Keep Away From-A Runaround Suya

NATIONAL DISH OF NIGER - Suya

So my birthday week is over, and I have to wait for another year for everything to be about me! Well for those who know me, you know that last statement was a lie. I have the ability to make everything about me!

I was very thankful to The Molefaces for celebrating with me and absolutely loved my Scanpan knives! Generally we have drinks and go out for a dance and frivolity on the weekends, but we also like to go out for dinner on our actual birthday. The decision of where to go is hard to make, but in an exceptionally divine gastronomic city that Melbourne is, the choice is that much more difficult. I of course like to do my own thing and my choices tend to be unique and quirky, but very Leo. Last year for my birthday dinner we went to my place of worship...IKEA. Weird? yes. But also very awesome! We sat in the dining hall with our Swedish meatballs and celebrated with champagne that Lady Lara had smuggled in. I even had a cake that my sister had brought (she lit the candles in one of the study displays) and everyone sang Happy Birthday. Despite the judging looks we received from the shoppers, it was the best birthday dinner ever!

So how to top that this year. And would that even be possible? Well I knew just the place that would be able to satiate The Molefaces need to indulge in large amounts of unhealthy food. Misty's Diner is an American 50's styled diner that serves ridonculously amazing burgers and fries (amongst other delicious food). I thoroughly enjoyed my Bloomin' Onion entree, as well as my Buffalo-style burger and wet fries! But the reason for Misty's Diner as my choice of venue was for the venerable Reese's Pieces Thickshake! For a quick ascension to gastronomic heaven, go and grab one now! If I had my own country, Reese's Pieces Thickshake would be my national drink! (nachos would probably be my national dish for those playing at home).

Now back to the cooking of real national dishes. Suya is a West African version of a shish kebab, or meat on a stick. Devised by the Hausa people of Niger and northern Nigeria, it is a popular snack sold at many restaurants and street-side stalls. Normally made from beef (chicken and fish are also options) the meat is dry rubbed in a mixture of spices or tankora. The tankora consists of crushed peanuts, cayenne pepper, ginger, paprika and onion powder. Then it is barbecued and devoured with additional tankora (but only if you can handle the heat!)

Enjoy, or as they say in Niger, Bon appétit! (or A ci abinci lafiya if you speak Hausa)




A different kind of kebab: http://www.food.com/recipe/nigerian-suya-309911

Difficulty:         5

Appearance:    3

Taste:               4

TOTAL:            12

Note: Difficulty is scaled in reverse to the other categories, where 1 =  was extremely difficult to make, and 5 = was easy to make. 

The dry rub spice mix was pretty easy to make, just throw everything into a blender and mix thoroughly. And with my new Scanpan knives, it was totes easy to slice the meat. Then all that was left was to dip the meat in the spices and barbecue. Oh, and then of course eat it!

Meat on a stick may not be the most appealing thing for some (unless you are Lady Leah), but the Suya after the grilling looked crunchy and smelled so appetising. I skewered pieces of onion, tomato and capsicum to add some colour to the dish and it contrasted the brown of the meat and the spice rub.

Now I have made this twice and as it always tends to go with my cooking, the first time was the best. Beginner's luck made the Suya succulent and tender yet crunchy, and it almost tasted like fried chicken. However the next time I made Suya, I must have got the spice ratio incorrect for this time it was mouth on fire! But still oh so good. For future reference, I recommend going easy on the cayenne. Unless you can stomach it that is. So thank you Niger for introducing me to Suya. With summer coming up in Australia, I envisage introducing to others and it being a stape for an Aussie BBQs.

Through A Second Kuskus Once Removed

NATIONAL DISH OF MAURITANIA - Kuskus with Roast Lamb


Well we have FINALLY come to the greatest day of the year. When the world stops what they are doing and celebrates a tradition that is old as anything from 1984....The birth of Leo! And in keeping with tradition, a grand affair was thrown including great friends, trash bagging, celebs, stylised dancing, pass outs (not Lady Lara this time but K Horns), creation of a breakaway group, and SO much drinking that St Kilda consequently became a Dry Zone!

And because I was too busy beautifying myself, I had to outsource the catering. Who better to outsource to than The GGJ?! There was gonna be normal finger food (however at FDW proportions), but we needed something more substantial for this auspicious occasion. Also some of the Molefaces had been on a winery tour and I thought they would need something substantial to line their stomachs. Plus it would allow me to use my fabulous birthday presents from The Molefaces, my wondrous Scanpan knives!

So a nice, healthy recipe was chosen for the national dish of Mauritania. Also since Leah and I have to flee to Mother Africa in 2012 for the end of the world, I thought she might as well get used to the food now.

The national dish of Mauritania is Kuskus with Roast Lamb. Basically it is a lamb sauce/stew placed atop some delicious couscous. Couscous is made from semolina (although apparently it was traditionally made from millet) and is a staple found throughout northern Africa. Producing the granules is a labour intensive method of rolling the semolina into pellets, sprinkling them with flour and then sieving them. The tiny granules that are too small are put through the process again until all you are left with are pellets. This used to take several days. Thankfully in these modern times we have machines that expediently create couscous and I don't have to get my millstone out.

For couscous to be properly cooked, the end result has to be light and fluffy. Instant couscous is a pre-cooked time saver that requires boiling in water for five minutes and then fluffing with a fork. But if you want something with actual flavour, then you got to go old school. This is of course easier said than done. Lining a colander with some cheesecloth over a boiling pot of water is an easy fix, but to do it properly you need a couscoussière. The meat and vegetables are stewed in the large, tall bottom pot, whilst on top of the base the couscous is steamed, absorbing the flavours of the stew below. Unfortunately I haven't been able to locate one.

So since it is my birthday, if anyone wants to buy me a couscoussière I won't object! (Others presents will also be accepted!)


Enjoy, or as they say in Mauritania,  !بالهنا والشفا (bil-hanā' wa ash-shifā')




The first recipe for The GGJ featuring couscous: http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/miscellaneous/fetch-recipe.php?rid=misc-mauritanian-lamb-couscous

Difficulty:         4

Appearance:    4

Taste:               4

TOTAL:            12

Note: Difficulty is scaled in reverse to the other categories, where 1 =  was extremely difficult to make, and 5 = was easy to make. 

Now ordinarily this would not be a drastically difficult dish to make, despite the number of processes it contains. But when you are throwing a Moleface shindig, you really have to plan ahead. All that goes in to decorating, creating an ambient music playlist, making sure there is enough ice and room in the fridge, and then producing sufficient finger food can be a workload and a half. But a little time management goes a long way, and if you happen to be running late, you can always expect The Molefaces to be running late as well!

This dish was certainly a feast for the eyes! Even whilst cooking I noticed the myriad of colours that went into producing the kuskus. And the aroma was intoxicating. Something very earthy and traditional about it. I love the compliments I get when people enter the house and there is a divinely aromatic stew a cooking. I placed the couscous on a large platter and then scooped the lamb stew on top. And paraded it into the lounge room to a lively applause from the appreciative audience.

The lamb stew was very tender and juicy. I loved that there wasn't much herbs or spices added to the stew and so it allowed all the flavours of the chunky vegetables to shine! This made the whole thing taste very pure and organic.
The couscous was amazing! The light and fluffy granules mixed well with the gritty chickpeas and the tartness of the dates and raisins. But the thing that makes the couscous heaven sent is the butter. Who am I kidding, butter makes EVERYTHING taste divine!

Thank you Molefaces and honourary Molefaces for helping me celebrate my anniversary of entering into this world. Your time and efforts were stellar and much appreciated! And for those that are still perplexed at why my birthday is not an international holiday, I say to you: I KNOW, RIGHT! But don't worry the lobbying shall continue and it will be only a matter of time before we get another day off for drinking and eating. How else would you celebrate my life?!

I Halwo And I Whine, I'm After You

NATIONAL DISH OF SOMALIA - Halwo

Halwo (spelled and pronounced in many different ways), is a dense slab of sweet confection that can be found from North Africa right across the Middle East through to Central and South Asia. Halva is Arabic for "sweet" and is most associated with Arab world. Generally there are two types of Halva:

- a flour based variety that is gelatinous and mainly consists of flour, oil and sugar
- a nut-butter based variety that is crumbly and mainly consists of nut-butter (such as tahini) and sugar.

Both varieties contain other ingredients and spices to bring out a multitude of flavours. In Somalia, Halwo is served for special occasions, such as wedding receptions or Eid celebrations (feast signalling the end of Ramadan). Somalian Halwo is made from cornstarch, sugar, cardamom, nutmeg, and ghee. Peanuts are optional but are sometimes used to bring out the flavours and texture of the Halwo.

Enjoy, or as they say in Somalia, ku raaxayso cuntadaada!



For some Somali dessert action: http://www.somalirecipes.com/2009/07/halwahalwo-somali-sweet.html

Difficulty:         4

Appearance:    3

Taste:               2

TOTAL:             9

Note: Difficulty is scaled in reverse to the other categories, where 1 =  was extremely difficult to make, and 5 = was easy to make.

This was not that difficult to make, but it was time consuming and involved much stirring to be needed. And if I had to wait 15 more minutes to add some more ghee, I think I would have gone on a rampage! Luckily this did not happen. Crisis averted!

The halwo had a very rich deep reddish brown colour whilst it was cooking, and when boiling it looked like liquid magma bubbling up from a volcano. After I threw in the spices my kitchen became so fragrant but there still lingered the sweet aroma of the sugar cooking. I decided to add the peanuts at the last minute because I felt it was too red. It added a new dimension of texture and flavour, not to mention new colouring.

Now taste is a funny thing, very subjective. I cut the the dense slab in to what I thought were adequate pieces, but were unfortunately too large. The overtly sugary taste was too strong for my liking, although I did enjoy the flavours of the cardamom and nutmeg. I think my opinion of the Halwo would have been higher if I had some ice cream to cut the sweetness. I also had some friends try it, and they were adamant that they enjoyed it. But a part of me still feels like they were just being polite. Having said all this, if I'm ever in Somalia I will certainlly give their Halwo a try,

So Just Poulet The Trigger

NATIONAL DISH OF GUINEA - Poulet Yassa

You may remember it was Mark George's birthday dinner a few months ago, but tonight it is the birthday dinner of the other half of that Moleface couple. Some would say the more glamourous of the two. Others would not based on Mark Geroge's geek chic. (I LOVE his Plaid-apus and Hypota-moose shirts!) This is the first of 3 Moleface birthdays in April, so The GGJ kitchen will be extra busy this month!

Carli, a graphic designer by trade, works for a gardening/media company where she puts in some crazy work hours. A hard worker from way back, I first met Carli in 2005 whilst we were working in a take away shop over the summer, at a resort in our home town. We bonded over our love for tacky 90's music, and shared a similar warped sense of humour. After the summer we returned to our respective universities and lost contact. That was until a few years later Carli moved to Melbourne. We picked up the friendship where we left it, and have had non-stop laughs since.

With a penchant for polka dotted dresses and headbands with bows, Carli embodies the elegant style of a refined lady. But get some drinks into her and the true Moleface comes out, and so does her alter-ego Rachel. Rachel on the other hand, has a penchant for using pashminas as courting weapons and has an extensive, albeit drunken, vocabulary ("I JOVE YOU!")

And as much as I love Carli for all that she is by herself, without her I would not have been introduced to the other Molefaces. So for one of the greatest gifts I have been given in my life, I felt that the least I could do would be to put some effort into her birthday dinner to commemorate our origin of friendship. And what better way to do that than to cook something from the continent of origin for humanity.

Poulet Yassa is a spicy marinated chicken dish prepared with onions and lemons, and served on a bed of rice. It can be found throughout Western Africa, and is a specialty in the Casamance region of Senegal (which borders Guinea, The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau). We of course will be making the Guinean version in The GGJ kitchen this evening.


Enjoy, or as they say in Guinea, Bon appétit! 



Recipe for the African variation on Lemon Chicken: http://www.friendsofguinea.org/aboutguinea/recipes.shtml#yassa

Difficulty:         5

Appearance:   4

Taste:              4 

TOTAL:           13

I love me a good recipe that basically consists of marinating meat, and then cooking it slowly until it falls off the bone. Well this recipe ticks both those boxes, thereby making the difficulty quotient quite low.

I have a slight aversion to Lemon Chicken of the Asian variety. It's too syrupy and lemony, so not a fan. So was a little apprehensive when I saw what this dish had entailed. But with a wonderfully fragrant kitchen and an open mind, we sat down for Moleface Carli's birthday dinner to sample the wares that Guinea had to offer. The chicken was wonderfully tender, it just slid off the bone. And the few seasonings that were added to the marinade certainly permeated the chicken. Although my fears were partially realised. I thought lemon did overpower the dish slightly, but the other diners respectfully disagreed. I think they were saying that out of politeness though, cause there was a lot of lemon. Next time I would reduce the amount of lemon juice and add a little African heat to the dish with some Piri-piri chillies. I also served up some Jus de Tamarin as a beverage, but the tart taste of the Tamarind didn't go down as nicely as the Honduran Horchata.

We topped the night off with a marvelous (if I do say so myself) Chocolate Cherry Cake for the birthday girl, which was pretty much a Black Forest cake. Now I am repulsed by cherries (in fact most stone fruits excluding juicy mangoes), but bizarroly Black Forest cake is one of my absolute faves based on the cherries and kirsch. And of course the chocolate! So Bon Anniversaire Lady Carli, I hope this African feast made you feel at home!

Can't Take My Eyes Jollof You

NATIONAL DISH OF NIGERIA - Jollof Rice

Welcome back to Africa! Today we are travelling to the most populous nation in Africa, Nigeria, which lies on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa. Apparently Nigeria has one of the most booming economies in the world, and is touted as being a future economic leader.

Well those of you reading this is the future, first of all: Hello and welcome to The GGJ! What's it like there? Are we all wearing silver lyrca jumpsuits? Do we FINALLY get those Hoverboards from Back To The Future? And is Justin Bieber the leader of Earth? And secondly, can someone drop in to Nigeria and make sure that the now affluent Nigerians have not lost touch with their culinary roots and changed their national dish. For their national dish is the tasty Jollof Rice.

Jollof Rice, found in various incarnations across West Africa, is a dish with common ingredients of rice, tomato/paste, onion, salt and red pepper. But as I've found during my continuing tutelage of international cooking, there can be a multitude of different recipes regarding a dish. Sometimes people of the same race, nation, or even family may disagree on the correct way to prepare a dish. I've noticed on other cooking blogs and cooking videos on YouTube, that some native people have expressed negative comments towards the attempt of a national dish. And the more personal the dish is to them, the more emotive they could be about the method. I hope that this does not happen at The GGJ. So if any readers feel offended by my preparation of your national dish, please understand that I am a very amateur cook and that although I do research on each upcoming dish/country, I don't deem to be an expert or to exemplify an indigenous person. My attempts are not a personal attack. And in the end I hope that all that is left is some better understanding, some wonderful experiences, and of course some magnificent food!

 Enjoy, or as they say in Nigeria, Enjoy! (unless you speak Yorùbá then Ounjẹ ajẹye o!)



Here's the recipe of the Nigerian version: http://www.motherlandnigeria.com/recipes.html#jollof_rice

Difficulty:         5

Appearance:   3

Taste:              4 

TOTAL:           12

Another straight forward recipe, thanks Nigeria. It's as simple as cooking some rice (and then processing some vegetable and throwing those in).

To me, rice is not the grandest thing to look at. It's also not offensive by any standards, I'm just saying that I'm sure you wouldn't find it hanging in the Louvre. I certainly didn't see any when I was there. But this version of Jollof Rice isn't just flat white. The processed vegetables, cayenne pepper and broth give it a little burst of colour. Not to mention their contribution to it's mouth-watering aroma whilst cooking.

And the taste......delicioso! The vegetable stock I used gave it a good kick and the pungent flavour burst over my tastebuds like someone blew up some dynamite made of rice. Thankfully I did make enough to last until the end of days. But then again it was SO filling, and with the equally scrumptious peri-peri chicken and fried plantains I made to accompany the rice, I could only eat so much. Luckily Moleface Hay Rae was on hand to handle the eating duties. And for her efforts she got a take home portion in my IKEA plastic containers (PRODUCT PLACEMENT!)

Ugali, Well You Came And You Gave Without Taking

NATIONAL DISH OF KENYA - Ugali

Back to the cradle of civilisation we travel today, to the country of Kenya. The national dish of Kenya is Ugali, a dough like dish made from maize flour cooked with water. Now I can hear what your thinking, "Leo this Ugali sounds familiar, haven't we seen this before at The GGJ?" And now your thinking, "How did you know what I was thinking? Are you some kind of Witchdoctor? GET OUT OF MY HEAD VOODOO MAN!"

Well to answer your first question, yes, yes we have. Throughout the land of Africa porridge like food comes in many forms and is made from different core ingredients. So far we've made Nshima from Zambia and Dumboy from Liberia. Of course there are other African countries that have similar meals, but we've already talked about them in other posts. So if you're interested, go back through the archives and have a look. Don't worry, I'll wait here until you're done.

Welcome back! Now you've seen the other posts you are familiar with the customs of making and eating such a dish. Now even though I may make similar dishes, the mealing experience doesn't feel repetitive. This is because there is always a different side dish specific to a region that gives the dish extra flavour.

Enjoy, or as they say in Kenya, Furahieni chakula chenu! (that is the beautiful language of Swahili)





For all things Kenyan cuisine related: http://allthingskenyan.com/food-ugali.html

Difficulty:         4

Appearance:   2

Taste:              2 

TOTAL:            8

The reason I have given the difficulty a 4 instead of a 5 (like the similar Nshima), is that the Ugali had less water and more maize flour than the Nshima. This made it much harder to remove all the lumps to provide a smooth porridge consistency. But with some time, patience and a LOT of elbow grease, I managed to get it to an edible consistency.

The appearance was pretty much the same as Nshima, dough like that is able to hold it's shape. But it was a whole lot yellower!

Adding more flour makes the Ugali more dense, and the thicker it is the harder it is to swallow. I prefer it to still be thick but adding a bit more water would have been better. Now, let's talk about the side dish that it is served with, Sukuma Wiki. Sukuma Wiki is a vegetable stew made primarily from kale. It adds flavour and more texture to the Ugali, and helps it go down better. Plus it tastes great, so that's a bonus. I don't want Kenyans to feel that I am being disrespectful or that I don't like their food. I guess my palate is very different, and if I grew up eating Kenyan cuisine I would have a higher appreciation for it. But I did enjoy the Sukuma Wiki.

And to answer your second question, my impressive mind tricks are still being tested, so we're not sure what kind of supernatural being I am yet.

My Life Would Succ(otash) Without You

NATIONAL DISH OF EQUATORIAL GUINEA - Succotash

I know what you're thinking, "Leo you is crazy! Succotash is not a dish, it's something Sylvester says!" Well although that awesome lisping cat does spout 'Sufferin' Succotash' whenever something doesn't go his way, Succotash is in fact a dish containing white beans, corn and capsicum cooked in a curry sauce.

Most of the recipes I found talk about Succotash coming from America, where it is a traditional Thanksgiving dish. Even Wikipedia pronounces the name stems from Native Americans living in the New England region. Now this may be all true, and who am I to argue? I don't have a PhD in Succotash (shock horror I know!) But the recipe that I was after needed to be Equatoguinean (awesome demonym). With a little scouring of the internet, I managed to find a recipe that was West African inclusive.

So with fear of inciting the beginning of the Apocalypse, where did Succotash originate? I'm assuming it was created in Africa and brought across to the Americas, where is has flourished. But you know what they say when you assume? I am generally right!

Enjoy, or as they say in Equatorial Guinea, ¡Buen apetito! or Bon appétit! (both Spanish and French are official languages)

Link towards the West African version: http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/miscellaneous/fetch-recipe.php?rid=misc-succotash

Difficulty:         4

Appearance:   4

Taste:              4 

TOTAL:           12

So basically with Succotash, you just throw all the ingredients into a pot and let them simmer. It is made easier (and takes less time) if you use canned beans instead of dried ones.

For such a simplistic meal, I was pleasantly surprised by the complexity of the outcome. The colours of the corn, beans and capsicum vibrantly compliment each other, with none of them overpowering.  And the fragrance was amazing. You know how I love a good aroma coming from the kitchen.

But the best surprise was the taste. The vegetables were SO fresh and crunchy and were made to pop by the flavour of the sauce. The only spices that were used are curry and chili powder, but man do they pack a punch! Succotash is generally a side dish so I cooked a small batch. In hindsight that was extremely foolish. My step-sister who lives with me was not yet home, so I left her some in the fridge. Needless to say it was all gone before she came home. After one bite I was hooked. I'm thinking Succotash needs to be added to this year's Thanksgiving menu. So to finish off, a word of advice: if you're making a batch of Succotash, pretend you're cooking for 20 people (or equally the Molefaces). This is the only way to stave off inevitable disappointment when you reach the bottom of your bowl. "Oh no! I ate all my Succotash! Oh that's right, I made enough to feed New York City. SCORE!"

Want Your Bad Romazava

NATIONAL DISH OF MADAGASCAR - Romazava

Madagascar, even the name makes it sound exotic (unless of course you are Malagasy). One of the world's largest islands, Madagascar is chock full with unique things that can not be found anywhere else. From old treasure-hidden pirate beaches, to giant moths and dancing lemurs, Madagascar is a world to it's own.

And that goes for culinary speaking as well. Romazava, the national dish of Madagascar, is a stew that combines beef, pork, and chicken with onion, garlic, ginger and vegetables. Even the recipe is unique, with each household creating it's own version.

So where else could I go to cook this exotic dish than to the "exotic" location of Berwick and the Scott B&B. The other guests staying the night were K Horns and our gracious host Hay Rae. The Scott B&B is a very relaxing place, almost like a personal nirvana, equipped with it's own gym, pool and day spa. But what I love most about the Scott B&B (aside from the neverending stock of alcohol they possess) is the magically gigantic kitchen! Large benches, plenty of stove top burners, and NEARLY all the culinary utensils who could ever need (seriously who doesn't have measuring cups and spoons - UTENSIL FAIL!) I do love when you find flaws with perfection, it makes you feel less inadequate. Also makes you want to go to IKEA!

Enjoy, or as they say in Madagascar, Mibango! 

Difficulty:        3

Appearance:  3 

Taste:             3 

TOTAL:           9

Although there is not a lot of differing process, pretty much just chopping things up and adding them to the pot to stew, it does take a little time. I suggest you keep an eye on the water level and add some more if necessary. Also I recommend drinking plenty of alcohol at a relaxing B&B.

Well the ol' Romazava certainly had a bit of colour to it. Red, green, white, other colours, nearly them all!

Now on to the taste. This could be a little problematic. Due to the facts that I began cooking quite late (we sat down to eat round 11pm) and that we had consumed a lot of vino by this time, our appetites were MIA. But of course we still sat down for a tiny-pony sized portion of Romazava. From what I can remember (once again copious consumption of alcohol) the garlic and ginger gave great flavour to the various selection of meats. And the meats themselves added a large depth of flavour: "I like the beef....or was that chicken....actually I meant pork". Combined with the meats, the textures of the rice and the wilted greens make this quite an interesting dish. I thoroughly recommend it on a cold winter's night, it will warm your soul like only a hearty stew can. But don't forget plenty of red wine to go with it!

Nshima Will Be Loved

NATIONAL DISH OF ZAMBIA -Nshima

Nshima, pretty similar to Dumboy, Fufu, Mealie-Meal, Pap and the myriad of other African dishes that which it is similar to. However, it is different in that it is made with corn meal. Now in Australia we have Cornflour, but apparently it is in fact more cornstarch than actual flour. So off I went on a trek around the exotic and foreign International markets of Melbourne to search high and low for maize flour. This was going to be arduous, was my thought, but then first store I walked into I found it straight away. Thank you random Asian grocery in Prahran!

Now this maize flour was yellow, which I guess it is reflective of the vegetable it is made from. But photos I had seen of Nshima were white. I assured myself that they had bleached the flour white, like wheaten flour is. A cosmetic procedure for flour if you will.

With trepidation left over from the remembrance of painstakingly pounding cassava to make Dumboy, I was assuaged when I saw Nshima making on Youtube. Nothing to it, thought I. But I learnt although it appears easy, it is an artform considered by Zambians to get the right texture and taste.

Nshima, as is many African meals, is eaten by hand. Taking a small piece and shaping it into a scoop to dip into the side dish (Ndiwo) and swallowing it. Eating is also done ritualistically, with the eldest at the meal eating first and then descending ages follow. It is a great communal meal and very venerated by Zambians. They've even have songs and folklore about the subject.


Enjoy, or as they say in Zambia, Enjoy!




For the Zambian national dish with a vegetarian side 'relish': http://people.bridgewater.edu/~mtembo/menu/nshima/nshima.shtml

Difficulty:       5 

Appearance:  2 

Taste:             2 

TOTAL:          9

This dish although similar to Dumboy, was SO much easier to make. You just had to keep stirring and add a little bit of maize flour at a time until you got the desired consistency.

My maize flour was yellow and so the end result was different to other photos that I had seen of Nshima. The bright yellow mass looked a little like mashed pumpkin, but unfortunately didn't taste as great. Not that it didn't have it's own flavour, it certainly beats Dumboy in that category. It also was easier to swallow and more malleable.

Nshima worked very well with the Ndiwo of Collared Greens with Peanut Powder. The smoothness of the Nshima juxtaposed the rough and grit of the Ndiwo. I have never tried Peanut Powder, and it's flavour permeated the greens well, giving it depth. Though next time I'll have to clean the greens more.

Skoude(hkaris) Looks Like A Lady

NATIONAL DISH OF DJIBOUTI - Skoudehkaris

Hello there GGJ Pilgrams! I know what you are all thinking, albeit sarcastically, "Leo it's been awhile since we had some African cusine...". Well never fear because of course here at The GGJ, 1 in 4 dishes are gonna be from Africa. And today we travel to the top of the horn to Djibouti.

Djibouti is one of those excellent foreign words (obviously not for Djiboutians) that one can get a sense of pleasure and accomplishment from rolling it off the tongue correctly. And Skoudehkaris, although a lovely word in it's own, to me doesn't really fit. It sounds like a Greek dish. But then again I don't have a PhD in Djibouti. Or do I?..... Well no, no I don't.

So Skoudehkaris is basically a seasoned meat and rice hot pot that would be traditionally be cooked over a fire nomadic style. I get a beautiful visual of cooking a hearty meal for the family, inhaling gorgeous aromas, and viewing the stunning display of the African night sky. How's the serenity!

Also sidebar - not to appear needy or anything, but if there is anyone out there, could you PLEASE post a comment or something. Even anonymous vloggers need love too! Now my "subtle" plead for validation is over, let's continue...

So enjoy, or as they say in Djibouti,  بالهنا والشفا! (bil-hanā' wa ash-shifā') or Bon appétit! (take your pick)
Djiboutian recipe found here: http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/miscellaneous/fetch-recipe.php?rid=misc-skoudehkaris

Difficulty:       4 

Appearance:  3 

Taste:            3 

TOTAL:       10

Rice, meat and spices stewed together again! I'm starting to think the oven does not exist in Africa. But I jest, for this common method of cooking is not that involved and so I can just leave it on to slowly cook. Meaning I can engage in other activities, like Ghost Stalking or Tarp Surfing.

Now the appearance of this dish was not altogether flattering. This is a perfect example of the much needed use of Smell-o-vision. Someone should totes get on to that!

Now it wasn't that it didn't taste delicious. It had to be since we ate it all. But it was a deceptive dish. Even though it had plenty of spices I didn't expect it to be so piquant. Not that it was hot in a 'chilli' sense, but the other spices certainly gave it a kick. I recommend for some a tank of water be close at hand in case of "Sudden Mouth On Fire Syndrome" (SMOFS). Those crazy Djiboutians!

Piri Piri Piri Piri, Do Ya Do Ya Do Ya Do Ya, Know What You're Doing Doing To Me

NATIONAL DISH OF MOZAMBIQUE - Shrimp Piri-Piri

So I have been pretty Poor Form of late. With Christmas and New Year's, I haven't took the time to put up some recent posts. I've made about 6 National Dishes since the start of December, now I just have to post the videos. So to get back into the swing of things let's head back to the great big land that is Africa.

Well look at that, Mother Africa has something special in store for us today with Shrimp Piri-Piri. As the name suggests, we will be using some seafood as the core ingredient. But the more surprising thing about this African recipe is that there is not a nut in sight!

I think most people in the world call these crustaceans shrimp, but in Australia we of course have to be different. We call them prawns. Thereby trying to imitate the Aussie accent with "Throw another Shrimp on the Barbie" is an epic fail. So don't come the raw prawn with me!

We Australians like our friendly rivalries (and taking the piss out of everything, not literally of course!), and where you live is one of the ways you know which "gang" you belong to. In Melbourne you have the trendy, intelligible and affluent South Side of the River, or the alternative, bohemian and bogan North Side of the River. And the less said about the West and East sides the better. My friend Benji was throwing the 1st BBQ of the summer, so I needed a nice and easy recipe to take over the North Side of the River. Also I needed less baggage in case I was chased by criminals. So I settled on BBQ'd marinated prawns.

Marinating the prawns was really easy, although I was concerned about the amount of chilli that they were marinating in. These concerns were amplified when I researched Piri-Piri and realised how hot they are. So with the Ambulance set on speed dial, off I set to the North Side of the River for relaxing drinks and a barbie!

(Look out for "Special" Guest Star Chad, who when around always has to be in the videos.)

Enjoy, or as they say in Mozambique, Bom apetite! (which is Portuguese, bizarro!)


For those who are brave and can handle some heat: http://www.globalgourmet.com/destinations/cookbooks/chile-pepper/shrimp-piri.html#axzz17VTbDMxe

Difficulty:       5 

Appearance:  4 

Taste:             4 

TOTAL:        13

Chopping and cooking the marinate was simple, and threading the prawns onto skewers was no problem either.

The prawns had turned a nice orangey-red colour that went well with salad. And BBQ'ing them created a great smokey aroma.


And now for the taste: WOAHHHH MUMMA! It's not so much that they were hot, but that they were HOOOTTTT! They did taste pretty damn good even though I'm not a huge fan of chilli. The spicy taste disappeared shortly after eating the succulent prawns, however, after eating a few the tingling and numbness in your lips certainly didn't! To combat this we just got more drunk. Problem Solved! 

The Dumboy Is Mine

NATIONAL DISH OF LIBERIA - Dumboy

Back to Western Africa we head for this installment of The GGJ, with a dish that can be found in many African nations. Most of Africa call it Fufu, whereas the Liberians call it Dumboy, but in the end it is simply pounded cassava.

I watched some clips on Youtube of people making Fufu, and was not only amazed by the size of their mortar and pestle (they were of the Big Momma size), but also the ability to pound the pestle without crushing the fingers of the person flipping the lump of cassava. Watch via the above link and join me in making the mental note of purchasing finger insurance when planning to travel to West Africa!

Dumboy is generally served alongside a soup or stew, and is eaten without utensils. The eater removes a small ball from the larger heap of pounded cassava, makes an indent with their thumb, and scoops up the soup or stew like they would a spoon. When placed in your mouth it is customary to swallow the Dumboy whole. Chewing it is considered a faux pas indeed. In fact I think it many be treasonous to do so, so just beware.

Enjoy, or as they say in Liberia, Enjoy!



The link for this Liberian staple can be found here: http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/miscellaneous/fetch-recipe.php?rid=misc-dumboy

Difficulty:       5 

Appearance:  1 

Taste:             2 

TOTAL:        8

OK so this would have to be the most deceptively easy dish so far. Easy in that all you have to do is boil the cassava and then pound it with a mortar and pestle. And deceptive, in that the process of pounding the cassava to the right consistency not only takes a long time, but a lot of patience. I don't have a great deal of the latter in my possession, and even though I do enjoy using my IKEA mortar and pestle, I gave up doing the whole kilo of cassava.

The little amount of Dumboy that I made looked like a giant marshmallow made out of smooth mashed potato. I had never tasted cassava before and it's appearance suggested to me that it would be bland. But you know what they say, looks can be deceiving. This is one of those times when they were lying, for the Dumboy had a weird chalky flavour with the texture of thick mashed potato. And is wasn't that difficult to swallow without chewing, the texture of the Dumboy pushed its own way down my throat. I fully understand though why it is served with soups or stews.

Thankfully, I had prepared for this occasion and made the Liberian version of Palava. This meat and fish stew was plenty flavourful and the piquancy compliment the alkaline of the starch in the Dumboy. So the above scores are for the Dumboy alone, but rest assure Liberians, when you throw Palava into the mix you're left with a dish that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Domoda Arigato, Mr. Roboto

NATIONAL DISH OF THE GAMBIA - Domoda

So apparently a lot of African countries have variations on a groundnut (or peanut) stew that they call their own. As you well know I have already made Chadian Peanut and Squash Stew, and with my second foray into African cuisine I find myself making another stew with peanuts as the core ingredient. Although this recipe uses peanuts in their most delicious form: PEANUT BUTTER!

Here at The GGJ we worship at the altar of Peanut Butter, sacrificing for our deity scrumptious treats such as PB & J sandwiches, Peanut Butter Macarons and our personal favourtie Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. In fact peanut butter is beloved so much that during the Idol Cooking Competition with The Molefaces one of the Ladies made Chocolate Spiders , however made the cardinal mistake of excluding the crucial ingredient of peanut butter. Travesty I hear you say! How dare she you cry! She's a witch, BURN HER you shout! Well that last one may be a bit far, but we gave her the next best thing: NEGATIVE POINTS. This calamity is still ridiculed by The Molefaces for the fear that it never happens again.

And it was with my great pleasure that I attempted to cook Gambian Domoda.

So enjoy, or as they say in The Gambia, Enjoy!   (It's funny that the first country I cook with English as the official language is in Africa)





Here's the Gambian recipe in all it's glory:
http://www.accessgambia.com/information/domoda-peanut-stew.html

Difficulty:       4 

Appearance:  3 

Taste:             4 

TOTAL:        11

Once again not a difficult dish to make, basically chop, stew and serve.

The peanut butter, pumpkin and tomato paste give the stew a rich orange-brown colour, whilst also giving the stew great textures. This is contrasted with the clean white of the rice.

The domoda might have been a bit watery, but I used a slotted spoon so it was mainly the thick ingredients. It tasted amazing, and was very similar to a peanut satay. Which on reflection is not that surprising since they share similar ingredients. I must say that if any more African stews are similar to this then bring them on, for the domoda was so fragrant and delectable. And we all know who was responsible for this: PEANUT BUTTER!

Chad By Name, Chadian By Nature

NATIONAL DISH OF CHAD - Peanut and Squash Stew

As I've mentioned before, I do enjoy cooking for friends and family. One of my friends is named Chad, and after choosing the country of Chad, it would be remiss of me not to cook him his national dish.


Peanut and Squash Stew was a very simple recipe, with hardly any ingredients, however here still is the recipe: http://www.congocookbook.com/vegetable_and_side_dish_recipes/squash_with_peanuts.html

Enjoy, or as they say in Chad, Bon appétit! (That's right, French is one of the national languages of Chad)

Difficulty:       5 

Appearance:  3 

Taste:             3 

TOTAL: 11

 This dish is deceptively simple: Chop, Fry, Serve is all there is to it. It looks colourful and smells good due to the fried peanuts, but still looks bland. Experimenting with seasonings (hello salt and garlic!) is recommended. Surprisingly, it was flavourful and tasted nice, I enjoyed the crunch of peanuts mixed with the softness of butternut pumpkin.

So there you go Chad, you can never say I don't do nice things for you. And that goes for the country too!