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The National Weed of Antigua & Barbuda (poll)

Although I could not find a lot of information on Antigua and Barbuda, I still learned many interesting things this week (and had particular fun learning about Rodonda).

1. The National Fruit is the black pineapple, a small sweet pineapple that is grown on the main island.


2. The National Weed is the “widdy widdy.” The widdy widdy was eaten by slaves in a dish called Popololo. The high protein weed becomes slimy when cooked and is a known laxative.

3. Antigua was used for sugar cane cultivation, while soil impoverished Barbuda was used for cattle rearing.

4. The two main islands are a few hours apart by boat.

5. Theycall bananas… figs

6. Food related sayings from Antigua Museums:

Back can wait, but not belly.
Bellyful bruk pot.
Bellyful man tell hungry man ‘Keep heart buddy’
Better man belly bus’ than good food waste.
Buy you’ own n’yam (food), n’yam according to you’ pocket.
Every day a fishing day,but no other day a catching day(Tings not always bright)
Every good fungi no meet good pepperpot (Not every person meets a suitable companion)
Hungry belly an’ full belly no’ walk one pa.
If you can’t get turkey, satisfy with cock chicken.
Lil pepper burn big man’s mout.
Nonsense man eat soup wid fork,rice wid pin, eat parch corn an’ lik’ him finger.
Rice what bubble in de pot, lie flat on de plate.
Some whiskey burn you pocket, some yo troat.

Thanks to Antigua Museums and Silver Torch, among others.

What the Fungi(e)?

Books and web sites agree, “Fungi(e) is a popular Caribbean dish.”

Huh? What? How? Wait a minute!

Was I looking at the wrong region? I swear I just read about this stiff cornmeal porridge last week when I was in Angola! Sources told me that Fungi(e) is served throughout many African countries with soups and stews.

Yet, here I was reading how popular the porridge is in the Caribbean.

Well, the sources are correct.

Turns out Fungi(e) was brought to the caribbean by African slaves. Years later, the dish remains a popular meal foundation, similar to rice and pasta. Sometimes it is eaten in porridge form, however it is also rolled into balls.

Even though I am doing picnic fare this week, I thought you would enjoy learning about Fungi(e). If you would like to try your hand at making fungi(e), check out this recipe.


Fungi(e) with saltfish. (Click to view this photo at host site)

Menu: Antigua and Barbuda

Since Oklahoma is experiencing spring (hurrah!), this week’s Global Table is Antiguan inspired picnic fare. Still stuck in winter? Lay out your blanket indoors and bask in sunny smiles!


Sparkling Grapefruit Breeze [Recipe]
Mixed drink made with Jamaican Ting soda, fresh grapefruit and pineapple juices. So good the rum is optional.

Tropical Curried Chicken on Baguette [Recipe]
Curry, mango chutney, pineapple, and raisins make this chicken sandwich a refreshing treat.

Spicy Mango and Avocado Salad [Recipe]
Mango and avocado bite back when tossed with thinly sliced red onion and jalapeno.

Baked Brown Sugar Bananas with Vanilla Ice Cream  [Recipe]
Light these bananas on fire with coconut rum and your stomach will smile.

About the food of Antigua & Barbuda: 3 Caribbean Islands?

Call me a sucker, but I like to root for the underdog. This week her name is Redonda.

That’s right. The microstate “Antigua and Barbuda” is actually made up of three islands: Antigua, Barbuda, and Redonda.  The combined population is nearly 86,000, with Redonda contributing zero.

I guess this is why Redonda gets left out of the name.

Since I feel bad for Redonda I spent an inordinate amount of time looking up information on her.

First fact: Redonda is about 500 hundred acres large.

That’s less than a square mile.

Here’s a picture:

As you can see, the island is totally uninhabitable. The steep cliffs and total lack of freshwater make that a done deal.

But… can’t you just see the Little Prince vacationing here with his rose?

What I find incredibly funny is that Redonda, population zero, is under dispute by at least four kings who claim the island as their own.  The story is summarized in Wikipedia for anyone who is interested in the silly details.

I guess I am not the only one who wished more for Redonda.

With some regret, I will now move on. Let’s discuss the food of the main islands, Antigua and Barbuda.

The people of this former British colony are known for loving pineapple, bananas, curry, peppers, and grapefruit. And let’s not forget fish! While some limited crops are grown on the islands, most foods are imported from surrounding countries. The food is reminiscent of Creole, although the locals still enjoy British style tea and sandwiches (they just gained independence in 1981).

I’m looking forward to this one. Although, in my heart, I’ll be eating the meal on Redonda. (The dot on the bottom right corner of the map below)

Monday Meal Review: Angola

This is meal #5 in my personal challenge to eat one meal from every country in the world.

I am something of an “Eeyore.” I wear worry like it’s going out of style.

These are just a few of the things I worry about when I put on a dinner party:

– will the food taste good?
– what if I burn the food?
– what if the food is raw?
– what if I don’t have time to finish the meal?
– will my friends like the food?
– will I like the food?

So what about this weekend’s Global Table? I was unsure of three ingredients: the red palm oil, the habanero, and the prawns. All of these items were new to me and I had no way to predict how they would taste. Worse yet, I wasn’t even sure how to work with them.

I overcame my Eeyore tendencies by telling myself that if an entire country eats these foods, they are probably pretty good!

Turns out, I was right.

For the fifth weekend in a row, things went great. The food was tasty, the conversation interesting – I have nothing to complain about.

We even had an extra challenge with two picky eaters at the table! I was impressed that every dish got tasted and reviewed fairly.

From here on out I am going to drop the Eeyore act and enjoy the moment more. After all, life is short!

Camarao Grelhado Piri Piri (Grilled Prawns with Peppers) [Recipe]

What did I like most about this dish?

First of all, this was my first time eating prawns! At about 3″ in diameter they look like ginormous shrimp.  I was actually taken aback by how large they were. Ours came frozen from Indonesia.

My husband manned the grill with specific instructions to remove the prawns the second they were no longer translucent. He did a great job; the meat was cooked perfectly (the texture reminded me of lobster).

Although the dipping sauce was a bit loaded with vinegar, the fresh flavors were a big hit with our friends. The dominant flavors of the marinade also include garlic and cumin. Although certainly not a “first date” combination, the prawns came out so good you won’t care!

One final thing: I liked that I could put this whole recipe together the day before, making meal day that much less stressful.

What did I like least about this dish?

The amount of vinegar got mixed reviews. Some felt it was a little strong for dipping. You might try halving the amount the recipe calls for and see if that works for you. You can always add more… Oh yeah, and at 16.99/lb this is not a cheap appetizer.

Baton de Manioc (Yuca/Cassava Sticks) [Recipe]

What did I like most about this dish?

Looking for “exotic” food? Look no further. Making yuca sticks is a fun process, totally unique to Africa (from what I have read). I spent a good hour grating and mashing the yuca. Filling the banana leaves was another 20 minutes. While I enjoy this kind of project, its only fun if you set aside enough time.

In terms of flavor, the banana leaves give the yuca an artichoke  flavor which I personally love. The texture is really dense and sticky.

What did I like least about this dish?

This dish is traditionally unseasoned, making the yuca a little bland. In the long run I don’t think it matters, though, because it is supposed to be eaten with stews etc. Rather like bread, the sticks take on the flavor of whatever you dip them in.

One important note: the yuca blows up in your stomach, making you progressively more full as the evening goes on. Be careful to not overindulge in this filling dish.

Muamba de Galinha (chicken stew) [Recipe]

What did I like most about this dish?

I am familiar with all of the ingredients in this stew, except for the oil. This was comforting! Also, the recipe was easy to put together, with not real complicated steps.

The chicken was super tender and the winter squash added a nice, sweet flavor to this stew.

What did I like least about this dish?

Like any strong flavor, red palm oil takes a little adjustment. Consider reducing the amount of the oil by half. You can add more at the end of cooking if you would like the red palm oil to play a bolder part in the dish.

Cocada Angolana [Recipe]

What do I like most about this dish?

Cocada Angolana is pretty much coconut candy. I am not a big fan of coconut at all, however this dish was edible, even to me. I think my husband enjoyed watching me eat something I would not normally eat. I told him (and our friends who ate with us) that I follow my own rules, eating everything.

What do I like least about this dish?

To be honest, I really dislike shredded coconut. I would order pretty much anything off a menu before ordering shredding coconut. Ironically, I do love coconut milk and coconut pudding… it’s a texture thing I guess. I managed to survive this dish by buying the finest shredded coconut I could.

If you love shredded coconut, you’ll be in heaven 🙂

Angolan Chicken Stew | Muamba de Galinha


Serves 4

Muamba de Galinha gets its unique flavor from Red Palm Oil. This spicy stew tastes great with yuca, or serve over rice.

Ingredients:

1 lemon, juiced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 chicken cut into quarters
1/2 cup red palm oil
3 onions, diced
1 whole chili pepper
3 tomatoes, quartered
1 lb pumpkin cut into 1.5″ cubes
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 lb frozen okra

Method:

1. Mix lemon juice, 2 garlic cloves, salt, and chili powder and rub on the chicken and marinate for one hour (or up to one night).

2. In a large pot heat oil. Brown chicken on all sides. Avoid crowding. Do this is in several batches if you have to.

3. Add onions, remaining garlic, chili pepper, and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cover.

5. Cook on low for about 1 hour, or until chicken is tender.

6. Add squash, chicken stock and okra. Cook for 15 minutes or until everything is tender. Serve hot.

Angolan Chicken Stew | Muamba de Galinha
Votes: 1
Rating: 4
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Muamba de Galinha gets its unique flavor from Red Palm Oil. This spicy stew tastes great with yuca, or serve over rice.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Cook Time
1 1/4 hours
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Cook Time
1 1/4 hours
Angolan Chicken Stew | Muamba de Galinha
Votes: 1
Rating: 4
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Muamba de Galinha gets its unique flavor from Red Palm Oil. This spicy stew tastes great with yuca, or serve over rice.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Cook Time
1 1/4 hours
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Cook Time
1 1/4 hours
Ingredients
  • 1 lemon , juiced
  • 4 cloves garlic , crushed
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 whole chicken , cut into quarters
  • 1/2 cup red palm oil
  • 3 onions diced
  • 1 whole chili peppers
  • 3 tomatoes , quartered
  • 1 lb pumpkin , cut into 1.5" cubes
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 lb frozen okra
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Mix lemon juice, 2 garlic cloves, salt, and chili powder and rub on the chicken and marinate for one hour (or up to one night).
  2. In a large pot heat oil. Brown chicken on all sides. Avoid crowding. Do this is in several batches if you have to.
  3. Add onions, remaining garlic, chili pepper, and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cover.
  4. Cook on low for about 1 hour, or until chicken is tender.
  5. Add squash, chicken stock and okra. Cook for 15 minutes or until everything is tender.

Grilled Prawns with Peppers | Camarao Grelhado Piri Piri

Serves 4

Prawns are a real treat, especially on the grill! For this Angolan appetizer we thawed frozen prawns in some of the marinade overnight (in the refrigerator). This simple step saved us time on meal day.

I’m honored that this recipe was featured in Penzy’s Spices’ 2012 early summer catalog.

Ingredients:

4-8 prawns
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 green onions, chopped
1/8 tsp minced habanero
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup water

Method:

1. In a small food processor, combine all ingredients except prawns. Pulse until mixture forms a loose paste.

NOTE: This step may be done the day before, just cover and refrigerate. The habanero will get stronger overnight as its hot oils mix more with the other ingredients. Depending on the habanero, this recipe is fairly mild.

2. Brush prawns with about 1/3 of the marinade, reserving the rest for dipping. If prawns are frozen, thaw completely.

3. Grill prawns about 3 minutes per side or until no longer translucent. Serve immediately with dipping sauce on the side.

Grilled Prawns with Peppers | Camarao Grelhado Piri Piri
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Prawns are a real treat, especially on the grill! For this Angolan appetizer we thawed frozen prawns in some of the marinade overnight (in the refrigerator). This simple step saved us time on meal day.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
6 minutes 8 hours
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
6 minutes 8 hours
Grilled Prawns with Peppers | Camarao Grelhado Piri Piri
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Prawns are a real treat, especially on the grill! For this Angolan appetizer we thawed frozen prawns in some of the marinade overnight (in the refrigerator). This simple step saved us time on meal day.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
6 minutes 8 hours
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
6 minutes 8 hours
Ingredients
  • 4-8 prawns
  • 4 cloves garlic , crushed
  • 4 green onions , chopped
  • 1/8 tsp habanero , minced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup water
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. In a small food processor, combine all ingredients except prawns. Pulse until mixture forms a loose paste. NOTE: This step may be done the day before, just cover and refrigerate. The habanero will get stronger overnight as its hot oils mix more with the other ingredients. Depending on the habanero, this recipe is fairly mild.
  2. Brush prawns with about 1/3 of the marinade, reserving the rest for dipping. If prawns are frozen, thaw completely.
  3. Grill prawns about 3 minutes per side or until no longer translucent.
  4. Serve immediately with dipping sauce on side.

Coconut Dessert | Cocada Angolana

Serves 4-5

Cocada Angolana is an intensely sweet dessert. Make sure to add plenty of cinnamon; the warm spice rounds out the flavor.

Ingredients:

1 cup water
2 cups sugar
4 whole cloves
4 cups grated coconut
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1-2 Tbsp cinnamon

Method:

1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook water sugar, and cloves. Stir until dissolved. Heat until mixture reaches soft-ball stage on a candy thermometer (about 240F).

2. Using a spoon carefully discard cloves.

3. Add coconut and milk. The mixture will clump. Continue to stir until smooth. Simmer for a few minutes.

4. Spoon into serving dishes and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

5. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve chilled.

Coconut Dessert | Cocada Angolana
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
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Print Recipe
Cocada Angolana is an intensely sweet dessert. Make sure to add plenty of cinnamon; the warm spice rounds out the flavor.
Servings Prep Time
4-5 People 5 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
10 minutes 30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4-5 People 5 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
10 minutes 30 minutes
Coconut Dessert | Cocada Angolana
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Cocada Angolana is an intensely sweet dessert. Make sure to add plenty of cinnamon; the warm spice rounds out the flavor.
Servings Prep Time
4-5 People 5 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
10 minutes 30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4-5 People 5 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
10 minutes 30 minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 4 cups shredded coconut
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1-2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
Servings: People
Units:
Instructions
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook water sugar, and cloves. Stir until dissolved. Heat until mixture reaches soft-ball stage on a candy thermometer (about 240F).
  2. Using a spoon carefully discard cloves.
  3. Add coconut and milk. The mixture will clump. Continue to stir until smooth. Simmer for a few minutes.
  4. Spoon into serving dishes and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Yucca/Cassava Sticks | Bâton de Manioc

Serves 8

What is a Bâton de Manioc? The pounded flesh of the yucca root, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed for several hours. These dense yuca sticks are great cut up and eaten with stew. They take on the flavor of the banana leaves (which taste like steamed artichoke).

Note: Do NOT shred the tough fibers in the center of the cassava, as these are unfit to eat and may contain traces of cyanide (just like apple seeds).

 

Ingredients:

2 lbs cassava tubers
banana leaves or aluminum foil

Method:

1. Peel tubers.

2. (This step is optional in the US) Soak the cassava tubers in a bucket of water for about 3 days. Rinse off.

3. Using a grater, shred the tubers into a large bowl. Again, be careful NOT to shred the tough fibers in the center, as these are unfit to eat.

Then, using a pastry cutter (or potato masher), pound into a paste.

NOTE: If you have a large enough mortar and pestle, you can use this as well.

4. Place about 1/4 cup of the paste onto a banana leaf.

5. Fold into 1″x4″ packets. Tie closed. (The traditional size is 2″x12″, but my largest pot would not accommodate this)

6. Steam for 6 hours.


Yucca/Cassava Sticks | Bâton de Manioc
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
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Print Recipe
What is a Bâton de Manioc? The pounded flesh of the yucca root, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed for several hours. These dense yuca sticks are great cut up and eaten with stew. They take on the flavor of the banana leaves (which taste like steamed artichoke).
Servings Prep Time
8 people 2 hours
Cook Time Passive Time
6 hours 0-3 days
Servings Prep Time
8 people 2 hours
Cook Time Passive Time
6 hours 0-3 days
Yucca/Cassava Sticks | Bâton de Manioc
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
What is a Bâton de Manioc? The pounded flesh of the yucca root, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed for several hours. These dense yuca sticks are great cut up and eaten with stew. They take on the flavor of the banana leaves (which taste like steamed artichoke).
Servings Prep Time
8 people 2 hours
Cook Time Passive Time
6 hours 0-3 days
Servings Prep Time
8 people 2 hours
Cook Time Passive Time
6 hours 0-3 days
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs cassava
  • banana leaves , (or substitute aluminum foil)
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Peel cassava
  2. (This step is optional in the US) Soak the cassava tubers in a bucket of water for about 3 days. Rinse off.
  3. Using a grater, shred the tubers into a large bowl. Be careful NOT to shred the tough fibers in the center, as these are unfit to eat and may contain traces of cyanide (just like apple seeds). Then, using a pastry cutter (or potato masher), pound into a paste. NOTE: If you have a large enough mortar and pestle, you can use this as well.
  4. Place about 1/4 cup of the paste onto a banana leaf.
  5. Fold into 1"x4" packets. Tie closed. The traditional size is 2"x12", but my largest pot would not accommodate this)
  6. Steam for 6 hours.

Angolan Peace Song

You may be aware that Angola was in civil war from 1975-2002 (after winning independence from Portugal). This war devastated Angola, but they are working hard to put the pieces back together.

Here is a beautiful Angolan peace song (with English subtitles).

Want to learn more about Angola?

Read the story of 5 men who ride their motorcycles through Angola. Even if you aren’t interested in their story, I highly recommending looking through the photos. They really give you a sense of what the Angolan countryside is like. Here’s just one of a hundred photos (there are 50 pages of text and photos):

Update: Picky Eater Syndrome

One of the reasons I started this project was to help my husband overcome his “picky eater syndrome.”

Well, I thought it was about time I did some bragging on my husband.

I’m happy to report that in just 4 meals he’s already come a long way.

The first change happened about two weeks into the adventure. He stopped grunting “good” when I asked him how the food was. In fact, I haven’t really had to ask. He’ll just let me know. As someone who doesn’t like to beg for opinions, I can’t tell you how happy this makes me.

On a related note, there’s nothing I love more than to eat a big meal and discuss the experience with friends. At our dinner parties we hash out the good, the bad, and the ugly.  My husband used to be really uncomfortable doing this (I suppose he was afraid of giving the “wrong answer”). Now that he realizes there’s no such thing as a wrong answer, he’s getting into the experience.

Of course, I still have to remind him not to scrunch up his face when he hears of a new “strange” dish or ingredient. Usually I just say”Why are you making that sour face? You haven’t even tried that to know if you don’t like it!”

Little by little, my open outlook towards food is settling into his psyche. Most importantly, he’s figured out that by having an open mind he gets to try some really neat foods and have fun dinner parties with friends. Like anything it just takes consistent work and encouragement.

I’m proud of how much progress he’s made already!

🙂

Red Palm Oil

I first heard about Red Palm Oil on Tuesday, when I was digging around for Angolan recipes. I am cooking with it this weekend so time to get educated!

Turns out there’s been a lot of hype about Red Palm Oil in the natural foods/health food world.

With good reason.

Red Palm Oil …

–  is popular in parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America
–  has been consumed for thousands of years
–  has a high smoke point (437F)
–  is red because its high in beta carotene and lycopene.
–  is a rich source of vitamin A (15 times more than carrots and 300 times more than tomatoes)
–  is an extremely high antioxidant
–  has been shown to help prevent cancer as well as slow tumor growth
–  great for lowering cholesterol and seems to reduce the formation of blood clots
–  is finding its way into many commercial foods as producers struggle to replace unwanted hydrogenated oils

This last bullet point cracks me up. Leave it to modern man to dig himself into a hole by making unhealthy manufactured commercial products that slowly kill us, only to be “saved” by an oil that’s been around for centuries.

… that was a mouthful for a Thursday morning. 😀

Most of my sources for this post came from the Organic Consultancy