A World of Curries: South and East Africa

Dave DeWitt A World of Curries, Africa Leave a Comment

By Dave DeWitt Recipes: Malawi Curry Powder Berbere Ethiopian Curried Butter Ethiopian Chicken Stew Curried Beef and Bananas Pinang-Kerrie The Dutch colonized South Africa because of its ideal position halfway between the Netherlands and the Spice Islands.  It was a perfect outpost for raising the vegetables and livestock necessary to replenish their ships. In 1652, the Dutch East India Company …

A World of Curries: The Curry Pantry

Dave DeWitt A World of Curries, Africa, Asia, Caribbean, India Leave a Comment

By Dave DeWitt Note: This is a glossary of the most common ingredients in world curries. I have eliminated some of the more common foods that are curried, such as meats, seafood, fruits, and vegetables, and have concentrated on herbs, spices, seasonings, flavorings, and unusual condiments. Ajowan (Carum copticum).  Called “Bishop’s weed” in some parts of Africa, it is a hairy …

A Mosaic of Flavor: Ras el Hanout

Dave DeWitt Africa Leave a Comment

Story and Photos by Paul Ross Rooster Mosaic Recipes: Ras el HanoutTunisian Carrot SaladMechouiaHarissaMerguez (Lamb Sausages)Le Biftek a la Carthage From deep within the souks of North Africa comes ras el hanout, a complex, elusive and thoroughly magical blend of spices that, like the region’s celebrated mosaics, adds up to much more than the mere sum of its parts. It …

In Hottest Africa: Part 1, North and West

Fiery Foods Manager Africa Leave a Comment

by Dave DeWitt Recipes: Harissa Sauce; Nigerian Coconut Curry Soup; Tajine of Chicken with Lemons and Olives; Pepper-Peanut Kabobs The cooking of the African continent reflects the influences of its explorers, its conquerors, and its traders. Such is the history of chiles in Africa, which were unknown before 1500 but conquered a continent in less than half a century. The …

Mascarene Islands Map

Mascarene Chile Cuisine

Fiery Foods Manager Africa Leave a Comment

Recipe Index Piment Limon Mascarene Chile Paste Sauce Rougaille MauritianCoconut Chutney La RéunionChicken Curry Tiger Prawnswith Red Chile MascareneHush Puppies Did Portuguese explorer Pedro Mascarenhas bring chile pepper seeds to the three islands in the Indian Ocean he discovered in 1502? After all, it was nine years after Colombus brought chiles back from the Bahamas, and Portuguese explorers and traders …