White chocolate & bissap oatmeal cookies

I've been experimenting with bissap flowers lately and wanted to try a recipe using them in place of dried cranberries. Score.

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp orange zest
3 cups oats
1 cup white chocolate, chopped into pieces
1 1/2 cups dried bissap flowers, rinsed

Dried bissap flowers

Soak the bissap flowers in hot water for 10 minutes. Carefully drain water (it stains!) then chop the flowers into small pieces (raisin-sized)

Combine, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in small bowl. Beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in large bowl. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats and white chocolate chips, then the bissap at the end. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto baking sheets.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for two minutes, then remove with a spatula.

Tabouleh recipe, right off the box

This recipe is pulled from the box of bulghur I bought recently. (Well, pulled and translated!) It was a big hit with my family, so I've made it twice this week.

2 bunches of fresh parsley leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp of fresh mint, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
6 ripe tomatoes, diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup bulghur, medium
3 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil

lettuce leaves (optional)
pita bread (optional)

Optional add-ins: chopped cucumber, chickpeas, chopped bell pepper, lentils, chopped green onions, cinnamon, allspice, crushed garlic


Bulghur, fine grain

Heat a large saucepan of boiling, salted water. Add 2 cups bulghur. Cook at a low boil for ten minutes. Drain off excess water. Let the bulghur cool to room temperature.

Combine all remaining ingredients, stirring into the bulghur mix. Serve immediately or, if you prefer, chill first.

Serve tabouleh on a bed of lettuce, accompanied by extra lettuce leaves, lemon wedges and warm pita bread.

Moroccan Chicken and Lentils

I love lentils. My husband tolerates them. He loves Moroccan food. I tolerate it. But this recipe had both of us emptying our bowls and going back for more! (UPDATE: Also good chilled on a hot day!)

Lentils
5 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
3-4 dried apricots, chopped

Combine water and salt in heavy large saucepan over high heat. Add lentils and apricots; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until lentils are tender, which will take about 20-30 minutes.

Dressing
1/6 cup tablespoons olive oil
2 Tbsp cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 garlic clove, minced

While the lentils are cooking, whisk olive oil, vinegar, cumin, chili powder and garlic in large measuring cup.

Chicken
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large skinless boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced

Go ahead and start on the chicken while the lentils finish cooking. Heat olive oil in large skillet over high heat. Add onion; sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chicken. Sauté until chicken is cooked through.

Once the lentils are tender, drain off liquid and pour the lentils over the chicken. Stir in the dressing. Simmer five minutes. Salt if needed.

Serve hot with toppings.

Toppings
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
lemon slices

Lakh - millet & soured milk

My husband used to make lahk every night in Senegal. I like to think of it as the Senegalese answer to Swiss muesli (oats, dried fruit and yogurt). Swap out the oats for millet and the yogurt for soured milk.

1 liter lait caillé (soured milk)
fresh coconut, chopped
handful golden raisins
1 apple, peach or mango chopped
2 bananas, chopped
1 packet vanilla flavored sugar
a few drops of fleur d'oranger flavoring (called orange blossom water in English)
2-3 cups cooked millet, warm or cooled
sugar to taste

Mix. Eat. Simple enough, right?


Lait caillé, available in French and Middle Eastern grocery stores


Yum, yum!


Authentic Senegalese millet!


Cooked millet, ready to be stirred in


Fresh coconut

Baked aloco with spicy fish sauce

Aloco is a traditional recipe from Côte d'Ivoire, where I grew up. It's traditionally deep-fried, but we wanted a baked version... so we can justify eating piles of it! For a lunch or snack, you can make it with the spicy fish sauce.

several very ripe plantain bananas (mostly black, and don't be afraid of a few moldy spots)
salt
one onion, chopped
three tomatoes, chopped
one chile pepper, cleaned and chopped, OR Scotch Bonnet hot sauce
1/2 tsp bouillon
3-4 canned sardines, bones 'n all
oil



Cut the ends off the plantains. Make a cut down the length of the plantain and pull off the peel. (This is much easier than if you peeled it like a banana.) Cut the plantains in half lengthwise. Cut again into 1/4 spears.

Place plaintain slices on a large plate and sprinkle with 2 Tbsp water. Cover with another plate. Microwave on high for 10 minutes,adding water as needed so they don't fry out. When they are soft and bright yellow, place them in an oil baking dish. Brush lightly with oil.

Bake in preheated oven at 425° for 15 minutes, then broil until browned.

Don't worry about getting each one evenly browned. The best aloco (in my opinion) is a piece that's dark brown and caramelized on one side and soft and deep yellow on the other.



The sauce

Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a frying pan. Cook the onions until soft and beginning to brown. Add tomatoes, bouillon, fish and hot pepper - lots of it! Cook on high, stirring often, until 1/3 of liquid evaporates. Serve alongside the aloco.

Vietnamese nems (with video!)

The beauty of nems, other than their deliciousness, is that they are so versatile. You can use many combinations in the filling. We made vegetarian nems using chickpeas, lentils and tofu. (I hear mung beans are good too.) But you can also use ground pork, chicken or shrimp, add in corn, peas or tarrow root, and even season them with curry. Have fun!

Ingredients:
60-80 spring roll wrappers (egg based)
1/4 bag of vermicelli (glass) noodles
4 zucchini, shredded
4-6 carrots, shredded
1 onion, chopped
3-4 cups cooked, cooled lentils
1 lg can chickpeas, drained
1 package firm tofu, crumbled
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
salt
pepper

Serve with nem sauce, mint leaves and/or green onions, and lettuce leaves for wrapping.




Dry vermicelli noodles

Soak the dried vermicelli noodles in cold water until soft, about 15 minutes. (You can break them if too large for your bowl.)



While the vermicelli soaks, you can grate the carrots and zucchini and whop the onion, placing them in a very, very large bowl, or dividing equally among several large bowls.


Soaked vermicelli

Drain the noodles.



Using kitchen scissors, cut the noodles into pieces about 4 inches long.



Using your hands, mix the noodles with the grated vegetables.



Firm organic tofu



Crumble the tofu, then mix in well. Don't be afraid to get elbow-deep!



Stir in cooked lentils, drained chickpeas, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, mixing well. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. When seasoning is good, add one egg (serves as a binder) and mix well. Fun, right? :)



These spring roll wrapper are MUCH easier to use than the rice based papers that have to be soaked individually. Plus, I think these have a much better taste and texture.



A lovely video of our expert showing us how to roll them. Once rolled, stack them on a plate. (Don't worry - they don't stick like the rice paper ones.)



Fry in batches, being careful not to crowd them in the pan. We fried ours on medium-high and it took about 10 minutes per batch. If you use meat, you need to be very careful to fry them long enough to cook through.

Place cooked nems on a plate lined with paper towels and serve hot.

If you want to freeze them, allow to cool completely on a cooling rack. Use wax paper to separate them and place in a freezer bag. To reheat, place frozen nems on a baking sheet and place in the oven as it preheats to 350°. Once oven is hot, cook 5-10 minutes until crispy.

Aloco (fried plantains)

Aloco is a traditional recipe from Côte d'Ivoire, where I grew up. It's sold from small roadside restaurants and is served with a spicy tomato-onion sauce and grilled fish. For a lunch or snack, you can make it with just the sauce - or eat the aloco by itself with salt. Oh yeah - this is most definitely finger food!

about 1 1/2 cups oil
several very ripe plantain bananas (mostly black, and don't be afraid of a few moldy spots)
salt
one onion, chopped
two tomatoes, chopped
one chile pepper, cleaned and chopped, OR Scotch Bonnet hot sauce
1/4 tsp bouillon



Cut the ends off the plantains. Make a cut down the length of the plantain and pull off the peel. (This is much easier than if you peeled it like a banana.) Cut the plantains in half lengthwise. Cut again into 1/4 spears. Cut into bite-sized pieces.




Place a frying pan with high sides over high heat and pour in enough oil to cover the bottom well - don't be stingy. Once hot, add a piece of plantain. It should bubble, but not brown immediately. After a minute or so, it should be bright yellow. This means your oil is the right temperature.

Add plantain pieces to cover the bottom of the pan, but not crowd them. Stir every 2-3 minutes, flipping each piece as they begin to brown. Take your time cooking them - reduce heat if needed. Each batch should take about 8-10 minutes.



Don't worry about getting each one evenly browned. The best aloco (in my opinion) is a piece that's dark brown and caramelized on one side and soft and deep yellow on the other.

As the aloco browns, remove using tongs and place on a paper towel-lined plate.

Repeat with remaining plantain pieces.


The sauce

Using the leftover oil from the aloco, cook the onions until soft and beginning to brown. Add tomatoes, bouillon and hot pepper. Cook on high, stirring often, until 1/3 of liquid evaporates. Serve alongside the aloco.

Spicy marinated Moroccan carrots

There are many variations on this Moroccan salad called 'Salatat al-Jazar', including both hot and cold varieties. I chilled this one, but we actually preferred it at room temperature. Definitely a new favorite!

1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
1 clove garlic, pressed
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
fresh mint leaves (opt)

First, make the dressing.

Place the carrots in a saucepan, cover with water and add pressed garlic clove. Bring to a boil and cook over low heat about 5 minutes, just until the carrots are crisp-tender. Do not to overcook.

Drain the carrots and place in a bowl. Toss with the dressing right away. Let marinate at room temperature a few hours, or refrigerate overnight and bring to room temperature. Snip mint leaves over top, then serve.

Couscous tabouleh with avocado

1 bunch of fresh parsley leaves, chopped
4 Tbsp of fresh mint, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
3 ripe tomatoes, diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2-3 cups cooked couscous, cooled
1 avocado, chopped
3 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
lettuce leaves (optional)
pita bread (optional)

Optional add-ins: chopped cucumber, chickpeas, chopped bell pepper, lentils, chopped green onions, cinnamon, allspice, crushed garlic



Combine all ingredients, stirring to mix. Serve immediately or, if you prefer, chill first.



Serve tabouleh on a bed of lettuce, accompanied by extra lettuce leaves, lemon wedges and warm pita bread.

Chawarmas de Rodaïna

The other day I was craving the Lebanese chawarmas I grew up eating in West Africa. I got this recipe below from a childhood friend. this is as authentic as it gets! I've translated her recipe, and at the end of the post is the version I adapted from hers based on ingredients I had on hand.

Pour 1kg de viande de boeuf émincé:
2 tomates émincées
2 oignons émincés
1 filet de vinaigre de vin
1 filet d'huile végétale
2 cuil à café de 7 épices
du sel

Bien faire mariner la viande avec tous ces ingrédientspendant 1h avant de l'enfourner pendant 1/2 heure.

For 2.2 lbs of chopped beef:
2 chopped tomatoes
2 chopped onions
splash of red wine vinegar
splash vegetable oil
1 tsp 7 spice mix
salt

Marinate meat with the ingredients above for 1 hour before baking in the oven for 30 minutes.



Pour la sauce (le tarator):
2 cuil à soupe de Tahiné à diluer dans le jus d'1 gros citron et 1 grand verre d'eau
du sel
un peu de persil haché

For the sauce, called tarator:
2 tsp tahini diluted in the juice of a large lemon and 1 cup water. Salt to taste. Chopped parsley.


Adapted recipe



For the meat:
1 turkey leg, roasted and meat pulled off the bone
1 tsp spice mix (cloves, cinnamon, thym, black pepper and ginger)
1 tomato, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil

Toss turkey with oil, vinegar and spices. Spread out on a baking sheet and layer onions and tomatoes on top. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.


Crushing spices

Toppings:
1 tomato, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
sliced cucumber (opt)
dill pickle (opt)
mint leaves (opt)



Tarator sauce:
1 Tbsp tahini
2-3 cloves crushed garlic
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup plain yogurt

Blend well.

Serve with fresh pita bread. Place turkey down the center, then add toppingss and tarator. Roll up like a burrito and go to town!

Moka pot coffee (stovetop expresso)

The moka is a simple device that uses steam pressure to force water through a strainer to make espresso.

The flavor of moka pot espresso depends greatly on bean variety, roast level, fineness of grounds, and the level of stovetop heat used. Due to the higher pressures involved, the mixture of water and steam reaches temperatures well above 100°C, causing a more efficient extraction of caffeine and flavors from the grounds, and resulting in a much stronger brew when compared to that obtained by drip brewing.

Fill to line with cold water.


Place the filter in the base. Scoop finely ground coffee into filter. Do not pack it.


Screw on the upper half of the carafe. Place on stove and turn on heat to medium-high. After a few linutes, you will hear the coffee filling the carafe. When you hear it sputter (air coming out) remove from heat and serve immediately.

Ceebu jen (Senegalese fish and rice)

There are about as many variations for spelling ceebu jen (thieboudienne, thiep bu dinenne, ceebujenn...) as there are to making it. This rice (ceeb) and fish (jen) recipe is the national dish of Senegal and can also be made with beef (ceebu yapp). If the dish looks familiar, it's because it's a descendent of paella.

Ingredients for 4 people:
2/3 to 1 cup oil
3 cups broken or small round rice
3-6 Tbsp tomato paste
4 wedges of cabbage, about 2 inches at thickest point
4 carrots
2 potatoes, sweet potatoes or other tubers, peeled (opt)
1-2 small eggplants (opt)
1-2 zucchini (opt - not authentic, but we like it)
1-2 onions sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 bunch fresh parsley
salt
pepper
dried red pepper flakes
Scotch Bonnet hot sauce, or the hottest you have
fresh lemon wedges
fish

A word about the fish. I used four filets of smoked herring that worked really well for flavor. You can also use fresh fish, whole or filets. (If you live near an African market that sells dried, smoked fish - that's the jackpot. Add just a small handful along with the veggies.) For quantity, that's up to you. Traditionally the Senegalese would use less fish than the average American meal because of high prices and over-fished waters.

Moving on...Below are two cooking methods. The Pro version is more authentic if you're using whole fish, but the Amateur version is the way I've modified it.

Pro version: Crush together garlic, parsley, pinch of salt and pepper and dried hot pepper. Rinse the fish. Make 3-4 holes in the fish and stuff with seasoning mixture. Heat oil in large saucepan. Add sliced onions and pinch of salt. Cook for five minutes.

Amateur version: Heat oil in large saucepan. Fry fish filets until golden. Add onions and garlic, chopped parsley, dried hot pepper and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for five minutes.

Dilute tomato paste with 1/2 cup water and add to pot. Add 6 cups water and largely chopped vegetables. (I put the cabbage wedges on top to keep them from breaking up too much.) Let simmer over medium heat until veggies are tender. Remove veggies and fish and 1/2 cup liquid.

Use the remaining broth to cook the rice. Add rice and cover. Reduce heat and cook until all liquid is absorbed and you begin to smell the rice on the bottom of the pan toasting.

Once cooked, Spread the rice out on a large platter. Arrange the fish and veggies in the center, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 broth over top. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Normally you eat from this common bowl, not from individual plates, with your right hand. The hostess will divide up the fish and veggies on to each person's rice portion in front of them. Take a piece of fish or veggies and some rice in your right hand. Squeeze to make a ball and pop it into your mouth.

Bisimilahi!

Senegalese ceebu yapp

This recipe falls somewhere between the Senegalese Ceebu Yapp (pronounced cheh-boo-yap), Riz au Gras (ree-oh-grah) from Côte d'Ivoire and Jollof rice made in Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone. In any case, it is most definitely a West African dish!



4 Tbsp oil (divided)
1 lb stew meat, cubed
1 onion, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
1/4 head cabbage, sliced (opt)
4-5 "chunks" of winter squash (opt)
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups broth (or bouillon + water)
1 small can tomato paste
hot sauce (Scotch Bonnet is best)
cayenne pepper
salt
pepper
2 cups rice
lemon

Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large skillet. Cook beef until browned on all sides. Remove the meat from the oil and set aside.

Add the onions, garlic and carrots and fry until the onions begin to become tender. Remove the onion mixture from the skillet and set aside with the meat.

In a large pot, bring the 2 cups broth to a simmer, then add meat and onion mixture. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne and about 1-2 tsp Scotch Bonnet hot sauce. Let simmer while you...



Heat 2 Tbsp oil in frying pan. Over low heat, mix the rice and tomato paste in the pan. Allow to cook for a few minutes, stirring often. Add the rice to the large pot and stir gently. Place chunks of squash and cabbage on top.

Cover and cook over low heat until the rice is done and the vegetables are tender.

VERY IMPORTANT: Stir gently every ten minutes or so and be sure there is still some liquid in the bottom of the pan so the rice does burn. Add more water or broth as needed (1/3 cup at a time).

When the ride is done, serve in large bowls with a squeeze of lemon and another dash of Scotch Bonnet hot sauce.

Moroccan beet salad

I had an amazing beet salad while we were Prague. While trying to track down the recipe online, I came across a recipe for Moroccan beet salad and also Lebanese fatouche salad. This is a compromise between the two - and it's good. We'll be eating it often - fast, easy and cheap. But most importantly, healthy and really delicious!

4-5 beets, cooked and peeled, then cut into small pieces
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
mint leaves

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and lemon juice. Add garlic, cumin and salt, mixing well. Pour over beets and stir in mint. Cover a refrigerate at least an hour.

Serving ideas:

- Scoop onto lettuce leaves and eat as a salad.

- Stir in a can of chickpeans (drained) and chill before serving as a side.

- Serve over cooled white rice as light meal.

- Scoop with pita bread as a snack or appetizer.