Biriani

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Slow cooking is the key to a good biriani.  The Indian origina of this South African dish are evident with the many spices that are included.  It is frequently served at weddings and other celebrations.

Ingredients

  • 2 pound lamb or beef
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups chopped onions
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried, crushed fennel
  • 3 cardamon seeds, crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 to 1 cup water
  • 2 tomatoes peeled and sliced
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 cups rice
  • 1/2 inch strand saffron, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon butter

Instructions

Cut the meat into bite sie pieces and set aside.

Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the garlic and onion until the onion starts to wilt, about 2 minutes.

Place the meat in a large, heavy casserole and add the sauteed mixture, 1 teaspoon salt, cayenne, ginger, fennel, cardamon, cinnamon, 1.2 cup water, and layer the tomatoes on top.  Cover and simmer over a ver low heat for 30 minutes, or until the meat is nearly cooked.

Bring the 4 cups of water to a boil, add the rice, saffron, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt.  Cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes.  When the rice is don stir in butter.

Preheat the over to 250 degrees F.

Grease the bottom of a large, heavy casserole with a little oil, and 1/3 of the rice, 1/2 of the meat mixture, 1/3 of the rice, the remaining meat mixture, and top with the remaining rice.  Sprinkle the top with water.  Cover tightly and place the casserole in the oven.  Bake slowly for 1 1/2 hours, checking to see that there is always a little moinsture in the casserole; sprinkle with more water, if necessary.

Tunisian Chickpea Soup (Lablabi)

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This thick and delicious soup from North Africa should be served as a supper dish, which is when many thick, spicy soups are traditionally served.  Even though 10 cloves of garlic sounds like a lot, the garlic mellows as it cooks.  Serve it with crusty warm bread.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried chickpeas, picked over, covered with water, soaked overnight in refrigerator.
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped red onion
  • 10 cloves garlic, slighly crushed
  • 3/4 cup chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons red chile powder or chile caribe
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon hot paprika
  • 10 cups chicken stock or water
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Instructions

Drain the chickpeas, place themin a very large casserole or stock pot; cover wth fresh cold water; bring the mixture to a boil; then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 to 40 minutes or until the chickpeas are just tender.

While the chickpeas are cookingt, heat the oil in a large skillet and add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, salt, black pepper, red chile powder, cumin, and paprika.  Saute the mixture slowly for 3 minutes, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove from the heat and reserve.

Drain the chickpeas, pour them back into the large casserole, add the reserved vegetable saute mixture, add the stock, and stir until the mixture is well mixed.

Spoon about 1/2 of the mixture into a food processor or blender and puree.  Return the puree to the soup and reheat.  When the soup is hot, stir in the lemon juice and the cilantro.  Serve immediately.

 

Peanut-Piquin Soup

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Each Afican country seems to have its own version of peanut soup, or groundnut soup.  It is common all over Africa, but it is especially popular in the in the western part.  The soup can be made a day head to blend the flavors, and then carefully reheated.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound shelled, roated peanuts
  • 1 tablespoon peanut oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped carrots
  • 3 dried, crushed piquin chiles, or 3 fresh jalapenos, seeds and stems removed, minced
  • 8 cups beef or chicken stock
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 3/4 cup cream
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • * Garnish: chopped parsley and chopped chives

Instructions

Rub the skins off the peanuts.  Place the nuts in a food processor and grind them to a very fine meal.  Set aside.

Heat oil in a large casserole and saute the onion and carrots for 2 minutes.  Add the chiles, the reserved nuts, and the stock and brin the mixture to a boil.  Lower the heat to a simmer, and simmer uncovered fo 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Pour 1/2 cup of the milk into a small jar, add the cornstarch, and shake vigorously,  Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into the soup and then stir continously for 1 minute.  Then, add the remaining milk, all of the cream, and the salt.  Simmer for 3 minutes, and do not allow the mixture to boil.  Cover the soup and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

Serve the soup hot, garnish with the parsley and chives.

Red Chile Papaya Soup

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Even though the papaya is a native of the Wester Hemisphere, papayas have been cultivated all over the world in semitropical zones. The exotic flavor of this fruit combines the dried red chile and mace to give it a most wonderful taste in this South African recipe.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 2 teaspoons red chile powder
  • 1 1/2 pound papaya, peeled seeded, and coarsley cubed
  • 1 cup papaya juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground mace
  • 3 1/4 cups milk
  • 2 easpoons cornstarch
  • * Garnish: croutons

Instructions

Heat the butter in a large skillet and add the onions and saute until they are a golden color, about 3 minutes.  Add the parsley, chile powder, cubed papaya, papaya juice, salt, and pepper and simmer over a low heat until the mixture resembles a pulp.

Position a sieve over a large saucepan, pour the papaya pulp into the sieve, and press down on the contents to get all of the liquid into the saucepan.  Add the mace.

Add the 3 cups of milk and heat the mixture gently, not allowing it to boil.  When the mixture is hot, mix the cornstarch and the 1/4 cup of milk in a small jar and skake.  Pour the cornstarch through a fine sieve into the hot soup and stir until the soup is slightly thickened.  Simmer for 3 minutes over a low heat and serve hot.

Crab and Green Chile Stew (Kotokyim)

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This dish from Ghana is delicious and easy to make.  The hot chilies are countered by the tomatoes and the crab.  Serve this dish with hot, cooked rice.

Ingredients

  • 1 onion, peeled and cut into quarters
  • 3 to 4 hot chiles, such as serrano or jalapeno seeds and stems removed
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 1 pound cooked crab meat, flaked
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 freshly ground white pepper
  • 3/4 cup tomato or canned V 8 juice
  • * Garnish: minced parsley

Instructions

Place the onion, chiles and the oil in a food processor or blender and mince finely.  Heat a deep skillet, and the minced mixture, and saute for 1 minute.

Add the chopped tomatoes and saute until the tomatoes are soft; then, add the crab meat, salt white pepper, and tomato juice and simmer for 15 minutes, covered.

Garnish with minced parsley.