Pomp, fanfare at Amai’s traditional Cookout finale
. . . entertainment galore, sumptuous meals seal massive event
PLUMES of smoke filled the air accompanied by the sweet aroma of sumptuous traditional dishes that were being prepared on open fires during Amai’s traditional cookout competition finals in Mashonaland West Province yesterday.
The cookout competition is the brainchild of First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa.
Amai Mnangagwa launched the traditional meal cookout competition in 2020 to promote the uptake of indigenous dishes and ensure citizens benefit from their nutritional value and medicinal properties.
The oversubscribed event proved to be a roaring success up to the national finals in 2021.
Thereafter she handed over the programme to the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry.
Yesterday, the host Ministry invited Dr Mnangagwa as the guest of honour.
Adding colour to the event were live performances by music superstars Jah Prayzah and Romeo Gasa as well and as the inimitable police brass band which kept the huge audience on the dance floor.
The finals, which drew two participants per province, saw contestants showcasing their culinary skills and many ways through which traditional dishes can be presented to enhance their appeal.
This comes at a time when most people, especially the younger generation are shunning indigenous dishes in favour of exotic foods which expose them to obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, among many other health challenges.
In a fresh turn of events since inception of the programme, two of the 20 contestants were male, showing the appeal of traditional dishes across the gender divide.
To motivate other women, the First Lady also had her kitchen where she prepared sumptuous dishes that included mazondo, rice in peanut butter, sorghum, millet, rapoko and white sadza, roadrunner, tripe and casings and beef bones.
People were spoilt for choice as she offered mouth-watering dishes which included rabbit, biltong in peanut butter, Highfiridzi (mixture of beef and vegetables), matemba, madora and mutakura.
For desserts she prepared sweet potato crumble, tsubvu cake and hodzeko cake.
Juices included maheu. Mrs Gertrude Mugundachani from Mashonaland West Province had innovative dishes that included egg-coated gogoya, chidhudhu (home-made bread) and home-made wheat bread (chimodo chegorosi). Mrs Brenda Rudu from the Midlands entered the fray with nzvirimombe cake, mutakura balls, matemba burgers, pumpkin and peanuts cake, okra rolls, pumpkin and sweet fritters, baobab pudding and pumpkin smoothie. A male contestant, Terrence Kamutepfa (21) from Hare Province displayed mushroom spring
rolls, matemba fritters, nhopi tarts, Peanut butter brownie, Gogoya croquettes and stuffed guinea fowl.
He also had biltong in peanut butter and cassava coated pie, sweet potato and avocado kebab, watermelon cocktail and cucumber smoothie.
The youngest contestant Gabriella Sambo (18) from Bulawayo Province, proved her versatility with starters like sweet potato croquettes, sorghum popcorn, gaka salad, Amakhomane, stuffed peppers ( stuffed with umcaba), macimbi and okra pie and roadrunner.
For dessert she offered tsubvu
yoghurt, baobab/watermelon cocktail, baobab ice cream, umqokolo muffins and Imbuya biscuits.
From the Midlands Province, Mrs Clara Madzoke came in with mazondo polony, savoury mealie snack made from sweet potato flour mixed with mhunga and, runinga.
The Bulilima San community also participated for the second time having taken part last year.
They were represented by Mrs Moreblessing Tshuma and their village head Matjena Ncube.
Manicaland was represented by Mrs Angeline Muponda and the wife to Chief Makoni, Mrs Redempter Gwasira.
They came up with gogoya chips, gogoya gurashi, chikodza mvana, gogoya in soup, cowpeas meat balls, rolled maguru, beef/ goat/fish kebab and pork head.
Also on offer was tungozha/ matemba/mushroom pizza with rupiza base, zondo in castle lager, madhumbe/mbambaira cheese cake, tsubvu juice, pumpkin juice.
Masvingo Province displayed mbeva sandwich, harurwa rolls, madora kebab, baobab jam, Marula juice, bread made of marula nuts and Tokwe Mukosi fish.
Mashonaland West represented by Mrs Martha Paul and Mr Nickson Mbofana had flavoured samp in cow intestines, muchekecha drink, usiga drink, baobab drink and baobab yoghurt.
Mashonaland East was also well represented.
In her address at the event, the First Lady said if well presented, traditional cuisine could have an addictive effect that brings together people from different walks of life in pursuit of pleasure and the exchange of rich cultural traditions.
“In this regard, I urge the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry to continue to work closely with other line ministries and stakeholders to ensure successful hosting of provincial cookout competitions thereby promoting gastronomy tourism.
“The issue of preparing traditional dishes should not be limited to competitions only but should be put on our daily lives. Make it a habit that every meal that we partake at home should have a traditional dish and in that way we should be able to prevent some ailments on account of good nutrition,” she said.
The First Lady said it was her wish to ensure that the Zimbabwe traditional cuisine gains sustainable recognition at both local and international level through hotels, restaurants, airlines among others.