Give St David’s Day an

MaggIE Ogunbanwo’s latest book is published on February 24, so here she is delighted to share some alternative foodie treats with which to celebrate St David’s Day. Maggie is keen to promote the pleasures of cooking with plant-based ingredients (although she shares meat-based recipes too in her earlier cookbook The Melting Pot, also available from graffeg).

She is also keen to put an exotic spin on tradional recipes, such as her version of Welsh cakes with an african flavour.

“My initial thought when researching this recipe was, which came first, the Welsh or the Burkina Faso version? Who swapped which, the raisins or the pineapple pieces? Is this worthy of a research project? The reality is that both taste delicious and I see that all sorts of Welsh cakes are now available, so I am glad to add to the mix.”

Her take on a pudding is also sure to be attractive to the tastebuds: “Dessert is a fairly recent concept after meals in west and east african dining. The most common after-dinner serving would be fruit of some sort or bitter kola nuts.

“This orange offering has a touch of tropical sunshine and warmth in the form of rum and I am sure will be a hit with everyone who tries it.”

and street food continues to be a winner: “Street food is very popular in Nigeria, as it is in many countries. The idea of picking up a tasty snack as you go about your business is a very attractive one.

“I remember how Nana would mix the flour with fresh yeast/fermenting palmwine and then add other ingredients to make her own unique blend of puff-puff. as all the mixing was done by hand, a particular movement was needed. Even today puff-puff is served as street food in Nigeria, but Nana made the best.”

■ Maggie Ogunbanwo’s African Twist is published by Graffeg, pictures by Huw Jones

Puff-Puff With komBuCha

Rum CaRamel ORanges

Ingredients

225g granulated sugar 2 teaspoons rum

8 small oranges 300ml orange juice 1 teaspoon ground allspice 150ml water

150ml hot water

Method

Prepare the caramel by placing the sugar in a heavy-based saucepan and adding 150ml of water. Heat gently over low heat until all the sugar is dissolved. Turn up the heat and boil rapidly without stirring until the mix turns to a rich, golden-brown caramel.

Remove from the heat and add 150ml of hot water, then add the orange juice and rum and the ground allspice. Set aside for the caramel to cool.

Remove strips of peel from one orange using a potato peeler and cut into thin strips. Set aside. Remove the skin and pith from all the oranges using a sharp knife.

Cut the oranges horizontally into slices, around 6mm thick. Reform the oranges to their original shape and secure with a cocktail stick. Place the oranges in a serving bowl and pour over three-quarters of the caramel.

Place the strips of orange peel in the remaining caramel and cook over low heat for two or three minutes. Pour over the oranges just before serving.