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Afrique de l'Est

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Agatogo (Rwanda) There’s an old Rwandan saying “The most extensive land is the human belly.”

Agatogo (Rwanda)

I like to think there’s mountains and streams in there, glorious sunsets and easy, glimmering sunrises. Is that somehow unsavory? Boeuf au chou à l'éthiopienne. Boeuf Suqaar (Somalie) Sometimes we need a meal that can fill every corner of our heart, one that can bump out those rough and tumble emotions that bog us down… the ones that keep us from being happy.

Boeuf Suqaar (Somalie)

Carefree. Enter Suqaar, from Somalia. Chapati kenyan. I firmly believe flatbread has magical qualities.

Chapati kenyan

It can revive dull dinner conversation during that gaping time when the food seems like it’ll never be ready. And, when the meal finally arrives, flatbread is there to happily house any number of visitors, including stews, sandwich fillings, spreads, dips, and cheeses. It can even make a grouchy baby happy again. I’m into it. Are you with me? Chou à la kényane. Serves 2-4 When I look at this photo, my tummy literally rumbles.

Chou à la kényane

My mouth opens a little in expectation. Chou-fleur au gingembre - Abeba gomen (Éthiopie) Ecrasé de pomme de terre aux légumes (Tanzanie) I’m a little like mashed potatoes; I’m stable and sure, but I avoid wearing colorful makeup.

Ecrasé de pomme de terre aux légumes (Tanzanie)

The last time I wore blue eye liner was the nineties, and it was already a decade too late. I’m destined to recede behind more vibrant individuals – individuals of style. But imagine what good things could come from a splash of color? The jury is out with me, but consider the mashed potato. Must she remain the unadorned, pale wallflower in a buffet of color? Fossolia : Haricots verts aux tomates (Éthiopie) Frites au pilau (Kenya) Frites de patate douce blanche (Rwanda) Sweet potatoes are up there with a good hair cut, purring cats, and sunlight through fiery autumn leaves.

Frites de patate douce blanche (Rwanda)

The simple sweetness is all I need on a chilly evening. But it’s not all about the coppery hued variety, which litter my counter tops like fallen leaves. There’s such a thing as white sweet potatoes, too. Rwandans love sweet potatoes, especially white sweet potatoes which they boil, mash, and even fry. Gomen : Chou vert épicé à l'éthiopienne. Haricots rouges du Burundi aux plantains. Serves 4 If you can make this African bean dish a day ahead, please do.

Haricots rouges du Burundi aux plantains

The sauce will thicken and coat every millimeter of the beans with chili and onion goodness. Great side dish for a party! Ingredients: Haricots rouges pimentés aux oignons (Burundi) Hembesha : pain aux épices (Ethiopie) This year Ava and I brought a loaf of Eritrean Hembesha bread to the annual Martin Luther King parade.

Hembesha : pain aux épices (Ethiopie)

It’s a random sort of thing to bring to a parade, but I’d just pulled batch #3 out of the oven and couldn’t stand the thought of the bread cooling down without being able to enjoy a still-steaming, soft wedge. There are few things better than a steaming-hot piece of homemade bread. Hembesha is no exception: the east African bread is soft and earthy with whispers of garlic, coriander, cardamom, and fenugreek.

The distinct flavor profile is great with hearty stews or even on the side of scrambled eggs (perfect for a savory brunch). That being said, hembesha is traditionally served in the afternoon with tea and a drizzle of honey and/or tesmi (tesemi is spiced ghee made with ginger, garlic, onions, and berbere) Injera : Crêpe à la farine de teff (Erythrée) Kebabs ougandais. Summer still catwalks through the August air, unabashed and sizzling.

Kebabs ougandais

There’s still time to grill, still time to sit out under the stars without a coat, or even a hoodie. There’s time to wear out those flipflops and kick back in sunglasses. And there’s still time to try Uganda’s kebabs, adapted from Marcus Samuelsson’s beautiful cookbook Discovery Of A Continent – Foods, Flavors, And Inspirations From Africa. Kik Alicha - Ragoût éthiopien de pois cassés au curcuma. Kisamvu : Mijoté d'épinards au lait de coco et cacahuètes (Tanzanie) Kuku Paka. Kuku paka, an East African-Indian dish that’s traditionally made with charcoal-grilled chicken in a spiced coconut milk sauce and served over rice, is comforting, sweet, creamy, and well-balanced.

Kuku Paka

This version, which is adapted from my cookbook, Let’s Eat, approximates the traditional curry base, but features broiled chicken so that you don’t have to grill when it’s raining or freezing or you just don’t want to. Any cut of chicken can be used: I like boneless thighs here for the sake of ease and flavor, but any mix of breasts, tenders, or drumsticks can be used, provided they’ve been cut into similar sizes. Because the chicken is cooked separately from the curry base, you also can substitute it with any hearty vegetable to make this dish suitable for a vegetarian diet. For a plant-based diet, skip the addition of heavy cream or substitute it with a creamy barista-style nondairy milk or additional coconut milk. Luwombo de boeuf (Ouganda) Maïs au lait de coco et curcuma (Somalie)

When I was a little girl, I’d sit on the back porch and shuck long ears of corn, the silk wrapping around my fingers, clinging to my dress, and falling onto my shoes. Similar scenes can be found throughout southern Somalia, where men, women, and children pull together to harvest their corn. To shuck the corn. And, eventually, to grind it in wide, stone bowls, to make porridge. Maïs grillé à la kényane. Makes 1/4 cup seasoned salt for lots of corn goodness. Can you squeeze a lime? Can you smash chili peppers into a mini mound of salt? Can you grill corn? Mesir wat : Mijoté éthiopien de lentilles corail aux patates douces. Misir sambusa. Nyama : ragoût de boeuf (Kenya) Serves 4 Hello, sky.

Have you been outside lately? Oeufs brouillés à l'éthiopienne. Plantains frites à l'huile de palme rouge (Burundi) Poisson aux tomates et huile de palme (Burundi) Serves 2-3 Make this African dish with your favorite white fish. In Burundi, they use whole Ndagala or mukéké. Poulet à la rwandaise. Ragoût éthiopien d'agneau aux oignons. Serves 2-4 I was a total lamb newb before starting Global Table Adventure – I simply had never cooked it. Sure, I grew up eating it with mint jelly (although the jelly always stayed on my plate, untouched), but the actual process of making a tasty meal out of lamb was a mystery to me. Rolex (Ouganda) Riz aux épices et à l'agneau (Somalie) Salade de boulgour aux raisins (Éthiopie) Salade de pomme de terre au citron vert (Ethiopie) Sauce Pili-Pili. Shiro Wot : Bouillie éthiopienne très relevée.

Skoudehkaris : Riz à l'agneau de Djibouti. Soupe de pomme de terre au lait de coco (Tanzanie) Tibs éthiopien. Wat de lentilles au berberé. Zigni : ragoût érythréen au berberé (épicé !) Caramels au sésame - Sim sim balls (Ouganda) Che'che'bsa : petit déjeuner éthiopien épicé. Friands ougandais de cacahuètes, noix de coco et cardamome. Gâteau aux dattes et à la banane (Burundi) Malawah (crêpe sucrée somalienne) Mandazi : beignets au lait de coco et aux épices de Tanzanie. Salade de fruits rwandaise. Spris de fruits (Éthiopie)