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Millet Balls for Sauces & Stews

Serves 2-3

Millet flour tastes like wheat flour on steroids. These dense, rather pasty balls are traditional in parts of Africa, particularly central and eastern. They add body and substance to any number of stews and sauces.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup millet flour (available at some health food stores and African markets)
1/2 cup water

Method:

Combine all ingredients in the top of a double boiler.

Once everything is mixed together, it will be pasty and sticky.

Cover and cook over double boiler for about 30 minutes, or until it looks somewhat dried out, but still pasty and sticky.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to boil.

Drop in balls of dough and simmer until they float, about ten minutes.

They’ll be dense – perfect filler for a hungry tummy.

Serve with sauces or stews, like this Lamb Stew from Chad.

Millet Balls for Sauces & Stews
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Millet flour tastes like wheat flour on steroids. These dense, rather pasty balls are traditional in parts of Africa, particularly central and eastern. They add body and substance to any number of stews and sauces.
Servings Prep Time
2-3 people 5 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Servings Prep Time
2-3 people 5 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Millet Balls for Sauces & Stews
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Millet flour tastes like wheat flour on steroids. These dense, rather pasty balls are traditional in parts of Africa, particularly central and eastern. They add body and substance to any number of stews and sauces.
Servings Prep Time
2-3 people 5 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Servings Prep Time
2-3 people 5 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup millet flour
  • 1/2 cup water
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients in the top of a double boiler. Once everything is mixed together, it will be pasty and sticky. Cover and cook over double boiler for about 30 minutes, or until it looks somewhat dried out, but still pasty and sticky.
  2. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to boil. Drop in balls of dough and simmer until they float, about ten minutes. They’ll be dense – perfect filler for a hungry tummy. Serve with sauces or stews, like this Lamb Stew from Chad.

Menu: Central African Republic & Chad

This week we’re eating a double feast from two neighboring countries – Central African Republic and Chad. I had a lot of time to ponder our menu, as there is little else to do while tossing in feverish delirium.  Thank goodness we have a good African market in Tulsa, where I can find casssava leaves and ground melon seeds… and really explore the flavors of Africa.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Stewed Cassava Leaves [Recipe]
Dark green leaves from the cassava plant stewed with tomato, onion, and peanut butter.

Egusi Sauce [Recipe]
Ground melon seeds cooked into a sauce with onion, tomato, and chili pepper. We served it with grilled chicken, but this sauce can be served over rice, vegetables, or other meats.

Sweet Peanut Butter Rice (Bouiller) [Recipe]
White rice sweetened with sugar and natural peanut butter.

CHAD

Lamb Stew with Okra [Recipe]
Pieces of lamb slowly simmered with onion, bell pepper, and okra.

Millet Balls [Recipe]
A blend of white and millet flour cooked in a double boiler, then formed into balls and simmered.

Spiced Papaya Milk [Recipe]
Papaya pureed with milk, cardamom, and ginger

About the Food of Chad (TChad)

What a difference a few miles can make. Chad is divided into three main geographic zones – steamy Sahara dessert in the north, the central Savannah, and semi-tropical south. As the landscape changes, so too does the diet. From the north, to the south, very few cultural similarities connect the people of Chad.

Northern Chad

In northern Chad the people enjoy a diet rich in meat, particularly lamb. Savory pieces of meat might be grilled or stewed with vegetables, such as okra, peppers, onions, and tomatoes (recipe).

Many dishes in the north are prepared with yogurt, butter, and milk. In fact, milk stands line the streets in Northern Chad – where busy shopkeepers blend tropical fruits like papaya and mango with milk, into refreshing beverages (recipe).

Southern Chad

Central and Southern Chad enjoy great quantities of fish, thanks to the plentiful waters of Lake Chad and the Chari River. Meat is not readily available and, with less emphasis on dairy products, lemonade stands dot the countryside instead of milk stands.

General Food & Drink

A popular drink throughout Chad is Karkanji – iced hibiscus tea with the addition of ginger and other spices. This drink is popular throughout western Africa – we provided a basic recipe for hibiscus tea when we had our Burkina Faso Global Table.

Millet is a staple in Chad, particularly to the east. Millet flour, somewhat bitter and earthy in flavor, is typically cooked into porridge or thick dumplings to eat with stews and sauces (recipe).

About the Food of Central African Republic

The dusty, rolling plains of Central African Republic (CAR) lead to fertile river beds in the south, and sandy desert in the northeast.

Many people live on stewed greens, cooking whatever is available, including cassava (recipe), spinach, or kale. Groundnut butter (a.k.a. peanut butter) is used to add flavor and protein to food when meat is unavailable. Most often, greens are served with rice or foutou – a pasty mash of plantain or cassava.

Groundnut butter is also used to add flavor to local desserts. Sometimes the creamy spread is cooked into sweetened rice for a particularly addictive treat which looks like tan rice pudding (recipe).

Egusi, or melon seed, is particularly popular in Central African Republic. When finely ground, combined with hot chili peppers, tomato, and onion, the seed makes a thick sauce (recipe) to add interest to plantains, yams, rice, fish or grilled meat.

Getting started again!

Hello All!

Thank you for your warm wishes and concern. Although I spent 7 days with a fever – always over 100F, and often 102-103F – I am fully recovered and feeling great! We’ll be starting up our Adventure again tomorrow. Yay! 🙂

Ava and Keith took wonderful care of me – stepping in with hugs, kisses, and cool wash cloths as needed – especially while on our mini vacation in Beaver’s Bend.

In retrospect, I probably shouldn’t have gone out of town but I was just…. itching for a vacation!

Here we are – Keith, Ava, my stepson Andrew, and I.

Ava is plotting her escape – to go play with some pebbles (she wiggled free seconds after this photo was taken). Who knew rocks could be so much fun!? I’m the crazy one with a hoodie on in 90F weather! Did I mention I was sick?

And… here’s my favorite picture from the weekend – so much joy … I could just eat her up!

Lots of love and smiles to you and your family!

Sasha

P.S. I have a guest post tomorrow on Cheap Flights blog if you’re interested in checking it out! 🙂

Doctor’s Orders

Greetings Adventurers.  Mr. Picky Eater here.  Sasha is down for the count with a virus of some sort.  She’s running a temperature off and on up to 103° and not able to participate in any activity other than rest or delirium.  Hopefully we’ll see you next Tuesday where we’ll be doubling up to make up for lost time.

Please take a tour through our archives this week. You can use the calendar on the right to read all the posts we’ve written, from the beginning of February! You can also look at our recipes by country.

(Insert pic of the greatest Doctor of all Time:  Doctor Who)  🙂

 

Monday Meal Review: Cape Verde

My mom used to slather up dates with cream cheese for us kids. I hated the roach-looking things and never could stomach one. So, what exactly posessed me to try the avocado and date dip is beyond me.

I suppose I’m trying to keep it real.

Stretch my horizons.

Expand my palate.

Well, guess what?

It worked. The sweet hint of dates actually works inside avocado! Hurrah. Score one for team Sasha.

But no way I’ll ever eat a date with cream cheese. That battle’s long been lost.

Peasant’s Cachupa [Recipe]


What I liked most about this dish:

The beauty of Cachupa is that you can use whatever ingredients you have on hand to make your own version – don’t like acorn squash? Fine, put in sweeter pumpkin. Wish it had some collard greens? Sounds wonderful – go to town! Too vegan for your tastes? No problem – you can make this stew a meat-lover’s delight, by adding in smoked and traditional Portuguese sausages.

As for our version – the flavor of the hominy and cabbage dominates, with slight brightness from the tomatoes. Also, this dish will serve a crowd, making 6 quarts.

What I liked least about this dish:

I used the largest pot I had and it still came right up to the top. Once the cabbage cooks down, though, there is a lot more room. Just be careful not to boil over!

Creamy Avocado Dip with Sweet Dates [Recipe]


What I liked most about this dish:

This mild, slightly sweet dip makes for a quirky, fun side dish. In Cape Verde they top the dip with cooked shrimp or prawn – I wish I had done this. In my heart of hearts, I just know that recipe would make an out of this world spread, perhaps on a hot turkey panini.

What I liked least about this dish:

Keith summarized my thoughts exactly – “good but kind of bland.” While I liked the dip, the soft creaminess needed something to wake it up. I was hesitant to add salt because I think it would clash with the dates. Perhaps a splash of fresh orange juice to brighten it up? Let me know if you come up with anything.

Coconut Milk Chiller [Recipe]


What I liked most about this dish:

The coconut milk adds a tropical treat to plain jane milk. A fun party drink for children. Feel free to add less coconut milk for milder flavor and lower fat. The cinnamon adds a much needed flavor dimension.

What I liked least about this dish:

I refrigerated this drink after making it and some of the coconut milk turned flakey and hard (the way melted butter does in cold liquids). This was very unappealing, so the drink is meant to be drunk cool, but not cold.

Cape Verdean Coconut Milkshake [Recipe]


What I liked most about this dish:

This rich sweet treat sends sugar pulsing directly into your heart, making it flutter like its in love. Keith, Mr. Sweet Tooth, was swooning beside me while I, evermore cautious, paced myself, slowly slurping the milkshake off of a cinnamon stick – the cinnamon goodness gets into the icecream this way and makes the whole thing sinfully good.

What I liked least about this dish:

I am pretty sure I could have accurately called this dish “heartattack in a glass.” But it was worth every sip.

Ava’s Corner

Coconut Milk Chiller

Serves 2

Intended to be drunk cool, but not cold, our creamy Cape Verdean chiller will transport you to the islands. A favorite with Cape Verdean children. 

The coconut is a common ingredient in the Cape Verde islands -in the 1600’s the coconut was already being transported to America via west African and Cape Verde… (source) 

NOTE: If you add ice or refrigerate this drink the coconut milk will congeal.

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut milk
2 cups milk
cinnamon, for garnish

Method:

Swirl together coconut milk with milk. Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy.

Let the dance begin!

I don’t know about you, but these pictures make me insanely happy. All drinks should be this fun to make.

Coconut Milk Chiller
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Intended to be drunk cool, but not cold, our creamy Cape Verdean chiller will transport you to the islands. A favorite with Cape Verdean children. The coconut is a common ingredient in the Cape Verde islands -in the 1600’s the coconut was already being transported to America via west African and Cape Verde… (source) NOTE: If you add ice or refrigerate this drink the coconut milk will congeal.
Servings Prep Time
2 people 2 minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 people 2 minutes
Coconut Milk Chiller
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Intended to be drunk cool, but not cold, our creamy Cape Verdean chiller will transport you to the islands. A favorite with Cape Verdean children. The coconut is a common ingredient in the Cape Verde islands -in the 1600’s the coconut was already being transported to America via west African and Cape Verde… (source) NOTE: If you add ice or refrigerate this drink the coconut milk will congeal.
Servings Prep Time
2 people 2 minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 people 2 minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 2 cups milk
  • ground cinnamon , for garnish
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Swirl together coconut milk with milk. Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy.

Creamy Avocado and Date Dip/Spread

Serves 2-4 as a dip
4-6 as a sandwich spread

This dip/spread is a happy blend of sweet and creamy. In Cape Verde, they call this a salad and serve it with shrimp or prawn nestled on top. Personally, I like it spread on a hot turkey panini. If you want to add a kick of flavor, splash in a capful of brandy. (We omitted this step so that Ava could sample the dish).

According to Duffy in Cape Verde: “Cape Verdeans put sugar on [avocados], and not just a little bit of sugar but so much sugar that you can’t even taste the avocado.” In this recipe, natural dates (a popular north African ingredient) provide a similar sweetness.

Ingredients

2 ripe avocados
1-3 dates, minced
Capful of brandy (optional)

Method:

Scoop out the buttery flesh of two avocados and place in a mixing bowl. Reserve the shells.

Remove the seed from each date, then mince it up. Dates are incredibly sweet and sticky, so the minced dates clump together.

Add the dates to the avocados. I would do one at a time so that you can adjust to the sweetness you like.

Mash together and spoon back into avocado shells.

Serve cool with extra dates on the side.

Enjoy!

Creamy Avocado and Date Dip/Spread
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This dip/spread is a happy blend of sweet and creamy. In Cape Verde, they call this a salad and serve it with shrimp or prawn nestled on top. Personally, I like it spread on a hot turkey panini. If you want to add a kick of flavor, splash in a capful of brandy. (We omitted this step so that Ava could sample the dish).
Servings
2-4 people
Servings
2-4 people
Creamy Avocado and Date Dip/Spread
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
This dip/spread is a happy blend of sweet and creamy. In Cape Verde, they call this a salad and serve it with shrimp or prawn nestled on top. Personally, I like it spread on a hot turkey panini. If you want to add a kick of flavor, splash in a capful of brandy. (We omitted this step so that Ava could sample the dish).
Servings
2-4 people
Servings
2-4 people
Ingredients
  • 2 avocados , ripe
  • 1-3 dates , minced
  • 1 capful brandy (optional)
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Scoop out avocados and place in mixing bowl. Reserve the shells.
  2. Remove seeds from dates and mince them. Add to avocados.
  3. Mash together and scoop into avocado shells.
Recipe Notes

Serves 2-4 as a dip or 4-6 as a sandwich spread.

Coconut Milkshake

Serves 2

Slurping this Cape Verdean inspired coconut milkshake is a lesson in the happy things sugar can do for us. The cinnamon sticks are the best part – as you dunk them in the milkshake and lick them clean, the cinnamon flavor fills your mouth. Try it!

Please note:  this recipe is just for fun – inspired by the authentic recipe from Cape Verde for Coconut Milk. You’d be more likely to find this at a resort on the island than in someone’s home.

Ingredients:

3 cups ice cream
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup milk (optional – depends how thick you like your shakes)

cinnamon or cinnamon sticks for garnish

Method:

Scoop your ice cream.

Keep going until you have 3 cups!

Add the ice cream to your blender…

Pour in the coconut milk…

And the regular milk – if you like your shake on the thinner side…

Blend and serve immediately. Make sure you garnish with cinnamon sticks or the whole recipe is ruined. I’m not kidding.

Coconut Milkshake
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Slurping this Cape Verdean inspired coconut milkshake is a lesson in the happy things sugar can do for us. The cinnamon sticks are the best part – as you dunk them in the milkshake and lick them clean, the cinnamon flavor fills your mouth. Try it! Please note: this recipe is just for fun – inspired by the authentic recipe from Cape Verde for Coconut Milk. You’d be more likely to find this at a resort on the island than in someone’s home.
Servings Prep Time
2 people 5 minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 people 5 minutes
Coconut Milkshake
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Slurping this Cape Verdean inspired coconut milkshake is a lesson in the happy things sugar can do for us. The cinnamon sticks are the best part – as you dunk them in the milkshake and lick them clean, the cinnamon flavor fills your mouth. Try it! Please note: this recipe is just for fun – inspired by the authentic recipe from Cape Verde for Coconut Milk. You’d be more likely to find this at a resort on the island than in someone’s home.
Servings Prep Time
2 people 5 minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 people 5 minutes
Ingredients
  • 3 cups vanilla ice cream
  • 3/4 cup coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup milk (or as needed)
Optional Garnishes:
  • cinnamon sticks
  • ground cinnamon
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Garnish with cinnamon and/or cinnamon sticks.

Drowned the Doom with Cape Verde (with poll)

We’re shipping off to Beaver’s Bend for a much desired, talked about, planned, dreamed about, already paid for … long weekend. There’s only one problem – the entire trip reeks of doom. Here are three reasons why:

1. Ava loves her crib and room. This, in turn, means that Ava does not love any other cribs or rooms. Upon placement in a foreign crib, she immediately morphs into insomniac zombie baby.

2. Ava is teething and has been waking up shrieking bloody murder several times a night, for the last three nights. Each time she does, my heart stops dead its tracks and I have to ask Keith to restart it. He’s a very patient man.

3. I have the flu. I spent all week trying to deny it, but the fever, chills, aches, and coughing fits won’t be ignored.

Oh, if only things could be like this photo all the time, every day:

But they aren’t. Last night I got a little overwhelmed. There I was thinking about these three sad facts and wringing my hands with worry. But, then I had a lightbulb moment. I bet Cape Verde has a solution!

Always the optimist, I began thumbing through the internet for ideas. I’m here to tell you I found three surefire solutions to my vacation woes.

The irony?

They came from this very web site. From one of your comments. Have I told you how much I love your comments? I do. I really, really do.

So, without further “ado,” here are three Cape Verdean ways to drown out the doom. I’m considering combining all three:

1. Grog

This stout Cape Verdean liqueur is made from distilled sugar cane. It’s so strong you could catch fire just smelling it. I might be able to beat down this flu just looking at a bottle of Grog.

2. Pontche

This is Grog sweetened with sugar cane molasses. So, with this drink, you get a nice sugar rush right before you catch on fire. Could I rub this on Ava’s gums to help with teething? Ok. Maybe not. But I bet our grandmother’s would have!

3. Feijoada

This is the way all rational people cure their woes. Comfort food. This hearty black bean and meat stew is commonly eaten in Cape Verde. With all that heavy protein, this stew is sure to make us all sleep better. FYI: Feijoada is often called the national dish of Brazil. The connection? Both countries were settled by Portuguese. Here’s the recipe we made when we did our Brazilian Global Table.

Special thanks to Mette, one of our devoted readers, for contributing these factoids. Mette spent 7 months living in Cape Verde and, as a result, just might save our mini-vacation from doom. Cheers!