Afro-Pantry

Filling the pantry with African preserves for our Afro Kitchen food stall- pickles, spice rubs, jams, ginger beer, for up and coming Underground Farmers market in Amsterdam sometime in May (the exact date and location always remains under wraps, until just before the happening.) Any micro-producer can partake (see details on www.talkinfood.nl).

This micro-producer is still looking for unusual and tasty recipes for African jams and chutneys…anybody?

 Meanwhile our recipe for this gorgeous pickle

 

Pumpkin atjar

This fairly mild pickle is good with just about everything, grilled meat, cheese or simple with bread and butter.

8 jars of 250 ml

4 kg of pumpkin, peeled pith removed and diced

4 T of each, cumin seeds, crushed

600 ml sunflower oil

2 heaped tablespoons salt

6 heaped tablespoons finely ground coriander

6 tablespoons fennel seeds

4 tablespoons ground cumin

4 tablespoons curry powder

1 litre white vinegar

200 g light brown sugar

4 T yellow mustard seeds

16 small dried chillies

16 garlic cloves, peeled

20 curry leaves

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the pumpkin pieces on a roasting tray, sprinkle with the crushed cumin and drizzle with 6 tablespoons oil. Mix to coat evenly. Roast for about 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is cooked but hold its shape.  Combine the salt, ground coriander, fennel, ground cumin and curry. Sprinkle over the cooked pumpkin, mixing carefully to coat the cubes. Leave to marinade overnight. Place the vinegar and sugar in a saucepan and boil until sugar dissolves.  Pour the pickling sauce over the pumpkin. Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan and add the garlic cloves mustard until the seeds start to pop. Remove from heat and add the chillies and curry leaves. Pour over the pumpkin and allow mixture to cook completely. Bottle in sterilized jars and top with oil to cover.    

Burundi comfort food

Talking to a Burundian hotelier and cook, about typical Burundian cuisine, he made an interesting point- that Burundians eat alot of vegetables, more than most Africans. Beans seem to be a great favourite, especially kidney beans, they eat them daily…

Here’s  a recipe for Ibiharage- cooked beans with plantain. This spicy version  includes a spoon of berberi peper paste. Go easy on the palm oil, it’s an acquired taste! 

 Ibiharage with fried plantain

Preparation time: about 30 minutes

4 tablespoons sunflower oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed
450 g cooked kidney beans

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chilli/ berberi paste

2 ripe plantains, peeled and sliced

2 tablespoons palm oil

Heat half the sunflower oil. Gently soften the onions and garlic. Add the beans and season with salt and the chilli or berberi paste. Add 500 ml water and cook for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile heat the rest of the sunflower and palm oil and cooking oil in a large pan and fry the plantain pieces until they are golden brown. Remove from the pan, sprinkle with salt and set aside.

Serves 3-4

Note: to cook dried kidney beans, soak overnight in cold water. Drain and cover with clean water in a pot. Add 2 bay leaves, enough water to cover and bring to the boil. The beans will be tender in 20-25 minutes.