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.

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.

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.

White Cheese and Tomato Salad

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Egyptians call any dish of raw vegetables a “salad”even though we would call this a dip or spread.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces feta cheese
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons minced serrano chile
  • 2 tablespoons minced parsley
  • 1 large tomato, finely diced

Instructions

Mash the cheese, oil, lemon, chile, and parsley together with a fork.  Fold in the tomato.  Spread the mixture out on a serving plate and serve with pita toast points, crackers or other crisp bread.

West African Banana and Chile Fritters (Kaklo)

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This is one of the more unusual vegetarian African appetizers.  Note the combination of bananas, chiles, and ginger which make for a sweet and spicy taste.

Ingredients

  • 2 bananas
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 1/2 green chile pepper, such as jalapeno, stem and seeds removed, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/8 cup water
  • Peanut oil for frying

Instructions

Peel the bananas and mash.  Add chopped onion, tomato and chile pepper and mash again.  Add the salt and ginger.  Mix flour and water, then add mash and stir well.  Heat the oil until hot enough for deep-frying.  Drop mixture half-teaspoonful at a time into oil and fry until golden grown.  Ball shoul be crisp on the outside, but soft on the inside.  Served as hot or cold snack, or hot with a main dish.