Building on Madiba's Legacy: SDG2 dinner

In honour of an evening dedicated to the importance of good food, 13 chefs from across the African continent and around the world curated a tasty, nutritious meal for 150 SDG2 advocates. In doing so, chefs global discussions around the future of food on the African continent and added their voice to calls for greater political commitments. In line with the Chefs’ Manifesto, this meal showcased the best of Africa’s regional cuisines and ingredients. Here are the recipes: 

Central region: Chef Lerato’s Cassava canapés (vegetarian)

Ingredients:

For the croquet–

• 1kg x peeled Cassava root
• 1x handful Cassava leaves
• 4x medium Fresh potato
• 1,5l Water
• Salt and pepper
• Flour
• Oil to deep fry

For the thick chunky relish–

• 2 tbsp Cooking oil/coconut oil
• 1x chopped Onion
• 3x crushed cloves of Garlic
• 800g x fresh roughly chopped Tomato
• Salt and pepper
• Sugar
• 1/2 cup Coriander leaves, root and stem
• Pork bush. Garnish (indigenous herbs)

Method:

For the croquet–

1. Boil the cassava and the fresh potatoes in water in separate pots. Boil until soft, easy to insert a knife through it.
2. While the potatoes and cassava are going, prepare the deep frying oil and the flour.
3. Once the cassava and potatoes are soft, remove from water, drain it and dry it.
4. When cooler mash it together and season to taste.
5. Shape it, and dip in flour, and deep oil and fry until light brown.
6. Continue until mixture is done.
7. Steam the cassava leaves, until soft and floppy.,
8. The leaves need to be puréed, and left to cool,

For the tomato sauce–

1. In a warm heavy sauce pot, add the oil you prefer
2. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent.
3. Add the garlic and add the chopped tomato. Cook at medium heat, keep stirring and let the tomato liquid evaporate.
4. Season to taste with salt pepper and touch of sugar.
5. Add the the Cassava leaves to the tomato relish.
6. Once the tomato has cooled down, add the coriander chopped leaves, stem and root to the relish.

To assemble:

1. Put croquet on plate
2. Put a teaspoon of the relish
3. And garnish with pork bush our indigenous herb!

Eastern Region: Chef Ali and Chef Vusi’s Mseto ‘green grams and sorghum Swahili meal’

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Pojo (green gram/ lentils soaked overnight)
• 1/2 cup sorghum (soaked overnight)
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons oil 
• 1 onion finely chopped 
• 1 teaspoon curry powder 
• 1 teaspoon garlic ginger paste 
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 
• Juice of 1 lime 

Method:

1. Boil the pojo and sorghum until they become soft, then drain any excess water and set aside.
2. In a pot over medium heat, put in the oil and fry the onions until golden brown, add the garlic ginger paste, curry powder, turmeric and cayenne pepper cook until fragrant
3. Go in with coconut cream and bring to a boil until thick
4. Add in the boiled green grams and sorghum mix well. Add the salt. Cook on low heat mashing the green grams at the same time. Do not over mash
5. Finish off with the lime juice. 
6. Enjoy with some braised goat or on its own. 

West Africa: Chef Lorna & Chef Michael’s Egusi dishes

Prawn and fish, greens, Egusi (melon seeds) with & plantain and Fonio tuile

Greens, Egusi ( melon seeds ) with & plantain and Fonio tuile ( V )

Peppered Sauce–

• Bell Peppers 7ea
• Onions 2ea
• Scotch Bonnet 3ea
• Garlic 4cloves
• Ginger 1” piece
• Red Tomatoes 3ea
• Smoked Paprika 2t
• Salt                                                                                                                                               
• Black pepper
• Vegetable Oil 2C

Instructions:

1. Blend bell peppers, onions, scotch bonnet, garlic, ginger, and red tomatoes. Set aside

2. In a med-large stewing pot, and vegetable oil and allow to heat up on high heat; once hot, slowly add pepper base mixture. *Careful, pepper tends to splash when added to oil; splash geared is advised.

3. Turn the heat to a medium and allow the pepper mixture to caramelize in the oil for about 1 ½ hrs.

4. Had smoked paprika, and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Seafood (Fish & Prawn)–

• Fish (8oz fillet) 8ea
• Prawn (medium) 1 Ib
• Peppered Sauce

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 160C

2. Season fish &/ prawns with salt and pepper and allow to marinate in room temperature for 10min

3. Arrange fish or prawns in oven safe pan or casserole dish

4. Coat seafood with enough of the peppered sauce

5. Braise fish in oven for 20-35min; braise prawns in the oven for 12-18min

Greens–

• Vegetable oil 2T
• Onion (Julienne) 4ea
• Garlic (minced) 2cloves
• Chard/collard greens  (Chiffonade) 3bnchs
• Salt
• Pepper
• Peppered Sauce (from seafood) 3C

Instructions:

1. Heat up a medium to large pot

2. Add vegetable oil, onions, garlic and sweat for 3min

3. Stir in greens; season with salt and pepper.

4. Coat greens with sauce from seafood braise

Egusi–

• Palm Oil 2T
• Iru (Fermented Locust Beans) 1t
• Egusi (grounded) 1C
• Vegetable stock 2C
• Salt
• Cayenne 1t

Instructions:

1. Heat up a small saucepot at medium heat

2. Add palm oil, once it gets hot, add the iru and allow it to sweat in the palm oil for 1min

3. Stir in egusi for 30 sec then add the vegetable stock

4. Bring mixture to a boil

5. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth

6. Season with salt and cayenne

Southern region: Chef Mokgadi and Chef Arthur’s Samp, beans and amaranth croquette with Baobab sauce

Ingredients:

• 200g Samp, soaked overnight
• 200g canned butter beans
• 30ml olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 400g amaranth leaves, washed
• 100g Swiss chard stalks, chopped
• Salt and pepper for seasoning
• 1 egg beaten
• Breadcrumbs

Method:

1. Cook the samp in salted water for 2hrs until al’dente, stirring continuously

2. Once the samp is cooked, roughly chop the beans and add them to the samp and season with salt and pepper

3. In a separate pan, heat the olive oil and sauté onion and garlic together, then add 300g amaranth leaves, cook for 15 minutes until the leaves are wilted and soft

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then add the cooked leaves to the samp and bean mixture, stir until well combined, then leave the mixture cool

5. Once the mixture is cool, roll into medium sized balls, coat into the egg and then into the breadcrumbs and set aside

6. Preheat the oven to 200°C

7. Bake the croquettes for 30 minutes until golden brown

8. While the croquettes are baking, blanche the rest of the amaranth leaves and chard stalks, drain from the water using a spider into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm, ready for plating

Baobab sauce-

Ingredients:

• 50g baobab powder
• 250g vegetable stocks
• Salt and pepper to season
• Juice of 1 lemon

Method:

1. Heat baobab powder in a saucepan, at medium heat to slightly toast it

2. Whisk the vegetable stock into the powder, creating a thick smooth sauce

3. Season with salt and pepper and allow the sauce to cook at medium heat for 20 minutes

4. Then add the lemon juice, adjust seasoning and cook for a further 10 minutes

To plate:

Place amaranth and chard stalk mixture at the base of the plate, top with the croquette and pour the baobab sauce generously around the plate, garnish with herbs and serve.