Tiger Nut Milk

We first tried tiger nuts when we lived in Ghana, West Africa. I would say the taste is reminiscent of a cashew, but much more fibrous and yet sweet, like a mild apple sweet. In Africa, we ate them much fresher and just like a nut, popped them into our mouth. I found them at a store from this company and picked them up. I was not disappointed. Since they were dried, I needed to rehydrate them with water. They are not actually nuts, but tubers that grow in the ground. Full of fiber and nutrition, they are also gluten free and safe for those who cannot have dairy.

Tiger Nut Milk

2 cups of dried tiger nuts soaked in a quart jar (or equivalent), filled to the 3 cup mark with water

Soak for about 3 days, draining the water, rinsing, and adding fresh water each day. I soaked mine in the refrigerator. Make sure your water is completely covering the tiger nuts plus about 1 inch, each time.

In a strong blender, blend the rinsed and drained soaked tiger nuts with water and fill up to about the 5 cup mark in blender. Run for about 3 minutes. Use a nut milk bag to filter the fiber-filled pulp from the liquid milk (Obviously, this will remove much of the fiber - If you want to use the fiber in baked goods, by all means go ahead). Use less water for thicker, creamier milk and more water to thin it, whatever you like. This ratio worked well for me as it was creamy, but not too rich.

Taste. You can use as is, or add whatever add-ins you like (sweetener, vanilla, etc.). I don't add anything preferring it's natural sweetness. Use up within about 2 days as it is best fresh and will turn quickly after that. Otherwise, you can try and freeze it in freezer safe containers, but the fresh consistency may not be the same.

Today I used it with my soaked rolled oats for a muesli type breakfast. Other things I added to my rolled oats: sliced fresh banana, sunflower and sesame seeds, chia, flax, bee pollen, goji berries and pumpkin seeds. So good!

Showers of Blessing

March 17, 2007

During the night, we had our first rain in months. Maybe we are at the end of the dry season, we will see. We have a woman who comes and helps with cleaning. Later in the morning I could hear her singing the hymn, “Showers of Blessing” at the top of her lungs. Earlier I had asked her about the rain and if she was cold (it cools down considerably when it rains here). Yes, she is cold. 

Later I check the temperature. It’s 82 degrees. That is chili for Ghana. Maybe today it won’t hit higher than 90 degrees in the house as usual lately. It continues to rain lightly here this morning. Everyone will rejoice today and try to stay warm as the rains have come to wet this dry, dusty, thirsty land. 

                                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*I wrote the above when we were living in Ghana, more than a year before I started this blog. I was working on condensing files on our computer, when I found this today. What a breath of fresh air!

The photo was taken at Till's Beach near Cape Coast. For us, it was a much welcomed retreat while we lived in Ghana. I love this shot. Good memories! 

Red Red from Ghana (Black-Eyed Peas with Plantains)

I have so many foods I miss from Ghana. It's hard to believe we've been back for almost 6 1/2 years now. This meal took us right back. My husband loved this meal and it was his usual lunch on school days. It was easily his favorite and most frequent meal in Ghana.

Named "Red Red" for a couple of reasons. When we asked why it was named this way in Ghana, they would tell us that the ripe plantains are called red and from the red palm oil. When I was checking on the name online, I came up with many recipes that included tomatoes in them. Since we don't recall tomatoes being part of the dish we remember, I opted to go middle road with some tomato paste for flavor. Tomato paste is used very frequently in Ghana. Also, traditionally the plantains are unhealthily deep fried. We opted to bake them, and didn't notice much of a difference. They were perfectly sweet and soft on their own, to compliment the beans.

There are a couple of ingredients in this meal that made it difficult to make this meal authentic until recently when we found some gari, made from cassava. One other ingredient was the red palm oil, harvested from palm oil trees.

My husband says it's a keeper. We all loved it. Enjoy!

Red Red (Black-Eyed Peas with Plantains) 

In a large skillet, heat:
1/4 cup red palm oil

Add and cook until soft:
2 medium onions, sliced
1 inch ginger, peeled and chopped (optional, but lends an authentic flavor)
5 cloves garlic, pressed and chopped

Add and let cook for a couple of minutes:
1 teaspoon curry powder
red pepper (to taste, or use the chili and onion condiment below)
1 Tablespoons tomato paste
salt to taste

Finally add, and let simmer:
4-6 cups cooked black-eyed peas (save the cooking liquid)
(This is about what you get when you cook up 1 pound dry beans)
bean cooking water for thinning the stew to almost soupy

Meanwhile, prepare the baked plantains:

6-8 very ripe (preferably at least 1/2 black/yellow) plantains, washed, peeled, cut into about 1 inch sections

Arrange the peeled and sliced ripe plantains on a baking sheet in single layer.
Bake at 350 F until done (softened), about 30-45 minutes.

Serve up the Red Red with some slices of baked plantain. Making sure there is liquid for the gari to sprinkle on and soak up, enjoy as a meal.

Optional:
Process fresh red chili pepper in a mortar and pestle, adding some salt. Stir in some thinly sliced red onion (more typical in Ghana, but you may use any kind of onion for this). Put on the table to serve alongside as a condiment.

Almond "Groundnut" Stew - West African Style

While living in Ghana, we enjoyed many new flavors and tried some new dishes. We often made many of our own stews without meat at home so we could enjoy what was common there. A West African meal, groundnut stew is surprisingly good. We enjoyed this last evening with two friends, one was vegetarian and one was not. They both really liked it.

My version is vegetarian and uses almond butter instead of the typical peanut butter (aka, "groundnuts"). It puts unique flavors together that our American palettes don't understand... until we taste it. Most often served with steamed rice, it is also very good with boiled medium ripe plantains (a type of banana that is cooked). For toppings, you may also put out other fresh chopped tomatoes, green onions, coconut (etc. - like for curry condiments). Slices of avocado or banana, on the side, would be enjoyed by those more sensitive to the spiciness of this dish.

The three flavors, that were often used together in Ghana, are hot pepper, fresh ginger, and garlic. These are the stars in this stew, along with tomatoes, onions and, of course, almond butter (or more commonly, peanut butter). It is my recommendation that you use only "natural" peanut or almond butter without sweeteners or oils or other ingredients. I made my own almond butter just before I added it to the stew last evening (2 cups whole almonds in the food processor, about 10 minutes, makes about 1 cup almond butter).

Almond "Groundnut" Stew

1 Tablespoon oil (I used coconut oil)
2 cups chopped onion (red is more authentic)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon peeled and minced, fresh ginger root (about 10-12 grams)

cayenne pepper to taste (or chopped fresh hot pepper, to taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated, if possible)
1 teaspoon chili power (optional)
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes (or use canned tomatoes)
1-2 eggplant, chopped (optional)  *called "garden egg" in Ghana
1 green bell pepper, chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (or almond butter)

More optional ingredients: (add with tomatoes)
10 whole okra
1/2 cup chopped sweet potato

In a large saucepan, saute onions, garlic and fresh ginger in oil for a few minutes. Add seasonings. After a minute or so, add in tomatoes, optional vegetables, salt and water. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. In a separate bowl, or larger-than-needed heat proof measuring cup (I use a 2 cup glass liquid measuring cup), mix peanut butter (or almond butter) and about another equal part of hot liquid from the stew (I use a ladle to get some from the pot) together with a whisk. When mixed well, add it slowly to the pot and simmer another 15 minutes or so. Adjust salt and seasonings as needed.

This would make a good choice for a crock pot meal and will be very freezer friendly after it has been cooked and cooled.

A Reader's Question About Ghana's Foods

A reader asked about food preservation and what the Ghanaian people eat in the "off" season...

Good question...actually here in the tropical climate, there really isn't an "off" season per se. There are only seasons for specific foods. There are fresh local foods all year around.

Right now, the avocados are getting too expensive to buy again, because they are almost totally out of season. But the lovely mango fruit are starting to get very large and cheaper because they are in season. Oh, so yummy too!

The idea of refrigeration, freezing or canning produce doesn't really happen here for the majority of people. Because many do not have electric or even the space to store home canned goods plays into this. There are some stores in Accra (capitol) where supplies can be procured to do things like freezing or canning, so it's not impossible. But really, those supplies are there generally because of the expats (foreigners living in Ghana) that would buy them to do such things.

What you might find however is preservation by ground storage, drying, smoking, salting or other similar method that does not involve electricity. That's how many of our own ancestors preserved food before such modern conveniences.

The seasonal question is still valid here however, because of the planting and harvesting of certain foods at different times of the year. That mostly applies to fruits and vegetables, but for beans and grains, those can be bought at the markets anytime of the year.

A couple of weeks back, I bought a fresh white yam. It was not from storage, but rather had just been harvested. I thought I'd like to try a fresh yam to see the difference, thinking that it would taste much better and richer, etc. than the stored ones I had been buying. Believe it or not, we did not prefer it. It didn't taste as good as the stored ones. I don't really know why, but maybe that "aged" flavor is just better.

Each seems to have its own season: cassava, plantain, white yam, corn (maize). When it's corn season, you'll notice people selling it grilled or boiled. Then another time, it will be the plantains that are cheap. It's like this all year around. The food places on the street will change what they sell based on the in season foods. Rice can be found all year around, but lately prices have been going up here, just like in other parts of the world.

If there are places to buy stews, the main vegetable will vary depending on the produce available. Even sit down restaurants may not have half their menu available because it all depends on the season.

They really do eat locally and in season here. It's cheaper and some people grow much of their own food, if they have any land to speak of. No yards here, but maybe corn or cassava growing.

I think that that is where its at for everyone concerned with food availability and prices. Grow your own. If that's not possible, then eat locally and in season.

Know your food and grow some too. Gardens are good for the whole family! I can't wait to start one myself next year after we settle back in the states again. Until then, I'll try to find some good farmer's markets to go to.

Making Tofu in an African Village

There is a woman who sells "soya" to us here in Ghana. We call them spicy tofu kebabs. She has been coming to our house to sell soya for a while now. I realized that I will miss her kebabs one day, so I asked her to show me how to make it myself. Although I don't have all the steps learned yet, I thought I would show you our family field trip to learn the art of making tofu - Ghana style.

(captions underneath each photo will explain the steps)

Here's the woman (with my daughter, Francesca, on her back) taking her soybeans, which have been soaking for 3 hours, out of one container and putting them in another.

She cleans, sorts, and drains them all at the same time this way.

Here we are walking to the grinder about 15 minutes away.

She carries them on her head to the grinder

(daughter on my back and son in the foreground to the left - photo taken by my husband).

The grinder with his machine. Up to the left you see the wires he touches together to start and stop the motor.

While the soybeans are getting ground, he adds water to make it go through easier. This is the first pass through. By the time it's finished it will have gone through about four times. She says this greatly depends on the grinder. Sometimes it only takes one time through.

The final product of the grinding process. The soybeans are now like a thick paste with added water.

Back at her house again, she has put them into her very large bowl. You can see better the consistency of the ground beans.

She stirs the ground soybeans with her hand as she adds water.

She fills it to the brim with water. The final amount shown here.

Close up (looks like a foamy "ocean," as my son put it).




One of her kettles she will use to squeeze out the milk from the bowl. She will eventually get two kettles full from this amount of soybeans.

She fills a large cotton sack with the ground soybean and water mixture, scooping it from the large bowl into the sack, on the edge of her kettle.

This next step proved to me how strong this woman is - here she squeezes the milk from the mixture through the fabric to get all the milk out.

She squeezes and squeezes, twists and squeezes some more...

...and when she can't get anymore from the soybean and water mix bowl, then she adds more water from another bowl to get even more out. I think I now know what the phrase "milking it for all it's worth" means now!

Her setup inside her house during this step. Front center is her original bowl of soybean and water mixture. She is squeezing the milk into her cooking kettle. The black bowl beside her holds more water to get more out of the sack. The smaller bowl diagonally opposite to her kettle is holding the dry pulp (okara) that is left after this step.

This step is time consuming. I liked getting photos of her hands at work.

Her kettle on the fire. She has a tripod type setup for support.

Another view.

She uses Epsom salts for the coagulant.

Mixing the coagulant with water.

Since putting the kettle on the fire, the milk has been cooking. During this entire time, we were asking questions and taking photos (I took over 100 total). Our children were playing in the courtyard that she shares with other close neighbors. My daughter here exploring. If you look closely, you can see in the background that she has a small version of her large kettle on a square brazier or cooker (uses charcoal). She has separated some milk out to make soy milk with it. All of this larger kettle and another will go into making the soybean curd (tofu). She makes this everyday for her family this way. She let us taste it - warm and sweetened with a little sugar - very delicious, like hot cocoa without the chocolate.

Her kettle has been cooking away for a while. Now it it is starting to foam up. This is what it looks like right before she adds the coagulant and water mixture.



She pours in the coagulant.



Another view.

One of the kettles that "settled down" after this step.

After about a minute on the fire after she adds the coagulant, a neighbor will help her take it off the fire. They use cloth threaded through the small handles and then carry it off careful not to touch the hot kettle.

Here the "meat" as she called it, rising to the top and the liquid is underneath. You can see it has pulled away from the sides of the kettle.

She scooped out one side to show how it looks (curds and whey).

Here are both kettles with another bowl waiting to help with the next step.

She scoops out some of the liquid to move it out of the way. She is putting it into the white bucket (pail) to the left in the photo.

The setup for this step. Similar to the squeezing out the milk earlier, she now is pressing the curds in another large cotton flour sack. This time it is for the final pressing of the tofu. She scoops from one kettle and then the other to combine them in her sack.

Auntie Akua hard at work.

Scooping some of the liquid from the bowl that has come through the sack.

She twists it closed.

She lets it rest a minute. It is very hot and steaming.

She is almost finished!

She presses more liquid out with a bowl so she won't burn her hands. That's a lot of tofu!

She positions it on her homemade press. The press is 2 cement blocks in the ground with a plastic tarp-like sack underneath the tofu. The tofu in a flour sack...

...a flat piece of wood on top to even out the weights she will place on top.

Placing two large stones on the flat piece of wood...

...and another to complete it.

The tofu will be pressed this way for two hours. From the start of the soak time for the soybeans until now it has been about 6 to 6 1/2 hours total.

Here my daughter plays with her youngest daughter in the courtyard.

Her family (with my daughter) with 4 of her 5 children in the doorway of her home. She provides for them as a single mother. Making tofu is what she does for a living.

I took all of the photos except the ones I'm in. My husband took this photo of us together. I felt a little like a journalist that day. Camera, pen and paper in hand taking notes. We really enjoyed it. She was very patient with us.



Later she brought me some of the finished tofu. I took photos of it for you to see the final outcome of her hard work. It is very firm and dense. Perfect for using in kebabs on the grill.

This is a photo of the "soya" as we buy it from her, ready made.

The steps you don't see are the preparation of the kebabs. She freezes the tofu, cubes it, then fries it in oil. She then skewers it and adds her seasoning. The seasoning consists of peanut powder (groundnut) from which the oil has been removed, roasted corn (maize) flour, and chili pepper and other seasonings from northern Ghana she tells us. She also adds small pieces of red onion between each piece of tofu. They are very good and spicy.

I hope you enjoyed the little tour. Makes me more thankful for those kebabs! =)