THE SCENE: A thick strand of ooze connected my spoon to the serving bowl. I wiped it up quickly, before mounding the spiced okra onto Ava’s plate. She looked at the dark green mountain. She looked at me, shook her head, and signed for more fish. This wasn’t going to be easy. “Try the okra, Ava,” I said, cloaking my desperation with a cheerful voice. “Okra. Okra.” I repeated, slowly. I pointed to the plate and smiled. “Try it!” We watched her. We waited. Ava scrunched up her nose and shook her head again. She pushed her food around a little, then squealed with delight. Goldmine! She found another piece of fish, hiding behind the okra. She popped it into her mouth and smiled. One more time I offered her a bite. Just in case. Again, she shook her head but, instead of saying no, she said – clear as day – “Okwa! Okwa. Okwa!” We applauded her new word and encouraged her to say it a few more times. She did, beaming and grinning. She was so happy …
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Serves 4-6 Okra amazes me. Fried, it behaves nicely. Crispy, yummy, good. When stewed okra becomes a little more… shall we say… unwieldy? Slippery? Viscous? No matter. In Equatorial Guinea they make the best of it and turn this tricky veggie into spicy and exotic side dish with a few simple spices (and one explosive habanero pepper). I avoided fire-engine heat levels by simply splitting the habanero to let a little juice out. It was more than enough heat for me. While the okra becomes characteristically gooey, the flavor is amazing – and supposedly, one of the forerunners to southern gumbo. Ingredients: 1 tsp red palm oil 1 onion, chopped 1 habenero pepper, slit 1 tsp curry 1/4 tsp chili powder 1 lb sliced okra water, to cover Method: If you can get fresh okra, fantastic. If not, thaw a bag of okra. Meanwhile, take a stroll. Wave at your neighbors and smile so big they’ll wonder what’s up your sleeve. When you get home, heat up the red palm oil in a medium pot. Add the …
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Serves 2-4 What is breakfast like at your house? Does one person eat more sugar than oatmeal? More syrup than pancake? That’s Mr. Picky. One day I fully expect him to eat a bowl of nothing but sugar. Meanwhile I just barely dust my breakfast with sweeteners. While eating, we take turns shaking our heads at each other’s crazy eating habits. Today, take your sugar out for a spin on a bowl of millet porridge, an African treat. Particularly popular in central Africa, you can make this dish as sweet as you like (although the characteristic whole grain/bitter flavor will remain strong in millet) – or you can leave it unsweetened for a more savory dish. Ingredients: 1 cup millet flour (available at African markets or some health food stores) 1/2 tsp grated ginger 1/8 cup sugar, plus extra as needed 1 cup water 1 1/2 -2 cups whole milk cinnamon for garnish, to taste Method: Good morning sleepyhead! Rub the fog from your eyes. Grating a little fresh ginger will help awaken the senses. This …
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Tulsa seems to be channeling a little bit of Equatorial Guinea. After record-breaking snowstorms, the sky is blue, the air is warm, love birds are chirping, and a squirrel is peering at me over a fence. He’s wondering where the 14 inches of snow went. And why the trees are budding in February. The one thing he doesn’t have to worry about, however, is being dinner. I’m not interested and my cats are way too slow. In Equatorial Guinea, Mr Squirrel might be faced with a different fate. In the countryside, anything that moves is liable to become dinner – although gorillas and monkeys are now off limits. But what about veggies? The people of Equatorial Guinea also eat their veggies. One of the more interesting is the malanga – a tuber with leafy greens that came over with Cubans. Apparently in the 19th century, when slaves and political prisoners were freed from Cuba, many landed in Equatorial Guinea. They brought their malanga with them and the rest is history. Have you heard of elephant ears? …
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Serves 2 You’ve seen them at the fish market. Whole trout. Somewhat intimidating, but also intriguing. Friends, if you’ve never ventured in the world of whole fish, I highly recommend it. Cooking them is beyond easy and the flavor is exceptional. Today we stuff them with peppers, onions, and fresh lemons – flavors characteristic of Equatorial Guinea. Slightly spicy and super fresh – make this for a special occasion or just for fun. Ingredients: 2 whole trout, cleaned 1/4 cup thinly sliced poblano 1/4 cup thinly sliced onion 4 lemon slices salt pepper Method: First things first. Light a candle. The flickering light is warm and inviting, and does a great job of eating up fish smells. I burn candles daily, fish or no fish. Gather your ingredients and preheat the grill to medium. You won’t need too much onion and pepper, unless your fish are huge. Rinse and pat dry the fish. Then season the cavity with salt and pepper – preferably fresh, coarse sea salt. Add thinly sliced onions and poblanos… for a little …
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Yesterday you asked me if I was going to be cooking a monkey head. You asked because I shared a photo of a cooked monkey head with you. Totally understandable. To answer your question – there are two reasons why I will not be cooking a monkey head this week. And I think it’s best I leave those reasons to your imagination. Instead I’m cooking a whole fish and will include the whole head for authenticity purposes. As for the rest? Thankfully, Equatorial Guinea is full of all sorts of wonderful dishes, dishes whose ingredients are easily found in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Check it out… what sounds good to you? Millet Porridge with Ginger [Recipe] Millet flour cooked until thick with milk, fresh ginger and sugar. Finished with a dusting of cinnamon. Or sin, as mom likes to call it. Serve for breakfast. Grilled Stuffed Trout [Recipe] Whole trout stuffed with thinly sliced poblano, onion, and lemons – then grilled until flaky. Hot Curried Okra from Equatorial Guinea [Recipe] Okra cooked with curry, chili powder, and …
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My riding instructor invited me hunting when I was 15 years old. The thought of riding through France’s foggy woods seemed romantic, adventurous, and disarmingly elite. I desperately wanted to say yes, but I had a squeamish feeling I just couldn’t shake. Bottom line? I didn’t want to kill my dinner and I didn’t want to watch other people kill their dinner. Thankfully, I didn’t have to. I was surrounded by supermarkets, cafes, street vendors, and – just down from our house – carrot and mushroom farms. I could eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I said no. The closest I ever got to hunting was to pluck a carrot from the farm. Illegally. It was the biggest carrot I’d ever seen but, thanks to a lack of running water and guilt, it tasted like dirt. In Equatorial Guinea, killing dinner is not always a choice. The rural people are known for hunting and fishing for their dinners because this is the cheapest and most available way to eat. Whole fish [Recipe], crustaceans, and various …
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THE SCENE My first mistake was getting out of bed. My second? Thinking I could cook my way through El Salvador on a stomach bug. There’s something inherently ridiculous about stumbling around the kitchen in pajamas, cooking enough food for a party, the very smell of which is hard to process, yet also insisting on taking photos for the world to see. I mean, really. And then, every fifteen minutes, I just had to call my mom about the latest weird gurgle coming from my stomach. She did a decent job of calming me down – she said it was all going to be ok, just eat some yogurt. You know, to help build up my tummy’s “live active cultures.” Which sounded terrible, yuck, no good… but, hey, it works. Hours later I’d survived El Salvador but – when the last pot was put away – I was pretty sure I’d never get out of bed again. Eventually, however, I did get out of bed again. Why? To eat the leftovers. After all – stomach bug or not – …
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Serves 3 In El Salvador, Atol is made with fresh corn kernels, milk, cinnamon, and sugar. My version is simplified for the home cook – but if you have the time, and if it is in season, cut the corn straight off the cob. Do it while listening to Salvadoran music, just because. Ingredients: 1 lb frozen corn, thawed 2 cups milk 1 cinnamon stick 1/4-1/2 cup sugar extra milk, as needed ground cinnamon for garnish Method: Add golden nuggets of goodness to a medium pot. Balance a cinnamon stick on top. Pour milk over the cinnamon stick… and click on the heat. While the milk is coming to a simmer, pour on the sugar. (If you don’t have a crazy wild sweet tooth, just add 1/4 cup. Also, if your corn is ultra sweet you may not need so much). Give everything a buzz with an immersion blender. Simmer about 15-20 minutes, then strain out all the fibers and yucky bits. Put those in your garden. Reheat the strained mixture if it cools down …
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Makes 1 giant bowl. Vinegar lovers unite! With very little effort you can have this Salvadoran slaw at your next barbecue or gathering. To be authentic, serve slightly “pickled” – about 1-3 days after making it. This should be vinegary and with the slightest hint of heat. Serve with pupusas. Ingredients: 1 cabbage, cored and sliced thinly 1/2 red onion, sliced thinly 2 carrots, grated 1 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 1/8 cup olive oil salt and pepper, to taste (I put in 2/3 tsp salt) Method: Time to get out all your aggression on some red onion, cabbage, and carrot. Chop, chop, chop like there’s no tomorrow. Well really… slice thinly. Chopping is a bit too coarse for this recipe. When you’re done, mix the vinegar with olive oil, red pepper flakes and oregano. Add a little water if desired (maybe 1/8 cup) and season with salt and pepper. Pour over the veggies. Toss and refrigerate for 1-3 days. It gets better and better and … …
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Makes 18-22 cupcakes Don’t expect cheese and tortillas. Instead, think poundcake. Think party food. Think happy mornings, popping a few too many quesadillas in your mouth. In El Salvador they eat rich, buttery quesadillas in the morning with a big cup of coffee and I suggest you do the same. You’ll love the slight crunch of the sesame seeds in combination with the sweet/salty cake. I’m proud to say that this recipe was awarded First Place in food52‘s Gluten-Free Baking Competition. Best served with dulce de leche and a cloud of whipped cream. Ingredients: 1 cup rice flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt 1 cup butter 1 cup sugar 3 eggs 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup grated hard cheese, like cotija (parmesan can be substituted) sesame seeds, to taste Method: Get your baking shoes on! You’re about to whip up a batch of Salvadoran goodness. Gather your ingredients, then preheat the oven to 350F. Whisk together the rice flour, baking powder, and salt. Meanwhile, in a standing mixer, cream the butter with …
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Elegance turns to a sloppy muddled mess in the Salvadoran danza de los chapetones. On purpose. For giggles. The satirical dance begins with thirteen dancers, 12 men and a woman. All are elegantly dressed – the men represent Spanish nobles, wearing suits with fancy hats, the woman represents the Spanish queen, wearing a crown and white wedding dress. Which all makes sense once you realize El Salvador was once a Spanish colony. The satire begins as a waltz, wickedly exaggerated. As the dance continues, the queen tipples chicha into the dancer’s cups – a sweet local booze made from maize, panela, and pineapple – over and over again. With each sip the dance becomes sloppier, rowdier, and – eventually – downright wild. Have you ever had chicha? If not, would you try it? Source: Lonely Planet & others Photos: Folklor de El Salvador, Dtarazona
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