AFRICAN RECIPES

African peanut stew……………………………..5 Spicy Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup with Black Beans……...9 Watermelon & feta salad with olives…………………..13 Curry Couscous………………………………..17 Split Pea Cilantro Dumplings in a Coconut Curry………….21

•2 large sweet potatoes •3 cups cooked millet gritis •3 cups finely chopped and steamed kale •1 tsp oil •1 TB ginger •1 TB coriander •1/4 tsp jamaican all spice •1/4 tsp red pepper flakes •3 cups chopped roma tomatoes •1/2 cup peanut butter •4-6 cups veggie stock (or cheater stock, 4 C water, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp celery seed powder, 2 vegan bouillon cubes) (The more water you use, the thinner the stew will be. Adjust according to your tastes.) •1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed •1/2 tsp ground black pepper •salt to taste •peanuts for garnish •chopped tomatoes for garnish

Prepare and cook millet, kale and sweet

potatoes, set aside.

Prepare millet groats according to package directions.

In a medium-sized soup pan, heat oil on medium and then add ginger and spices.

Add tomatoes and saute for a few minutes.

Add veggie stock, peanut butter

and chickpeas and stir. Simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes and then add kale in last 10 minutes.

Add cooked sweet potatoes, salt and pepper and simmer covered for about 10 more minutes.

To serve, add millet to bowl and top with stew. Garnish with chopped

tomatoes and lots of peanuts.

1 cup dried black beans 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large carrot, sliced 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed 1 large sweet potato (about 1 lb.), peeled and cubed 1 teaspoon dried hot red chili flakes, or to taste 2 tomatoes, chopped 2 cups vegetable stock 2 cups water 1/4 cup peanut butter 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper small handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped

Stir in the peanut butter and beans and let simmer for another 5 minutes to let the peanut butter melt into the soup and to warm the beans. Remove from heat, and season with salt and plenty of fresh ground black pepper.

Rinse the beans and soak overnight covered in several inches of cold water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Drain, place in a medium saucepan, and cover with several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are tender but not falling apart. Drain and set aside.

Heat a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil, wait a few moments, then swirl around to coat the pan. Add the carrot, onion and garlic and sauté until the onions turn translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn up the heat slightly and toss in the sweet potato and chili flakes. Stir for a couple of minutes, then add the tomato and cook until the tomato has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Pour in the vegetable stock and water and bring to a slow boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

4 lbs. seedless watermelon (1 small

melon or 1/4 of a large one) 8 oz. feta cheese fresh ground black pepper 1 cup kalamata olives, pitted 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves 2 tablespoons olive oil juice of 4 small limes

Cut the watermelon into bite-sized cubes and let sit in a strainer over a bowl in the refrigerator for an hour or more to reduce excess water.

Arrange the watermelon cubes in a large shallow serving dish. Crumble the feta cheese over the watermelon and sprinkle with fresh ground black peppers. Arrange the olives over the top and scatter the mint leaves on the salad.

Whisk together the olive oil and lime juice and drizzle over the salad. Serve right away or chilled for a short time.

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 scallions, sliced

1/4 cup almonds, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed or minced

1 teaspoon curry powder, or to taste

1 2/3 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

1 cup couscous

Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the white parts of the scallions and the almonds and sauté for a couple of minutes until the scallions soften. Add the green parts of the scallions and the garlic and stir for another minute. Stir in the curry powder until the scallions and almonds are coated and the powder begins to char ever so slightly.

Add the water, butter and parsley and turn up the heat to bring to a boil. Stir in the couscous and immediately remove from the heat and cover the pan.

Let the saucepan sit for 5 minutes or until the liquid is completely absorbed. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Directions

For the dumplings: generous 1/2 cup of chana dal or yellow split peas 1 clove of garlic, chopped 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped 2 - 3 green chilies, chopped 4 tablespoons of unbleached white flour 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped oil for frying

For the Curry: 2 teaspoons of cumin seeds 2 teaspoons of coriander seeds 2 cloves of garlic, chopped 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped 2 fresh red chilies, chopped 1 teaspoon of turmeric dash of cayenne pepper seeds from 4 brown cardamom pods 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt 1 cup of yogurt 2 14-ounce cans of coconut milk 3/4 cup of frozen peas

Soak the chana dal (or yellow split peas) in enough water to cover overnight.

Drain the beans, and transfer to a blender or food processor. Add the garlic, ginger and chili. Add a bit of water, and process until you get a smooth paste. Now add the flour, baking powder, salt and cilantro. Blend until well combined.

Heat a 1/2 inch or so of oil in a frying pan until it is hot, but not smoking. When a small bit of the batter sizzles, you will know it is ready. Drop heaping teaspoons of the batter into the oil and fry until they are golden, taking care to flip them with tongs to ensure they brown evenly. Drain on paper towels. Transfer to a plate and keep them warm in an oven heated to 225 degrees.

For the curry, begin by toasting the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat until they darken a bit. This should take a minute or two. Transfer to a blender or food processor along with the garlic, ginger, red chilies, turmeric, cayenne, cardamom pod seeds, yogurt and salt. Process until smooth. Pour this mixture into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for a few minutes to thicken. Now add the coconut milk, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Add the frozen peas, cook for another few minutes and add the dumplings to the pot.

Serve over a bed of hot rice.