The Lure Of African Cuisine

Ebony, August, 2000 by Charlotte Lyons

Yields 6 servings

CALORIES 400, FAT 30.3G, CHOLESTEROL 84MG, FIBER 2.3G, 620MG.

VEGETARIAN LENTILS

2 cups dried orange lentils
  Salt to taste
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup chopped tomato

Place lentils in large saucepan; add enough salty water to cover the lentils. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender. Drain, then mash slightly with fork or potato masher. Heat the oil to medium high in a large skillet and cook onions until golden. Add remaining ingredients except lentils. Simmer for a few minutes, then add lentils, stirring well. Heat until the mixture is quite thick. Serve hot. (Vegetarian Lentils are a good complementary to any kind of curry.)

Yields 6 servings

CALORIES 309, FAT 9.9G, CHOLESTEROL 0MG, FIBER 20.2G, SODIUM 100MG.

KURMA (QUICK CHICKEN CURRY)

2 1/2 - to 3-pound broiler-fryer chicken,
  cut up
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced
3 to 4 teaspoons curry powder
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
  Salt to taste
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup water

Combine all ingredients in Dutch oven or large, heavy pan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until chicken is done, stirring occasionally. Serve with hot rice.

Yields 6 servings

CALORIES 343, FAT 16.8G, CHOLESTEROL 124MG, FIBER 1.0G, SODIUM 214MG.

PEIXE A LUMBO (SHRIMP AND FISH STEW)

1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and
  deveined
1 1/2 pounds red snapper or sea bass,
  cut into pieces
  Salt to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped green pepper
3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup coconut milk

Sprinkle fish with salt on both sides. Heat oil in large skillet. Cook onions and green pepper over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until most of the liquid is gone, stirring often. Remove from heat and add coriander and red pepper Arrange a layer of one-half of the fish next a layer of shrimp, then a layer of vegetable mixture and repeat layers in Dutch oven. Pour coconut milk over and simmer for 5 minutes over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and partly cover. Simmer for 15 minutes or until seafood is done. Serve with rice.

Yields 6 servings

CALORIES 323, FAT 14.6G, CHOLESTEROL 157MG, FIBER 1.8G, SODIUM 341MG.