Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
African cuisine on display at Artscape
Delicious dishes from around the continent
FROM time immemorial, Africans have enjoyed food, not only for its nutritional value but as a cultural expression and as the focal point of every celebration.
And yesterday the Artscape Theatre Centre featured scrumptious food for Africa Day celebrations. From Namibia, to Angola, Mozambique to Madagascar, the displays showed the uniqueness of each country’s food.
In Madagascar, guests are welcomed with a drink of rum and orange. This undoubtedly relaxes the nerves and refreshes the throat with a tasty citrus flavour.
One of their popular cuisines is a side dish of carrots, cabbage and green beans which is best served with rice. For tea lovers there is mofo baolina, a sweet doughnut ball for any time of day. But it is the way the people of Madagascar make their meatballs that gives this snack the edge; instead of bread crumbs, they use pota- toes to give the meatball volume and nutritional substance.
Our neighbours in Namibia have made a name for themselves when it comes to biltong and craft beer. From game to beef to bacon and sausage, all can be hung up to dry. The same goes for fruit. Enyandy and eembe are some of the coun- try’s unique dried fruits, which serve as a great snack. Just like South Africans, Namibians also enjoy protein-rich mopani worms on the go. They have a wide variety of drinkables too from marula-flavoured soft drinks to malt beer.
Angola is another fruity country boasting caju, gajaju and guava which can be juiced or enjoyed as a quick bite. Mandioca, also known as cassava, is another Angolan snack derived from a sweet potato like root loaded with nutrients.
CPUT culinary studies lecturer and chef Lufuno Sinthumule says food that has been enjoyed for centuries can be prepared in different ways to give it character.
He is known for reintroducing forgotten methods.
Take his deep-fried tripe for example. This is a traditional dish often served as stew but Sinthumule says it can be prepared differently. The Africa Day celebrations were hosted by Artscape Theatre Centre in association with the Western Cape Government in line with this year’s AU theme “African Union Agenda 2063: an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the international arena in showcasing cultural diversity through cultural exchange”.
noloyiso.mtembu@inl.co.za