The Gaijin Guide: Meals/Snacks

African Meals

? *Picture not found*	Attieke - Cote d'Ivoire Ground meal, made from slightly fermented cassava. Looks and feels like couscous, with a tangy, slightly sharp flavor. A nice change of pace from everyday grains. Would I try again? Yes. Where I found it: Akwaba
	Banku - West African Another mash - similar to Fufu and Kenkey (see below). Made from fermented corn, cassava--or a mixture of the two--banku has the consistency of tough mashed potatos, and a slightly fermented tangy taste. It's yummy stuff - used like a utensil to scoop up sauces and stews in West African cuisine. Recommended (especially for carb lovers...) Would I try again? Yes. Where I found it: Ebe Ye Yie
	Doro Wat - Ethiopian Chicken with egg, stewed in red pepper paste. A quarter of chicken, one boiled egg, and a ton of red pepper curry that's similar to Indian, but with a subtle, intricate difference to the seasonings. Among the herbs: onions, garlic, gingeroot, and bere bere paste (the national Ethiopian spice). It's one hundred percent delish, and leaves a pleasant spicy taste on the tongue that lasts hours after you finish it. (In a good way.) Four stars! Would I try again? Yes, this stuff is terrific! Where I found it: Awash
	Egusi - West African Any of a number of west african soups/sauces, thickened with ground melon flour. Optional vegetables and meats can be added, resulting in numerous variations on the common theme. Though no appropriate taste comparisons come to mind, the result is an oily soup with a mild, pleasant flavor. Not bad. And even better with Banku (see above.) Would I try again? Yes, though I'm in no hurry. So far, its the side dishes that attract my attention with West African cuisine - from Banku to Kenkey. Love 'em. The sauces - well, they're okay. But they don't rock my world like Fufu. Where I found it: Ebe Ye Yie
	Fitfit - Ethiopian A traditional "salad" mixture of injera (see below), and leftover wat, berebere, tomato and misc sauce. It's good, but if you already are familiar with Ethiopian cuisine, it's nothing new. Gimme my Doro Wat straight up! Would I try again? Yes, but no great hurry. Where I found it: Awash
	Fufu (a.k.a. foufou or foutou) - West African The African version of mashed potatoes, although a little sturdier, a little less pliable. The idea is use fufu as a side dish/utensil, tearing off a little bit at a time and using it as a scoop for stew and whatnot. The texture is pretty close to mash potatoes, and it's got a pleasant although mild potato-y taste. (If you're not careful, alot of the NYC restaurants substitute potatoes in their mash.) Fufu comes in a number of different variations - the kind I tried was made of cassava and cocoyam (a.k.a. taro). Yum! 3.5 stars! Would I try again? Yes. Where I found it: I found an instant box of FuFu flour in my Bronx neighborhood at--of all places--an Asian deli.
	Injera - Ethiopian Injera is many things to the Ethiopian table. Its the only utensils (no knife, fork or spoon in an Ethiopian restaurant!) It's also the "tablecloth" for most meals. Injera is the platter onto which the chef ladles the various curries and veggies that make up the main meal. Injera's made of teff, a tiny grain indigenous to Ethiopia, that's got almost no gluten, but has it's own natural fermentation. The resulting bread (injera) is soft and spongy, with a slight sourdough taste. For a grain, it's high in protein and calcium. It's delicious, especially when dipped into doro wat curry! Four stars! Would I try again? Oooooooohhh yeah. Where I found it: Awash.
? *Picture not found*	Kaalko - West African I can't even find this on the web (is it the same as Kelewele?), but it's at Florence's. It's considered a snack - deep, deep fried plantains, with some sort of hot spices in them, and a touch of sweetness. Liked 'em a good amount - better than the Kenkey that I'd come for, as a matter of fact. Not bad, though doubtless not all that healthy, what with the deep frying....! Would I try again? Yes - occasionally Where I found it: Florence's Restaurant
	Kategna - Ethiopian Ethiopian injera bread - toasted and covered with berebere and butter. At least in the version I sampled, they cut it up into neat bite sized segments. Not bad, not amazing - but definitely good fingerfood for a nibble. Would I try again? Nah - still like my Wat served straight up... Where I found it: Awash.
	Kenkey - West African Fermented corn dough, used as a mash (like Fufu.) Mine was nice, with a bland taste and texture like slightly crumbly mashed potatoes. The size was wonderful - like a big softball. The concept of an African mash is interesting. It's a spongy substance like Fufu, Kenkey, Cassava, etc. You eat with your hands, grabbing a hunk of mash, and dipping it into the spices or soup. Gets really messy, but it's good and fun. Would I try again? Yes, but I like FuFu better. Where I found it: Florence's Restaurant
	Kitfo - Ethiopian Steak tartar, done Ethiopean style. Considered in Ethiopia to actually be the dessert of the meal, kitfo is sweet, minced raw beef - flavored with chili powder and butter. I really enjoyed it, despite the guilt trip (I'm primarily pescetarian, but waived my usual rules in order to give this a taste.) Really nice, though slightly rich due to the butter. If you're carnivorous, give it a try.... (Excuse me while I go say my hail St. Mary's to make up for this one...) Would I try again? Actually...no. Even if I didn't eschew beef, I found Kitfo too buttery for personal consumption. But I do give it the general thumbs up for other people....! Where I found it: Awash.
	Kola Nut - West African Said to have been the original ingredient in Coca Cola. Harvested from evergreen trees, these large nuts are have symbolic significance in African culture, and are offered as a guesture of friendship. Used in ceremony, kola nuts are given during weddings, or to visitors as a sign of hospitality. Laced with caffeine, the nuts are a strong stimulant, and are eaten in little pieces (either cut up with a knife or just bitten into and chewed.) And WOW are they bitter. Nasty bitter. Maybe they're an acquired taste - but for me? They're "never gonna try one again" bitter. As for the stimulation? Well, I honestly find a Diet Pepsi hits the spot just fine. No offense to the Africans, though... Would I try again? Nooooo. Where I found it: In an African deli, right next to Akwaba
	Mafe - West African A classic ground nut stew - made with peanuts, chilis, tomatoes, oil and a number of optional meats or vegetables. If you've ever had Indian curry--and who hasn't?--you'll find Mafe a familiar taste. Served over rice, Mafe sauce is brownish red, and rather oily in texture. Would I try again? No - too much like regular (oily) curry. Where I found it: Sokhna
	Teff - Ethiopian The grain (some say 'super grain') from which Injera is made. Teff is the smallest particle grain on earth, is gluten free, comes in white, brown and red varieties and is nutritionally packed: it's extremely high in calcium, very high in iron, and has significant amounts of magnesium, boron, copper, phosphorus and zinc. When boiled, it condenses into an almost porridge like consistency, and a mild taste. Not bad as an alternative for oatmeall.... Would I try again? Yes Where I found it: Kalustyan's
	Thiebou Djeun with Jollof Rice - West African Whole grilled fish in a vegetable stew, mixed with yucca and hunks of carrot. The dish was served with a side of Jollof rice (also known as Jolof, or Djolof Rice) - basically the African version of fried rice, flavored with tomato, onion, and red pepper. The overall effect - your basic stew with rice - pleasant to taste, but nothing out of the ordinary, even in the US. Would I try again? No - I'd been hankering for the Joloff, but found it to be unremarkable (pretty much like any "dirty rice" dish you've already had.) Where I found it: A restaurant in Washington DC (known as Aunt Libby's)

The Grand List:

Akwaba
Awash
Ebe Ye Yie
Florence's Restaurant
Kalustyan's
Sokhna

For more information, read Betumi.com, and the Congo Cookbook

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