American vs African Holiday Dishes

Cooking has a way of bringing people together. Food, particularly good food has a way of making people happy and putting people in a festive mood. But it is the holiday! Everyone just wants to chill and party, yet some of us are saddled with kitchen duties that we can’t avoid. It is only expected that we would choose the simplest yet tastiest meals to prepare and go right back to having fun with others. We are going to work through a small list of simple, yet tasty American and African holiday dishes that will help release some of the stress of cooking for large families that come around for the holidays.

MULLED CIDER VS AFRICAN PEPPER SOUP

Our first mention of American vs African holiday dishes is Mulled apple cider vs pepper soup, pepper soup like mulled wine, is the perfect drink for the cold winter or harmattan months. It is cosy to nurse a cup of cider while having a conversation with family and friends. Likewise, feasting on a plate of rich goatmeat/fish/snail/offal/chicken pepper soup while conversing with family and friends is very exciting. Surprisingly, both of them are easy to prepare and have a very short preparation time.

Mulled Apple Cider

Apple cider is made up of fresh apples. The juice is extracted from those apples when they have been ground into pulp and then strained before it is refrigerated. Apple Cider is a fresh and all-natural drink that will warm you up from head to toe in the cold months of fall and winter.

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Ingredients for the making of Mulled apple cider;

1. Fresh apples
2. Whole cloves
3. Allspice berries
4. Fresh ginger root
5. Cardamom pod
6. Cinnamon sticks
7. Orange slices and
8. Lemon peel.

Steps to making Mulled Apple Cider;

1. Grind the fresh apples into pulp.
2. Strain the pulp.
3. Add all the spices and the strained juice together and cook on low heat for an hour.
4. Strain the cider through a fine-mesh sieve before serving to prevent the retainment of particles that might give the wine a gritty texture.
5. Add your preferred liquor and serve (optional).

Serve hot and with love and enjoy the love of your family and friends.

Recipe adapted from here.

African Pepper Soup

African pepper soup is a hot and spicy soup everyone would love to enjoy on a cool evening. It comprises of goat meat/fish/snail/offals/chicken or other condiments and spices. It is an easy-to-prepare meal that won’t take much of your time but will earn you a thumbs up from your family members.

Ingredients of African Pepper Soup;

1. 1 pound goat meat/fish/snail/offals/chicken
2. 1 teaspoon red chili
3. 2 teaspoon crayfish
4. 1 teaspoon ginger powder
5. 1 teaspoon pepper soup spice
6. 1 small onion
7. Salt
8. 2 teaspoon uziza leaves.
9. 4 cups of water
10. 1 scotch bonnet

Steps to making African Pepper Soup;

1. Cut the goat meat/fish/snail/offals into small pieces.
2. Rinse thoroughly.
3. Transfer the goat meat/fish/snail/offals into the pot.
4. Add salt and seasoning.
5. Add pepper/Chili pepper to taste and half of an onion (grated).
6. Cook for 30 minutes (Or till it is as soft as you like it).
7. Add the pepper soup spice, ginger powder or clove and the remaining grated onion and crayfish.
8. Leave it to cook for another ten minutes.
9. Stir in the Uziza/scent/mint leaves and let simmer for another five minutes.
10. Serve.

Recipe adpated from here

EGGNOG VS PALM WINE

Eggnog is a very popular drink that has great nutritional properties and is usually drunk during festive seasons around family fireplaces. It is a go-to drink when you want something healthy yet satisfying for your children, and it is also a delicious drink for adults who have the option of adding rum to theirs.

Palm wine is the sap extracted from palm trees. Fresh palm wine is thick, sugary and milky while fermented palm wine is alcoholic while retaining its sweet taste. In festive seasons you will find groups of men sitting around and drinking palm wine over discussion and laughter. For those who do not have access to fresh palm wine, below is the recipe for an alternative to palm

Eggnog drink

Ingredients for making Eggnog drink:

1. Four cups of milk
2. Five whole cloves of ginger
3. Half teaspoon of vanilla extract
4. One teaspoon of ground cinnamon
5. Twelve egg yolks
6. One and a half cups of sugar
7. Two and a half cups of light rum
8. Four cups of light cream
9. Half teaspoon ground nutmeg.

Steps to making Eggnog drink:

1. Combine milk, cloves, half teaspoon vanilla and cinnamon in a saucepan, and heat over low heat for five minutes.
2. Slowly bring milk mixture to a boil.
3. In a large bowl combine egg yolks and sugar.
4. Whisk together until fluffy.
5. Whisk hot milk mixture into the eggs.
6. Pour mixture into saucepan.
7. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for three minutes.
8. Stop before it boils.
9. Strain to remove cloves and let cool for about an hour.
10. Stir in rum, cream, two teaspoon vanilla and nutmeg.
11. Refrigerate overnight.
12. Serve.

Recipe adapted from here.

Palm Wine Alternative

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Ingredients for an alternative to Palm wine;

1. 200ml of cool water
2. 50ml warm water
3. Ten to twelve spoonful of cane sugar
4. Ten grams of fresh yeast or three grams of dried yeast
5. A balloon (will be used to check fermentation)
6. A rubber band (optional)

Steps to making an alternative to Palm wine;

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water.
2. Add sugar and mix thoroughly.
3. Pour yeast mixture into the bottle containing the cool water.
4. Cover and shake lightly.
5. Place balloon on open mouth of bottle.
6. Press the rest of balloon into the bottle and seal.
7. Store in a dark place for 48-72 hours.
8. Shake well, refrigerate and serve.

Note: There should be white bubble on the drink and residue at the bottom. The balloon should also have risen to the top.

Recipe adapted from here.

NOCHE BUENA SALAD VS ABACHA

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The Noche Buena salad is a Mexican fruit salad while Abacha is a Nigerian vegetable salad particular to the Igbos. Both salads are easy to prepare once you have all the ingredients. They are also nutritious and tasty salads you should definitely try.

NOCHE BUENA SALAD

Ingredients

1. Two beets, medium/roasted/steamed.
2. One cup jicama cut into matchsticks
3. Three oranges cut into supreme
4. One apple sliced
5. Three-quarter cup pomegranate seeds
6. One third cup of peanuts roasted and chopped

Ingredients For The Dressing

1. One third cup of fresh orange juice
2. Quarter cup of white vinegar
3. One clove of minced garlic
4. Two heads of Romaine
5. Two teaspoon of olive oil (optional)

Steps to making the Noche Buena salad;

1. Toss the chopped romaine with the rest of the ingredients or arrange the ingredients on top of the lettuce.
2. To make the dressing, whisk the orange juice, vinegar, and garlic together. Slowly add the oil and continue whisking. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Pour dressing over salad.

Recipe adapted from here.

ABACHA

Abacha is a very delicious mix of spices, oils, crisp and salty. When you eat Abacha it is this wealth of flavors that assault your senses and makes you fall in love with it. Below are the ingredients for preparing Abacha;

Ingredients;

1. 300gram of dried shredded cassava
2. 100gram Ukpaka
3. 200ml Palm Oil
4. Two teaspoonful ground crayfish
5. One teaspoon ground Ehuru (calabash nutmeg) (optional)
6. One level teaspoon ground potash
7. One stock cube
8. Two small onions
9. Chili pepper
10. Salt
11. One teaspoonful finely chopped spinach
12. Dry/stock fish.
13. Prawns

Steps to making Abacha;

1. Wash condiments.
2. Add spices and boil until cooked.
3. Soak dry prawns in hot water.
4. Fry fish.
5. Dissolve the ground potash in about 3-4 teaspoonful of water and strain.
6. Rinse Ukpaka and strain.
7. Place dry shredded cassava into cold water for eight minutes and strain.
8. Pour the crayfish, pepper, diced and pounded onions, nutmeg, and the potash liquid into a pot of palm oil.
9. Place the pot on low heat.
10. Add the shredded cassava.
11. Remove from the flame as soon as the mixture is hot.
12. Add condiments.
13. Add the Ukpaka and onion rings.
14. Serve!

Recipe adapted from here.

NIGERIAN JOLLOF VS RICE AND PEAS

The legendary Nigerian Jollof rice is a tasty dish prepared with the most minimal ingredients but with lots of love and care taken. The ingredients must be put in just the right amounts, and at the right time, to get that party Jollof taste and aroma. Rice and peas is a simple but delicious meal that is prepared with minimal ingredients and very easy steps.

Nigerian Jollof Rice

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Ingredients;

1. 750g long grain parboiled rice
2. Two to three cups tomato stew
3. Chicken (whole chicken, drumsticks or chicken breast)
4. Pepper and salt (to taste)
5. Two medium onions
6. Three knorr cubes
7. One tablespoon of butter
8. Two teaspoon thyme
9. Two teaspoon curry powder.

Steps to making Nigerian Jollof rice;

1. Wash and cut the whole chicken into pieces. Cook with spices and fry crispy.
2. Parboil the rice, rinse the rice and strain.
3. Pour the chicken stock and tomato stew into a sizeable pot and leave to boil.
4. Add the drained parboiled rice, curry powder, salt, and pepper to taste.
5. Cover the pot and leave to cook on low to medium heat.
6. Turn to ensure all spices are properly mixed. Add the butter.
7. Leave to simmer for about five minutes.
8. Serve hot!

Recipe adapted from here

RICE AND PEAS

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Ingredients;

1. Half cup uncooked long grain rice
2. A pinch of raw sage
3. One can of chicken broth
4. One cup fresh or frozen peas
5. Two tablespoons diced pimientos

Steps to making Rice and Peas;

1. Place pan of butter on fire.
2. Pour rice and sage in a pan of hot butter until rice is slightly brown.
3. Add broth and bring to boil.
4. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Add peas; simmer uncovered for ten minutes longer as you stir.
6. When it is heated through, stir in pimientos.
7. Serve hot!

Recipe adapted from here

BONUS RECIPE : COCONUT CANDY; AFRICAN DESSERT

Ingredients;

1. Two and a half cups of freshly grated coconuts
2. Half cup of sugar
3. Half cup of sweetened condensed milk
4. Half cup of milk
5. One tablespoon spoon of Butter
6. Two teaspoons of vanilla extract

Steps to making Coconut Candy;

1. Line and grease a pan.
2. Melt butter into a non-stick pan on low heat.
3. Add milk and sugar and let it dissolve.
4. Add condensed milk.
5. Add vanilla extract.
6. Continue to stir until coconut clumps form.
7. Transfer candy to a prepared pan.
8. Level the surface and press down firmly.
9. Leave to cool and refrigerate.
10. Serve.

Recipe adapted from here

Prepare any of these tasty dishes for your family as a way of spreading happiness into the new year. Remember, the secret to every tasty pot of food is a dash of love. Thank me later. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!