbread, like kisra, or rice.

South Sudanese Tomato Salad

The South Sudanese love a good, chopped tomato salad on the side of their meals.

Often, it’s no more than tomato, onion, and hot, green chili peppers… perhaps a spot of parsley…

But other times, a bit of peanut butter and lime juice makes for a grand dressing… and tastes just like home, if you happen to be from South Sudan.

When I was deciding which of the two recipes to try, the choice was clear: if peanut butter is involved, the answer is yes.

Most definitely, yes.

You can make this vegan recipe as spicy as you’d like by adding more (or less) chili peppers. I thought two Thai birds made a nice, mild/medium heat (bordering on hot if someone bit directly into a piece of pepper). For little ones, you can always leave the chili peppers out.

In the end, the lime juice makes the salad tangy and bright, while the peanuts give it that African flair.

I call a recipe like this, all kinds of wonderful.

And so does Ava.

Inspired by this recipe as well as an email exchange with a man working at the American Embassy in South Sudan.

Ingredients:

6 tomatoes, seeds removed & chopped
4-5 green onions, sliced
handful parsley, minced

Dressing:

1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup unsweetened, creamy peanut butter
2 limes, juiced
small, hot chili pepper(s), minced (to taste)
salt, to taste

Method:

Add chopped tomatoes, green onion, and parsley to a bowl… and give them a good, strong toss.

Then, in a small bowl, whisk together the oil, peanut butter, lime juice, chili peppers, and salt. The dressing will separate, so you may need to whisk it again right before serving. Give it a taste, and adjust seasonings as desired.

Pour the tangy, nutty dressing over the tomato mixture, toss, and serve.

… Or let individuals doctor up their own bowls with as much dressing as they’d like. That’s what we chose to do.

Welcome to a fresh, zesty, salad. This one would go really well with grilled meats and chicken.

Enjoy, while pondering the following South Sudanese proverb:

“You don’t name a child before it’s born.”

I’m curious… Do you agree with this proverb? Why or why not? This reminds me of the popular proverb “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”

Still, much of Western culture seems to contradict this saying… We obsess over ultrasounds, or finding out the gender, or decorating the baby’s room months before it’s born.

I didn’t find out if I was having a boy or a girl when I was pregnant with Ava… but I know that’s not for everyone.

What are your thoughts? What is your approach?

South Sudanese Tomato Salad

The South Sudanese love a good, chopped tomato salad on the side of their meals. Often, it’s no more than tomato, onion, and hot, green chili peppers… perhaps a spot of parsley…But other times, a bit of peanut butter and lime juice makes for a grand dressing… and tastes just like home, if you happen to be from South Sudan.

CourseSides & Salads
LifestyleGluten-Free, Potluck Friendly, Vegan, Vegetarian
Food TypeMr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes

Servings

4-6 people

Servings

4-6 people

South Sudanese Tomato Salad

CourseSides & Salads
LifestyleGluten-Free, Potluck Friendly, Vegan, Vegetarian
Food TypeMr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes

Servings

4-6 people

Servings

4-6 people

Ingredients

6 tomatoes seeds removed and chopped
4-5 green onions , sliced
1 handful parsley , minced

Dressing:

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup peanut butter (unsweetened)
2 limes , juiced
jalepeno , minced, to taste (for heat) - OR -
habanero peppers

Servings: people

Units:

Instructions

Add chopped tomatoes, green onion, and parsley to a bowl… and give them a good, strong toss.
In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, peanut butter, lime juice, chili peppers, and salt. The dressing will separate, so you may need to whisk it again right before serving. Give it a taste, and adjust seasonings as desired.
Pour the tangy, nutty dressing over the tomato mixture, toss, and serve. Or let individuals doctor up their own bowls with as much dressing as they’d like.

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