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West African Rice with Veggies | Jollof

Serves 6-8

Listen, friends. I thought Jollof sounded weird. Scary. Difficult. It’s not. This is rice with veggies. And spices. Sometimes meat, but not here. Not today. All over West Africa people enjoy Jollof. They make it with whatever they have on hand and more often that not it does not include meat. This recipe is flexible. It’s usually spicy. And it always has some version of tomato sauce/paste in it. The rest is a fun improvisational dance. So, go on – boogie, boogie through that bottom drawer and pull out whatever veggies inspire you.

Ingredients:

2 cups frozen green peas
vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp ginger (fresh grated or ground)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne
15 oz can tomato sauce or puree
1 small head of cabbage, chopped
2 cups white rice
1 quart water or stock
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

My boogie, boogie led me to peas, which is a fairly common addition to Jollof. So, first things first, set out the green peas to thaw.

Next, cook the garlic and onion in a medium/large pot with a bit of vegetable oil. When they are softened, toss on the spices and tomato sauce/puree.

Simmer the mixture until it goes from wet and saucy to thick and pasty. Stir often to prevent burning. You’ll know you’re done when the spoon leaves a line in the pan. and the tomatoes no longer “flow” like sauce.

Next, pile on the chopped cabbage. Stir and cook until weird and wilted. You’re making room for the rice.

Speaking of which, dump on the beautiful rice…

… and water or stock. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for twenty minutes or until the rice is tender.

Remove from heat, pour on the peas, and cover. Let steam for five minutes.

Fluff and serve to a beautiful child who likes spicy food. Or 15 children. Or 8 adults.

This recipe makes a lot of rice.

Isn’t that the most wonderfully easy dish?

When you take a bite you’ll taste a bit of cinnamon and a bit of cayenne.

Oh, and loads of yummy veggies.

Pretty great.

West African Rice with Veggies | Jollof
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All over West Africa people enjoy Jollof. They make it with whatever they have on hand and more often that not it does not include meat. This recipe is flexible. It's usually spicy. And it always has some version of tomato sauce/paste in it.
Servings Prep Time
8 people 15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
8 people 15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
West African Rice with Veggies | Jollof
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
All over West Africa people enjoy Jollof. They make it with whatever they have on hand and more often that not it does not include meat. This recipe is flexible. It's usually spicy. And it always has some version of tomato sauce/paste in it.
Servings Prep Time
8 people 15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
8 people 15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Ingredients
  • 2 cups green peas (fresh or frozen) , frozen
  • vegetable oil
  • 1 onion , chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic , sliced
  • 1 tsp ground ginger - OR -
  • ginger root , grated
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne
  • 15 ounce tomato sauce , or tomato puree
  • 1 small head green cabbage , chopped
  • 2 cups white rice
  • 1 quart water , or stock
  • salt
  • pepper
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Set out the peas to thaw.
  2. Cook the garlic and onion in a medium/large pot with a bit of vegetable oil. When they are softened, toss on the spices and tomato sauce/puree.
  3. Simmer the mixture until it goes from wet and saucy to thick and pasty. Stir often to prevent burning. You'll know you're done when the spoon leaves a line in the pan. and the tomatoes no longer "flow" like sauce.
  4. Add the chopped cabbage. Stir and cook until wilted
  5. Add the rice and water. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 20 minutes or until the rice in tender.
  7. Remove from heat, pour on the peas, and cover. Let steam for 5 minutes.
  8. Fluff and serve.

Yucca Fries

Serves 2-4

I never thought the day would come. I never thought I would conquer the mighty yucca. This tuber has made sweat, cry, and is quite possibly be the reason why I blacked out and went crashing to the floor one night after eating way too many Bâton de Manioc – out cold for a good thirty seconds. To be fair, the next day the doctor blamed dehydration. Regardless, given my terrible past with this tuber, I have a deep need to remedy my track record, this time with yucca fries. Who can mess up fried yucca, right?

As far as fried food goes, it’s healthier than a potato but gives you the same indulgent fix. So, dip it in the oil until golden, sprinkle some salt and satisfy those munchies!

Ingredients:

1-2 yucca
vegetable oil, for frying
salt, to taste

Method:

Make sure you’re very hungry. Yucca fries are delicious, but leftovers aren’t acceptable. They get soft.

When your stomach is growling good and loud, peel and quarter the yucca, being careful to remove the woody fibers in the center.

Cut the yucca into even smaller pieces, about the size of large potato wedges or steak fries. Yucca are quite hard, so if this is too difficult, you can go ahead and cut them up after steaming. You’ll be met with a lot less resistance.

Place in boiling water and cook until tender. Mine took about 10 minutes. Drain until they steam dry. You can even put these away to fry hours later, if desired.

Place 1-2″ of oil in your pan. Heat until about 375F on an instant read/candy thermometer. You can also test if it’s ready by dropping a bit of yucca in. If it sizzles and browns up after a few minutes, then the oil is ready.

Add yucca to pan in batches. Do not crowd. Cook until golden, moving around a bit to make sure all sides get crispy. Sprinkle with salt and eat immediately.

Dance in a circle when you realize you did not screw up another yucca recipe.

Huzzah. Or Yuccahh, as the case may be.

Success never tasted so good.

Yucca Fries
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As far as fried food goes, it’s healthier than a potato but gives you the same indulgent fix. So, dip it in the oil until golden, sprinkle some salt and satisfy those munchies!
Servings
2-4 people
Servings
2-4 people
Yucca Fries
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Print Recipe
As far as fried food goes, it’s healthier than a potato but gives you the same indulgent fix. So, dip it in the oil until golden, sprinkle some salt and satisfy those munchies!
Servings
2-4 people
Servings
2-4 people
Ingredients
  • 1-2 cassava
  • vegetable oil , for frying
  • salt , to taste
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Peel and quarter the yucca, being careful to remove the woody fibers in the center. Cut the yucca into even smaller pieces, about the size of large potato wedges or steak fries. Yucca are quite hard, so if this is too difficult, you can go ahead and cut them after steaming. You'll be met with a lot less resistance.
  2. Place in boiling water and cook until tender. Mine took about 10 minutes. Drain until they steam dry. you can even put these away to fry hours later, if desired.
  3. Place 1-2" of oil in your pan. Heat until about 375F on an instant read/candy thermometer. You can also test if it's ready by dropping a bit of yucca in. If it sizzles and browns up after a few minutes, then the oil is ready.
  4. Add yucca to pan in batches. Do not crowd. Cook until golden, moving around a bit to make sure all sides get crispy. Sprinkle with salt and eat immediately.

Portuguese Cinnamon Cookies | Raivas

Makes 16

When I ask for a cookie, I expect to get a sugary, crispy, heart-racing cookie. Something that makes me thirst for milk. But that’s not always what happens. Take raivas, for example. These cinnamon loaded Portuguese cookies are subdued. Doughy. Bready. Dry. But don’t be fooled. The texture isn’t a mistake. They are made specifically for dunking. Dipping. Sogging-up coffee, hot cocoa or tea.

So why are we making Portuguese cookies this week, when we’re cooking West Africa? Simple. The people of Guinea-Bissau love Portuguese baked goods because they were a former Portuguese colony. Walk into any big city bakery and you’ll see what I mean. So, come along, let’s jump on the cinnamon train with the squiggliest, wiggliest, doughiest cookies I’ve ever seen

Inspired by Lindy and her adaptation from Cozinha Tradicional Portuguesa.

Ingredients:

8 Tbsp Butter
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
3-3 1/4 cups flour
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Method:

Put on a shirt with a wiggly design. Play a wiggly song. Vow to make wiggles, not war.

Here’s how you do it:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Then cream together sugar and butter in the bowl of a standing mixer.

When the mixture is light and fluffy, beat in the eggs, one at a time.

Then, add in the flour, cinnamon, and salt. Add just enough flour to have the dough pull away from the sides of the bowl. Scrape as needed, but don’t overmix. If you do overmix, the dough will be as tough as that math teacher you were slightly scared of back in high school. You know the one. She was tall and demanding and was rumored to have either been a nun or a Sargent in the military.

If all goes well, you’ll end up with a deeply cinna-brown, moist dough that is surprisingly not sticky. And not as tough as that scary math teacher.

Cut it into four pieces.

Roll each piece into a fat log and cut each log into 4 pieces. Now you have 16 hunks of dough. Not to be confused with 16 hunks, unfortunately. Roll each hunk into a thin rope. See the ones pictured below. They’ll be long. Maybe 18 inches.

Twist and rope them into whatever squiggly shape your heart desires, placing them on a lined baking sheet.

Bake for 12-15 minutes. Eat one or two right away. Try not to burn your fingers.

Kids will love these. As will the kid in you. Let her (or him) come out and play!

Nom nom.

Dip into a cup of hot cocoa, if you’d like. Perhaps our Guatemalan blend?

To celebrate the cookies’ plainness, serve on a plain day. When the sky is neither gray nor blue. When the air is neither hot nor cold.

Without wearing makeup, straightening your hair, or wearing high heels.

When you’re feeling, well, rather plain.

Portuguese Cinnamon Cookies | Raivas
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
These cinnamon loaded Portuguese cookies are subdued. Doughy. Bready. Dry. But don’t be fooled. The texture isn’t a mistake. They are made specifically for dunking. Dipping. Sogging-up coffee, hot cocoa or tea. So why are we making Portuguese cookies this week, when we’re cooking West Africa? Simple. The people of Guinea-Bissau love Portuguese baked goods because they were a former Portuguese colony. Walk into any big city bakery and you’ll see what I mean.
Servings Prep Time
16 cookies 30 minutes
Cook Time
12-15 minutes
Servings Prep Time
16 cookies 30 minutes
Cook Time
12-15 minutes
Portuguese Cinnamon Cookies | Raivas
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
These cinnamon loaded Portuguese cookies are subdued. Doughy. Bready. Dry. But don’t be fooled. The texture isn’t a mistake. They are made specifically for dunking. Dipping. Sogging-up coffee, hot cocoa or tea. So why are we making Portuguese cookies this week, when we’re cooking West Africa? Simple. The people of Guinea-Bissau love Portuguese baked goods because they were a former Portuguese colony. Walk into any big city bakery and you’ll see what I mean.
Servings Prep Time
16 cookies 30 minutes
Cook Time
12-15 minutes
Servings Prep Time
16 cookies 30 minutes
Cook Time
12-15 minutes
Ingredients
  • 8 Tbsp butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 3 - 3 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
Servings: cookies
Units:
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Then cream together sugar and butter in the bowl of a standing mixer. When the mixture is light and fluffy, beat in the eggs, one at a time.
  2. hen, add in the flour, cinnamon, and salt. Add just enough flour to have the dough pull away from the sides of the bowl. Scrape as needed, but don’t overmix.
  3. If all goes well, you’ll end up with a deeply cinna-brown, moist dough that is surprisingly not sticky.
  4. Cut it into four pieces. Roll each piece into a fat log and cut each log into 4 pieces. Now you have 16 hunks of dough. Not to be confused with 16 hunks, unfortunately. Roll each hunk into a thin rope. See the ones pictured below. They’ll be long. Maybe 18 inches.
  5. Twist and rope them into whatever squiggly shape your heart desires, placing them on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

What to do with the rest of the goat? Find your beat in West Africa (w/ poll)

Want to get up and dance? Shake a little soul onto the dance floor? Come, let’s find the beat, West African-style… with the Djembe, the drum of choice.

Use it or lose it:

The top of the drum is spread tightly with goat skin. Loads of goat meat is consumed in West Africa, often wrapped in banana leaves [recipe] or stewed, so making a djembe with the skin is a fantastic way to use the whole animal, not just the meat. As my mom always said, “waste not, want not.”

Say what?

The goats in West Africa live a tough, tough existence which, in turn, makes their skin tougher…. which, in turn, makes the drum sound different than djembes in other regions.

Inspiration:

I like to scour the net for people who have traveled, who can give me a picture of the foreign lands I can only dream about. Today I’d like to share with you two descriptions of dance in Guinea and Guinea Bissau… descriptions that I found inspirational. That made me want to move. Shake. And shimmy.

Words about Guinea

I will miss dance…the dancing is full on, jaw dropping, magnificently strong and powerful, hot and fierce, full of passion and emotion like nothing I’ve ever seen…I find myself desperately missing the freedom of dancing, the way you lose yourself in the rhythm of the djembe, and the tenacity displayed by our talented teachers…

(via Erin Jane’s travel blog)

Words about Guinea-Bissau

It was really lively dance, not even closely resembling anything I’ve seen in life or in National Geographic. Amazing, they had a fire at first but then they were dancing so wildly through and around the fire that the stamped it out with their bare feet.

(via Alexander’s travel blog)

Photos: Jos van Zetten, ZSM

Papaya Chutney

Fills about 2 mason jars – 1 for you & 1 for a friend

Have you seen the papayas at the market lately? They’re gorgeous. Sweet. Giant. Exotic. Plus they’re fun to pronounce: pa-pa-ya. Gotta love anything that ends with an affirmative. Since papayas are beloved in Guinea and Guinea Bissau, I really wanted to make papaya jam for you today. Unfortunately, jam making all but requires a chemistry major. I’m too footloose for that, so I made chutney.

The cool thing about chutney is that it’s made the same way as jam, with the same ingredients… minus the powdered pectin and careful measuring. In other words, minus the headache. And, honestly, it’s quite a bit more authentic for West Africa. To give the chutney a bit of body I used the natural pectin found in orange peel. The result? A sweet, tropical chutney laced with the slightest hint of bitter orange peel (don’t be scared – it really is just a hint – nothing like bitter orange marmalade).

NOTE: You may want to adjust the amount of sugar based on how sweet your papayas are. Just remember, as it cools it will taste less sweet. That’s a scientific fact. Share that at the next cocktail party you go to. You’ll be a smartypants.

Ingredients:

6 cups papaya flesh (about 2 medium papayas, seeded and scooped from skin)
3/4 cup orange juice with pulp (about 1 large orange juiced)
1 1/2 tsp orange peel
1/2 lemon juiced
1 cup sugar

Method:

Let’s make a pact. Let’s be happy – even on gray days. Even on sad, mad, and fussy days. Deep down, let’s choose optimism over pessimism. Let’s fill our core with the bright, beaming light of love. And if things get extraordinarily tough and our core starts to dim, let’s douse it in sunshine. I have a little extra to share – just look at these glorious golden colors!

Let’s bottle this sunshine up, shall we?

First, add the papaya to a medium pot with the sugar, orange peel, orange juice and lemon juice. Check for seeds and fish them out with a fork. Seeds don’t taste good in chutney. (Hey, I missed one! See it?)

Once you have everything piled up high, simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Keep uncovered so the liquid can evaporate, naturally thickening the mixture. If, after an hour, you still have extra large chunks of papaya, simply mash them lightly with a potato masher. I like my chutney thick and chunky.

NOTE: Your blast-of-sunshine chutney may need more or less cooking time depending how moist your papayas are and how loose (or tight) you like chutney. And also depending on if you used a larger pot (more evaporation) or smaller (less evaporation). No worries. You’ll do good. I just know it.

Once done, ladle the goodness into two mason jars. If you plan to keep the chutney around in the fridge a while, please boil the jars first so they are perfectly clean. You can also run them through the dishwasher just prior to bottling.

Eat with a spoon, pile high on toast, slide a bit next to a slice of chocolate cake, or mound on top of a scone.

Send the extra jar over to your neighbor. Or to cheer up an old friend. Or to make up with your sister.

Bottled sunshine does wonders.

Eat on an exceedingly grey day.

Preferably when it’s thundering and raining.

Possibly while standing in the rain. Laughing.

Papaya Chutney
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The cool thing about chutney is that it’s made the same way as jam, with the same ingredients… minus the powdered pectin and careful measuring. In other words, minus the headache. And, honestly, it’s quite a bit more authentic for West Africa. To give the chutney a bit of body I used the natural pectin found in orange peel. The result? A sweet, tropical chutney laced with the slightest hint of bitter orange peel (don’t be scared – it really is just a hint – nothing like bitter orange marmalade).
Servings
2 mason jars
Servings
2 mason jars
Papaya Chutney
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
The cool thing about chutney is that it’s made the same way as jam, with the same ingredients… minus the powdered pectin and careful measuring. In other words, minus the headache. And, honestly, it’s quite a bit more authentic for West Africa. To give the chutney a bit of body I used the natural pectin found in orange peel. The result? A sweet, tropical chutney laced with the slightest hint of bitter orange peel (don’t be scared – it really is just a hint – nothing like bitter orange marmalade).
Servings
2 mason jars
Servings
2 mason jars
Ingredients
  • 6 cups papaya , flesh (about 2 medium papayas, seeded and scooped from skin)
  • 3/4 cup orange juice (with pulp, about 1 large orange juiced)
  • 1 1/2 tsp orange peel
  • 1/2 lemon , freshly juiced
  • 1 cup sugar
Servings: mason jars
Units:
Instructions
  1. Add papaya to a medium pot with sugar, orange peel, orange juice and lemon juice. Check for seeds and fish them out with a fork.
  2. Simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Keep uncovered so the liquid can evaporate, naturally thickening the mixture. If, after an hour, you still have extra large chunks of papaya, simply mash them lightly with a potato masher.
  3. NOTE: Your blast-of-sunshine chutney may need more or less cooking time depending how moist your papayas are and how loose (or tight) you like chutney. And also depending on if you used a larger pot (more evaporation) or smaller (less evaporation).
  4. Once done, ladle into two mason jars.
Recipe Notes

NOTE: You may want to adjust the amount of sugar based on how sweet your papayas are. Just remember, as it cools it will taste less sweet. That’s a scientific fact. Share that at the next cocktail party you go to. You’ll be a smartypants.

Menu: Guinea & Guinea Bissau

Have you ever felt pulled in two directions? Unsure of which way to go? Sometimes the best medicine is to find a happy medium, to go both places. Have double the fun. Case in point – this week we have one foot in Guinea and one foot in Guinea Bissau. For the most part this menu could be found in either country – except where noted. Double the fun, indeed.

What sounds good to you?

Yucca Fries [Recipe]
Crispy, salty and healthier than French Fries. Popular all over sub-Saharan Africa.

Jollof  (West African Rice with Veggies) [Recipe]
A simple, healthy combination of rice, spices, tomatoes, cabbage, and peas. Naturally vegan.

Portuguese Cinnamon Cookies (Raivas) [Recipe]
This recipe is a nod to Guinea-Bissau’s Portuguese heritage. When I read the city bakeries are full of Portuguese treats, I just knew I had to try this doughy bread-like “cookie.”

Papaya & Orange Peel Chutney [Recipe]
What do you get when you don’t want to mess with high tech canning? You trade the word jam for chutney. The mix is a little looser than jam, but definitely sweet, with a slight bitter edge from the orange peel.

For more West African recipe ideas, check out yesterday’s post.

*All recipes and meal review will be posted by Monday morning.*

About the food of Guinea and Guinea-Bissau

People of Guinea

Are you ready? This week is a double hitter; we’re discussing two West African neighbors, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau. Don’t be fooled by their names – these countries are quite a bit different. Especially when it comes to the food.

Sure they both share a love for typical West African foods, like Groundnut soup (absolutely amazing) [recipe], Batons de manioc (fascinating!) [recipe], Yucca Fries [Recipe], Jollof (a rice dish cooked with tomatoes and spices) [Recipe] and loads of tropical fruit so fresh it would make you weep (try this papaya chutney, for example [Recipe]), but they also have completely different cultures.

For starters, Guinea is a former French colony. This means the city folk they pile their plates high with French-inspired dishes, like ones we’ve visited in the past – classic French omelets [recipe] or coupé coupé (smoked bbq meats) in a baguette sandwich [recipe].

On the other hand, Guinea-Bissau is a former Portuguese colony. Head into one of the big-town bakeries and you’ll likely see cases of Portuguese pastries, cookies [Recipe], and breads. You’ll also find tons of cashews because the nut grows plentifully in Guinea Bissau – in fact, the fruit surrounding the cashew is pounded to make wine.

People of Guinea-Bissau

While the names might be similar, these two African countries share a distinct culinary heritage. Can you taste the difference?

Guinea Photos: Haypo, KaBa (KaaBaa), kevinzim
Guinea-Bissau Photos: Ferdinand Reus, Francofranco

Monday Meal Review: Guatemala

THE SCENE

I was happy.

I drank frothy hot cocoa.

It was rich and sweet and I could see the sun peeking through the grey clouds. The breeze smoothed my hair back like an old friend.

And then I looked. The picnic table was moving – marching, marching, marching.

I focused my eyes.

Ants. Headed straight for the hot cocoa bars. Ready to carry mountains on their backs. Ready to eat sugar until they were too full to fit into their tunnels. Into the cracks and grass and wherever else ants march.

I took another sip of my hot cocoa. I thought about cleaning them up. Shooing them away. Spraying, wiping, swiping.

But the ants would just keep coming. I looked down at my cup and watched the frothy bubbles pop.

I shut my eyes and took another sip. Sweet, sugary goodness. Oh, how it tasted exactly like “good.”  All I wanted in that moment was to enjoy the cocoa. It was divine. I peeked over at the ants, now nibbling the chocolate. That’s all they wanted, too.

“Fine. So be it,” I whispered, with a little smile.

THE FOOD

Pepian Sauce for Stewed Chicken or veggies [Recipe]

What I liked most about this dish:

Pepian is unlike anything I’ve ever eaten. The smooth, almost creamy sauce, has a hint of nuttiness, thanks to the seeds, but it also has deep character thanks to the roasted veggies and peppers. I love how the sauce is equally good over vegetables or meat – and it makes enough to divide up and freeze for several smaller meals.

What I liked least about this dish:

Depending on how good your blender is, you might need to add extra liquid. You can always cook it off when you add it to the chicken. Just do what it takes to blend it into a totally smooth sauce.

Homemade Corn Tortillas [Recipe]

What I liked most about this dish:

I am not typically a fan of corn tortillas, but homemade (and our secret ingredient) makes all the difference. We even used the leftovers to make tortilla soup later in the week which was delicious.

What I liked least about this dish:

Watch the dough – it dries out quickly. In fact, so will the cooked tortillas. Keep them covered.

Guatemalan Hot Cocoa [Recipe]

What I liked most about this dish:

I accidentally doubled the strength of this drink. It was a happy, sugary accident. I highly recommend playing with the proportions to make it as indulgent as possible.

What I liked least about this dish:

Every brand of hot cocoa bars has its own flavor and sweetness. Maybe you can have a tasting party in the winter – everyone bring their own flavor of cocoa bar to sample. It would be a great potluck idea.

Ava’s Corner

Guatemalan Hot Cocoa

Serves 1

When I don’t have time for a bubble bath, I like to slip my dreams into a steaming hot cup of cocoa. Imagine my surprise (and joy) when I found out Guatemalans don’t make their hot cocoa quite like we do here, in the USA. Like their neighbors throughout Central America, Guatemalans make hot cocoa out of bars of pressed cocoa. Dry and crumbly, these hot cocoa bars are nothing like the creamy bars of chocolate we snack on. The good news? You can find them in your local Latino market and in the international aisle of some standard grocery stores.

For more information and to see “the making of” these cocoa bars… see our post In Search of the Guatemalan Sweet Tooth.

PS. Keep this recipe in mind around the holidays – Guatemalans love to sip a nice cup of cocoa with tamales during the Christmas season.

Ingredients:

1-2 ounces (usually 1-2 squares) from a hot cocoa bar
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cinnamon stick, or powdered cinnamon to taste

Method:

First things, first – watch a Guatemalan woman make hot cocoa. Once you’re sufficiently inspired, take a trip to the local Latino grocer. Passports are optional, but – even still – you’ll get a peak into another world, another life, another way of being.

Wander around. After picking up more stuff than you know what to do with, pick up a package of hot cocoa bars. They come in all shapes and sizes. Here are a few varieties:

They are crumbly and taste remarkably like sweetened cocoa powder.

Not sure what to buy? Let me help.

This one is good for when you feel triumphant. Say, like after finding an Easter Egg.

This round bar is good for when you’re feeling bubbly.

And this one is nice when you’re feeling a little mischievous.

In all honesty, it’s hard to go wrong. My real advice? Embrace your inner child and try them all.

Now let’s make a mug.

Take one tablet and cook with 1 cup milk and 1/2 cinnamon stick. If you’re feeling really indulgent (and I suggest you give into this once in a while) add two tablets.

Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the sugar dissolves.  Then, give everything a buzz-whir in a regular or immersion blender. A whisk is okay too, but you want to get it very bubbly.

Serve hot and frothy with an extra cinnamon stick or two.

Use the cinnamon to stir the cocoa. Try to use it as a spoon. With every sip, think one happy thought.

Smile. Breathe.

Optional: double the recipe and sip with a dear friend. Talk about your deep dark fears. Watch as the light of day hits them, how the fears lose their power and dissipate into nothingness. Smile. Breathe.

Guatemalan Hot Cocoa
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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When I don’t have time for a bubble bath, I like to slip my dreams into a steaming hot cup of cocoa. Imagine my surprise (and joy) when I found out Guatemalans don’t make their hot cocoa quite like we do here, in the USA. Like their neighbors throughout Central America, Guatemalans make hot cocoa out of bars of pressed cocoa (called "table chocolate." Dry and crumbly, these hot cocoa bars are nothing like the creamy bars of chocolate we snack on. The good news? You can find them in your local Latino market and in the international aisle of some standard grocery stores.
Servings Prep Time
1 person 2 minutes
Cook Time
8 minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 person 2 minutes
Cook Time
8 minutes
Guatemalan Hot Cocoa
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
When I don’t have time for a bubble bath, I like to slip my dreams into a steaming hot cup of cocoa. Imagine my surprise (and joy) when I found out Guatemalans don’t make their hot cocoa quite like we do here, in the USA. Like their neighbors throughout Central America, Guatemalans make hot cocoa out of bars of pressed cocoa (called "table chocolate." Dry and crumbly, these hot cocoa bars are nothing like the creamy bars of chocolate we snack on. The good news? You can find them in your local Latino market and in the international aisle of some standard grocery stores.
Servings Prep Time
1 person 2 minutes
Cook Time
8 minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 person 2 minutes
Cook Time
8 minutes
Ingredients
  • 1-2 oz table chocolate , like Ibarra
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cinnamon stick - OR -
  • 1 pinch ground cinnamon
Servings: person
Units:
Instructions
  1. Take one tablet and cook with 1 cup milk and 1/2 cinnamon stick. If you’re feeling really indulgent (and I suggest you give into this once in a while) add two tablets.
  2. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the sugar dissolves. Then, give everything a buzz-whir in a regular or immersion blender. A whisk is okay too, but you want to get it very bubbly. Serve hot and frothy with an extra cinnamon stick or two. Use the cinnamon to stir the cocoa. Try to use it as a spoon.

Pepian Sauce for Stewed Chicken or Veggies

Makes 3 cups

Is your blender lonely? Do you want to blast away from boredom? Try pepian, a thick mole-like sauce from Central America and beloved in Guatemala. With a quick whizz-whirr in the blender, this vegan sauce (a.k.a. recado) blends the smoky flavor of roasted, toasted seeds and other goodness with a half stick of cinnamon and dried chili peppers. If that sounds like a lot of different ingredients, don’t worry, pepian is so balanced that even the pickiest eaters in your house won’t realize what they’re eating. The smooth, complex flavor makes me happy – especially when I’m in a cooking rut.

Serve over vegetables or stew with chicken.

Our recipe is adapted from our friends over at Uncornered Market (where you can watch a great video of Pepian preparation in Guatemala). They used guaque and pasa chilis; we could not obtain these so we substituted the closest we could find. The result was a completely mild pepian. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 ounces sesame seeds, toasted
2 ounces pumpkin seeds, toasted
5 large roma tomatoes, roasted
4 large tomatillos, peeled & roasted
1 dried guajillo chili, seeds removed & toasted
1 dried pasilla chili, seeds removed & toasted
10 peppercorns
1/2 stick cinnamon
1-2 cups water (or stock), as needed
1 pan frances or 2 hot dog buns

Method:

Greetings! Today we’re flying our magic carpet over to Guatemala where we’ll slurp up a healthy burst of local flavor. Just look at the goodness…

I like this recipe because you to burn stuff on purpose. You see, the key to Pepian is getting all the veggies blackened. While these ingredients are tasty on their own, they are even better toasted – and all that char makes for a more complex sauce.

Let’s get to work – first, roast everything in a happy, ungreased comal (you could also use a dry skillet) over medium-high heat. Start with the tomatoes, tomatillos, dried peppers and peppercorns. Set them aside once they are blackened.

Next, reduce the heat to medium-low and toast the pumpkin and sesame seeds. Keep everything moving so they don’t burn. My mouth waters when I see toasted, charred food. It’s like flavor on adrenaline.

Now for the fun. Grab your blender and grind up the toasted, cooled seeds in the blender.

Once you get a nice, fine grind, pile on the rest of the ingredients… don’t forget the peppercorns, cinnamon stick and water (or stock). If you’re blender is a bit on the weak side, you might want to chop things up a bit first to help it along.

Once the sauce is fairly smooth, add in the bread and process again.

Add more liquid if necessary – you’ll want to end up with a smooth sauce that…

… has body, yet still slowly drips off the spoon. Season with plenty of salt.

To complete the meal:

Brown boneless chicken thighs or veggies in vegetable oil over medium high heat (in batches, as necessary).

Cover with pepian sauce and simmer gently for about thirty minutes.

Serve hot with rice and homemade corn tortillas.

Take a second to sprinkle the finished dish with sesame seeds – it’s like mascara for tired eyes.

Or sunbeams on a cloudy day.

Serve with a big cup of laughter – loud and booming.

And a little Guatemalan bell-shaking.

Pepian Sauce for Stewed Chicken or Veggies
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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A thick mole-like sauce from Central America and beloved in Guatemala. This vegan sauce (a.k.a. recado) blends the smoky flavor of roasted, toasted seeds and other goodness with a half stick of cinnamon and dried chili peppers.
Pepian Sauce for Stewed Chicken or Veggies
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
A thick mole-like sauce from Central America and beloved in Guatemala. This vegan sauce (a.k.a. recado) blends the smoky flavor of roasted, toasted seeds and other goodness with a half stick of cinnamon and dried chili peppers.
Ingredients
  • 2 ounces sesame seeds , toasted
  • 2 ounces pumpkin seeds , toasted
  • 5 large roma tomatoes , roasted
  • 4 large tomatillos , peeled and roasted
  • 1 dried Guajillo chili pepper seeds removed and toasted
  • 10 whole peppercorns
  • 1/2 cinnamon stick
  • 1-2 cups water , or stock, as needed
  • 1 pan frances , or two hot dog buns
Servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Roast the tomatoes, tomatillos, dried peppers and peppercorns in an ungreased comal (you could also use a dry skillet) over medium-high heat. Set them aside once they are blackened.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and toast the pumpkin and sesame seeds. Keep everything moving so they don't burn.
  3. Finely grind the toasted, cooled seeds in a blender.
  4. To the blender add the other toasted ingredients, cinnamon stick and water. Blend until fairly smooth.
  5. Add the bread and blend until smooth. Add more liquid if necessary.

In Search of the Guatemalan Sweet Tooth (with poll)

Making cinnamon/chocolate bars for hot cocoa. Photos courtesy of Audrey & Dan from Uncornered Market

Did you know there’s a town in Guatemala called El Chocolate? It’s true.

It’s a sign of the times. Guatemalans love, love, love chocolate.

They grow it. They drink it. But for some reason, they just don’t eat a lot of it.

In fact, they drink chocolate way more than they eat the stuff.

I have first-hand reports from my pen-pal Audrey (of Uncornered Market), that they had a surprisingly difficult time finding a regular bar of chocolate to eat during their stay in Guatemala. Amazing.

The only bars they could find were dry and crumbly – meant for making hot cocoa. They even participated in a chocolate bar making class (pictured above), in which the learned how to press and decorate the bars, but – again – they were only meant for drink making.

Sounds at once delicious and unusual – which is why I’ll be posting a recipe for Guatemalan hot cocoa in a few days.

It’ll be rich. It’ll be frothy. It’ll be everything you ever dreamed hot cocoa could be. With cinnamon.

Stay tuned.

This couple has been traveling for nearly a decade… and counting

Imagine if this was your view… Imagine if you could be in these places… Imagine if the world was your back yard.

You’re in for a real treat today – Audrey Scott and Dan Noll from Uncornered Market are here to answer a few questions. They live a life I can only dream about. They explore the world for a living. The world is their back yard.

That’s right. In 2006 left their corporate desk jobs, got rid of their belongings, and went off to… well, wherever the wind blows them. They support themselves by writing travel articles, sharing their inspiring photography, and with their web site.

What does this mean? It means while I’m overwhelmed with too much stuff in my small house, they’re off with nothing more than a couple of backpacks in the great big world. Free and light as a couple of birds. It makes me want to have a yard sale.

I love their approach to life – they’re filled with curiosity, adventure and good-will to the people of this world. Always interested in helping, they’ve been a great help with our world cooking adventure – making our Guatemalan Global Table (and others!) more authentic.

Now, without further ado, I’ll let them speak for themselves… about the unusual, the wonderful, and – of course – the tasty parts of our great, big, wonderful world.

From their album: Mothers around the world

1. What does “home” mean to you? What do you eat when you get homesick (if you ever do)?

This is a difficult question for us as we’ve lived outside the United States for almost ten years and even before that we lived on the opposite coast of where our families live and we each grew up.

In general, home for us is where things are familiar and we have a community of people. It could be back in the States with family and friends or perhaps in Prague, Czech Republic (where we last lived). And it could be somewhere else soon.

When I get homesick, I tend to crave things like bagels, deli sandwiches, and burritos.

(Related post: What do Nomads Call Home?)

2. Do you miss any of your “stuff” from pre-travel days?

Yes and no. We don’t really miss any of the furniture or stuff we had in our old place. But, we do miss not having a place of our own that is familiar and we can return to and recharge batteries from time to time. And, when we’re in a place with really bad coffee we do miss our stovetop Moka coffee maker.

An olive stand in Europe, long beans in Asia, the waters of Norway

3. Please share an unusual food story from you travels.

We arrived at our final destination of our horse trek in Kyrgyzstan and no more than five minutes later our trekking guide was on the ground slitting the throat of a goat and skinning him. He smiled, “Dinner tonight.”

Hours later, we were sitting on the floor around a table in a dark yurt as every single bit of the goat was passed around on a tray. The grandfather shepherd next to me had secured the skull and was cutting off chunks of meat with a hand-made knife.

Dan and I, as guests, were each given a desired part – the jaw bone. We gnawed away at it for as long as we could. The remains of the goat were put into a giant bowl and homemade noodles and broth were added to it. Then, everyone shoved their hands (mind you, there was no running water in this yurt to wash hands) into the steaming bowl to mix it all together. At that point, we looked at ourselves and thought, “We’re going to be sick tomorrow from all the bacteria that just went in there. But, we can’t say no.”

So, when in Rome – or more like in a yurt – you dig your hands in and eat Beshbarmak, the traditional Kyrgyz dish literally meaning “5 fingers” as locals do…with your hands.

And by some miracle, we actually did not get sick after all.

(Related post: Goat and Five Fingers)

Clockwise: Family-style meal in Jordan, Cat’s Ear Pasta in China (mao erduo), and Saltenas in Bolivia

4. What is one of your favorite food memories?

A spontaneous feast put together by the market vendors of a small town in the hills of northwest Georgia (country of) called Zugdidi. As is usual for us, the fresh market was the first stop when we arrived in Zugdidi. We found friendly and curious vendors; it was obvious they didn’t get a lot of foreign travelers visiting. On our way out we asked one of the vendors about where we could find a specific Georgian dish called lobio (a hearty bean soup). Because this dish was associated with troubled times in Georgia just after independence and people couldn’t afford more than this, it was difficult to find in many restaurants.

Leila, the vendor, sat us down at one of the stalls, told us to wait and went into commander mode. Within a few minutes a feast was assembled in front of us, not only of lobio, but of contributions of bread, salad, fruit, cha cha (Georgian grappa) and honey from all the vendors around us. We passed around the Cha Cha bottle, everyone shared their story and we had a great time.

There is a saying in Georgia that “Guests are a gift from God” and people take this seriously. These women with very little all came together to welcome us as their guest in their market. Can’t think of a better meal.

(Related post: A Surprising Feast in Zugdidi)

5. How do you figure out how to tip – is each country/region different?

We usually try to ask locals or long-term expats living in that country about what is considered normal. If we have no idea at all, we’ll usually round up or tip about 10%.

Note from Sasha: I was surprised to learn in my travels that tipping is not nearly as common abroad as it is in the USA. Many countries do not expect a tip and if they do, 10% is considered generous.

From their album: Father’s around the world

6. What’s next for you?

We are going next to Tanzania! This will be Dan’s first time to Africa and his seventh continent. We’ll be on a Gap Adventures tour to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, go on safari and visit Zanzibar for the next few weeks. After that, we hope to be still for several months in Berlin. We’ve done a lot of travel and moving around this year, so we’re looking forward to having some stability in a city we love for several months.

Thanks for chatting with us at the Global Table!

Happy & safe travels to you both.

All photos copyright Dan and Audrey from Uncornered Market.