This is something you want, need, must have in your freezer this season when mangoes are on every street corner and fruit stand. Mango puree for the win, because this is quick and easy and can be used in a myriad of ways – drinks, desserts, sauces and on and on. And all in 4 steps. For this, I suggest just-ripe or ripe mangoes – I prefer the Enugu/ Ogbomosho mangoes even though they are fibrous. I find the flavour of the Sheri mango too strong, even though it isn’t as fibrous. Step 1: Remove the flesh from the mangoes,...
Food Photo Love: Chocolate Fondant
A photo I love with a short story and a recipe. There’s something about photographing food that melts my heart. Invisible things become seen. How tightly we hold on to some things – slippery by nature. How delicately we hold on to others, careful not to break the golden egg and have its contents spewed over all. A few days ago, in a New York hotel room, I watched my seven year old son, D eat a chocolate fondant from Beard Papa’s through my camera lens. Do you know anything about seven year old boys? Most are ‘energetic’, curious, hard-to-sit still for...
Rosa Mexicano – Journey Through A Mexican Kitchen
My children’s reaction when lunch was served made me realise that what most of us know as Mexican cuisine is actually Tex-Mex. “Tex-Mex” (portmanteau of Texan and Mexican) is a term describing a cultural fusion cuisine of American cuisine and Mexican cuisine, deriving from the culinary creations of Tejanos. It has spread from border states such as Texas and those in the Southwestern United States to the rest of the country as well as Canada. Tex-Mex is most popular in the state of Texas; Wikipedia Crispy taco shells? Nope, not traditional Mexican cooking from your abuelita (grandmother). See, they were so...
Agbado ati Agbon – Corn with Coconut
It’s three weeks into the start of corn season, at least in the south/west of Nigeria. Corn stands are popping up all around, decorated with the brown hard shells and white flesh of coconut. I see Asala, African Black walnut too, hawked on red-rimmed enamel trays but still no Ube, purple butter pear. Last year I explored making guacamole with Ube – interesting too. Like regular avocado but with a more intense flavour. This recipe was inspired by a trip to Le Marche last August. There I saw a lady hawk Agbado ati Agbon, (Yoruba for corn with coconut) in a glass box on her head. The corn...
Mangoes: Facts & Figures
It’s the season again people, the season of and for Mangoes. The History of Mangoes The mango has been the most popular tropical fruit since 2000 BC or earlier. Of the genus Mangifera and flowering plant family, Anacardiaceae this flesh stone fruit is native to the Indian subcontinent from where it spread round the world. There are over 400 varieties of mango around the world. Wow. How Mangoes Came to Nigeria Apparently, Persians took mangoes to East Africa in the 10th Century and then the Portuguese brought it to West Africa in the 16th century. When exactly did it come to Nigeria? Not sure but the internet says...
Pawpaw-Chili Sauté
This simple sauté of diced, just-ripe pawpaw and the scent leaf chili sauce is a match made in my pan. The sweet flavours of pawpaw are drawn out with the herby, edgy heat on this sauce. Did I mention it only took minutes to make? Essentially, find your pawpaw. Wash it. Peel it. Slice it. Dice it. Yes, pawpaw is one of my favourite ingredients. In a sauté pan, add a touch of coconut oil. Add the diced pawpaw, season lightly with salt and let cook for a minute or so. Add the chili sauce – I generally use 1/2...
Scent Leaf Chili Sauce
Yes, Scent leaf to the rescue. Rustle up a quick chili sauce with kitchen staples. I love discovering chili and herb sauces and this Ecuadorian sauce, Aji Criollo is no exception. Serve with plantain chips, pies, rice, basically every and anything. Thank me later. Enjoy.[wpurp-searchable-recipe]Scent Leaf Chili Sauce – – – [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]
The Best Guacamole Ever
And not made by me, but by the capable staff at Rosa Mexicano at the Lincoln Centre in New York. Two years ago, I was wowwed by how beautifully composed the avocado was – prepared as you sat and watched and then had it, served with two types of salsa – a dried red chilli one and a hot, green chilli one with corn tortilla chips and small tortillas for dipping and scooping. This time, P took myself and the children back and R, daughter #2, lover of all things avocado pounced on it. Let’s just say the first ‘mortarful’ was...
The Art of Maceration
Or how to macerate fruit. What is Maceration? Maceration. Not to be confused with Marinating though similar. Maceration is the ‘art’ (barely) of softening fruit – fresh or dried, in liquids or sugar. Similar to marinating but subject here is fruit not meat or vegetables. Why Macerate? To soften the fruit, amplify flavours and prepare them for use, on their own or in other recipes, particularly in dried fruit For fresh fruit, it tends to draw out liquid, thus reducing the moisture content in the fruit itself. The resulting drawn out liquid tends to be syruppy and could be incorporated in...