Recipes to Make an African Thanksgiving Meal
Here are 4 great recipes to enjoy on Thanksgiving and through the holidays.
Side Dish: African Squash and Yams (Futari)
INGREDIENTS
* 1 small onion; chopped, pared and cut into 1-inch pieces
* 2 tablespoons oil
* 1 cup coconut milk
* 1 pound hubbard squash; pared and cut into 1-inch pieces
* .5 teaspoon salt
* .5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 2 medium-sized yams or sweet potatoes
* .25 teaspoon ground cloves
Cook and stir onion in oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling.
Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about five minutes longer.
Bread: African Coriander Bread
INGREDIENTS
* 2 Packages active dry yeast
* 1.5 cups lukewarm milk
* 1.5 cups whole wheat flour
* .5 cup margarine - melted and cooled
* 1 tablespoon ground coriander
* 1 tablespoon orange peel grated
* 1 tsp. salt
* .5 tsp. ground ginger
* .5 tsp. ground cinnamon
* 1 medium egg
* 4 cups all-purpose flour
Dissolve yeast in milk in a large bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients except the all-purpose flour. Add enough all purpose flour to make the dough easy to handle. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl. Turn greased side up and cover. Let rise 1 hour or until doubled in size. Grease 2 loaf pans. Punch down dough and divide in half. Shape into two eight-inch loaves and place in pans. Let rise 40-45 minutes in loaf pans. Heat oven to 375. Cut lengthwise slash in each loaf. Bake 35-40 minutes until golden brown, and makes a sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pan and let cool on a rack. Store in a plastic bag at room temperature.
Main Dish: North African Turkey
INGREDIENTS:
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 red bell pepper, chopped
* 1 green bell pepper, chopped
* 8 small Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
* 1/4 cup dry red wine
* 1/4 cup fat free chicken broth
* 1 bay leaf
* 1/2 teaspoon thyme
* 1/4 teaspoon rosemary
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 3 plum tomatoes, peeled and diced
* 12-ounces Turkey Breast Roast, cooked and diced
1. Heat olive oil in a saute pan and cook onion, bell peppers, and olives over low heat until the onion becomes transparent.
2. Add wine, chicken broth, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and cooked turkey and simmer for 5 more minutes.
4. Serve over a bed of couscous or rice.
Dessert: Fruits of Africa Pie
INGREDIENTS
* 1 9 inch pastry pie crust
* 1.5 cups papaya, guava, or apricot nectar
* 4 tbsp. cornstarch
* 4 tbsp. lemon juice
* 4 tbsp. sugar
* .5 tsp. salt
* 2 cups diced fresh fruit (papaya, pineapple, melon, oranges, guavas)
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 4 tbsp. sugar
* .5 cup moist shredded coconut
* .5 cups chopped peanuts
Bake the pie crust. In a 2-quart saucepan bring 1.5 cups papaya, guava, or apricot nectar to the boiling point. Dissolve 4 tbsp. corn starch in 4 tbsp. lemon juice. Add 4 tbsp. sugar and .5 tsp. salt. Add to the nectar and cook until thick and clear. Cool slightly.
Add 2 cups diced fresh fruit, singly or in combination. Cool to room temperature. Pour into pie shell. Chill.
Spread with 1 cup heavy cream whipped with 4 tbsp. sugar. Sprinkle with .5 cup shredded coconut mixed with .5 cup chopped peanuts over the top.
Wayne Kiltz is the founder and owner of Africa Imports. You can find over 100 other articles on African art, culture, and fashion at Africa Imports
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