Posts tagged "cook with us"
This soup is a labor of love in many homes in Ghana. While there are a few steps involved, don’t be tempted to skimp on them - the result is a rich, silky smooth soup that’s deeply flavorful. While you can certainly serve this soup with a scoop of rice or some flatbread, I like it over a few handfuls of crisp baby spinach. Not only does it look beautiful, it balances the richness of the soup perfectly.
Awaze is a versatile sauce hailing from Ethiopia, where it’s used on just about everything. You can use it as a finishing sauce, as I do here, or brush it on just about any protein (fish, poultry, tofu or tempeh) before grilling, sauteing or roasting. In Ethiopia, they use local honey wine to make this sauce, but here we can use a combo of red wine and honey to replicate its sweet but tannic flavor. This dish is perfect and simple as is, but feel free to scatter some fresh herbs (especially cilantro) or toasted nuts, such as almonds, over top.
So here’s a chicken sandwich with a twist. I rub the cutlets with the warm and earthy Somali spice blend, Xawaash. I layer the grilled cutlets with mayo, crunchy cucumber and herbs and sliced jalapeno for heat. Wrap this sandwich up and take it along on your next picnic, you won’t be sorry.
If you travel to South Africa, you must braai. Braai is both the word for the event (a casual outdoor party or gathering) and the cooking method (grilling, mostly meat, over an open fire) and is a way of life in South Africa. As with most spice mixes, everyone there has a slightly different blend of spices for the braai mix. Since I can’t always grill over wood flames here in New York City, I like to add a healthy dose of smoked paprika to my mix to mimic that flavor. Use the spice mix on all cuts of beef, poultry or vegetables when you grill or roast.
Awaze Sauce is a staple sauce of Ethiopia.. It’s base is berbere spice blend, moistened with t’ej - Ethiopian honey wine - to make a thin paste you can spread or drizzle on just about anything. Since honey wine is hard to find here, I use a combination of a dry red table wine and honey. I use this versatile sauce a finishing or dipping sauce for just about everything - meat, fish, roasted vegetables and especially eggs. Both the awaze and pickled red onions can be made and stored in the refrigerator for a week or two, so you can make this spicy, tangy breakfast (or lunch!) any day of the week.
