The African dinner party was such fun. Thank you to everyone who encouraged my craziness; the planning was worth it. I cooked, shopped, cleaned and enjoyed every moment of a week preparing for this soir√©e. One guest couldn’t attend, but otherwise it was a hit.
Appetizer:
Cashews are one of Mozambique’s top exports.
I also served fried plantains and slices of toasted French bread — both pretty common where I’ve traveled in Africa. I added Smitten’s mango salsa for a touch of color.
Main course:
Peanut soup — this recipe is simple and wonderful. I will certainly make this again.
Koki — a Cameroonian bean dish. White beans, palm oil, pepper and banana leaves are needed. The result is something like a Mexican tamale. You wrap the bean mash in a banana leaf and steam them for one hour. These were bland, but the spice in the piri piri shrimp and the salt in the soup created a nice balance.
Pretty sure Africans don’t use a rice steamer for their koki, but I wasn’t about to buy a cast iron pot and build a fire — as I watched my Cameroonian friends cook a time or two. When you’ve got electricity, use it.
{You can find banana leaves and palm oil at Lee Lee’s Market, if your grocery list is exotic. That store is such a find! If you are ever cooking an international meal and need an odd ingredient, it is the first place to turn.}
We toasted Africa and our upcoming adventure with elephant beer and South African wine. We are very much looking forward to touring the wineries near Cape Town.
Dessert:
Hungry woman’s simple sorbet in mango with fresh slices of mango on top and coconut sugar cookies. Yes, I am still full 18 hours later. And looking forward to left-overs tonight.
My guests received a parting gift — a small bag of coconut cookies and a soundtrack. While this may not be the homemaker Hollywood soundtrack I mentioned last week, it does fit the travel bill nicely:
Limpopo River Song — The Bulawayo Church Choir
Get Out the Map — Indigo Girls
Light Enough to Travel — The Be Good Tanyas
Other Side of the World — KT Tunstall
Under African Skies — Paul Simon
Maiden Voyage — Robert Glasper
Back to Black — Amy Winehouse
Stay or Leave — Dave Matthews
Fond Farewell — Elliot Smith
Go Tell the World — Joy Zipper
Graceland — Paul Simon
Y’outta Praise Him — Robert Glasper
You’re the Ocean — Teitur Lassen
Grace — Kate Havnevik
Where the Streets Have No Name — U2
Better Together — Jack Johnson
Home — Sheryl Crow
I need to have parties like this more often. Even though my home is small, it all worked out. I even had enough silverware. Phew.
~K