Around the World in 80 Dishes (Special): Puerto Rico

As part of my Around the World in 80 Dishes culinary adventure, I decided that I would prepare four special challenges. Each challenge would focus on a cuisine of a culture that does not have its own, fully recognized country. These challenges will also appear as part of my Beyond Borders project. 

This post represents my third special challenge. The previous two posts focused upon peoples -- namely, Tibetans and Palestinians -- who lack their own countries recognized by the rest of the world. They also face significant threats to their cultures and their cuisines from forces within the countries where they live. When it came time to prepare this challenge, I already had a plan in mind. The third post would have followed relatively along the same lines as the prior two special ones. 

However, all of my plans went out the window on February 8, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. 

At that moment, Bad Bunny began to perform during the halftime of Super Bowl LX. As I was introduced to songs like Tití Me Preguntó, MONACO, LO QUE PASÓ a HAWAii and DeBÍ TIRAR MáS FOTos, Bad Bunny got me to thinking about the Puerto Rican people. When Bad Bunny waived the Puerto Rican independence flag during his performance of El Apagón, that sealed the choice for me. 

My third special would be about Puerto Rico and its people (or, as many of them refer to their islands and people, Boriquen and Boricua). The starting point is a familiar one for any non-white people in the United States: Puerto Ricans (or the Boricua) have never had their rightful place within our society, economy, or our history. And, just like every other non-white community in our country, Puerto Ricans get blamed for the failures that are the result of a government that at every level has failed them repeatedly, an economy that exploits their labor, and a white supremacist-based society that refuses to accept or acknowledge (sometimes intentionally, sometimes out of ignorance) that Puerto Ricans are citizens of the United States. (Just look at the racist, right-wing vitriol about Bad Bunny both before and after that Super Bowl performance.) Yet, the United States has benefitted from the many contributions that Puerto Ricans have made to our collective identity. 

My goal is to recognize and respect the Puerto Rican culture and cuisine. But, in all reality, it deserves much more than what I can do with a post on this blog. 

"Puerto Rican culture is very lively; very lively people, very warm people; and the food is really great. We are all about cooking a lot of food and having family around, we're kind of loud." 

-- David Lambert, Actor

The cuisine of Puerto Rico, much like its culture, a beautiful but complex layering of different influences over time. The dishes draw from the indigenous Arawak and Taino peoples, who cultivated root vegetables and corn on the island before colonization. The centuries of colonization also brought influences from peoples who came voluntarily and involuntarily, invited and uninvited to the island. There is a strong African presence in many of the cooking techniques, ingredients, and dishes, which arrived with the slave labor forcibly brought from the African continent to the island. The Spanish also left their mark in other ways, such as the use of olive oil, garlic and the variety of pork dishes. And then there is the American influence, with recipes that call for canned vegetables, mayonnaise, and, as you will read later, canned Vienna sausages. 

All of these different influences are weaved together into a cultural fabric that surrounds the family. There are many Puerto Rican dishes -- such as lechon asado (roast pork) and arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas) that are clearly intended to be served on platters placed in the middle of a long table  where family and friends gather for a meal. Preparing the recipes and dishes that followed got me thinking to times when I prepared a dinner for family and/or friends. 

APPETIZER

The starting point begins with street food. It seems an appropriate point given my increased focus on promoting learning, understanding and empathy through food. After all, street food is universal. It can be accessed by nearly everyone, regardless of class, social standing, citizenship, or any other factor that is typically used to divide people. Street food has also become an important part of my Around the World in 80 Dishes personal culinary challenge. While recipes for particular street foods may not qualify as a main dish, I think that those recipes are an important part of learning about a culture. 

So, my exploration into Cucina Criolla begins with Pinchos de Pollo. The recipe originates from the Basque region of Spain, where skewers like these would be served as Pintxos. Puerto Ricans made these skewers their own, drawing from the culinary essence of the island through the use of adobo and sazón. What really sets this recipe apart from any chicken kebab or chicken skewer is the Guava Barbecue Sauce. While I more often than not choose spicy sauces, this sweet sauce is very good and may become a go to sauce as long as I keep guava paste stocked in the pantry.

PINCHOS DE POLLO

Pinchos recipe from Loisa

Serves 4-6

Ingredients (for the Chicken Skewers):

• 3 pounds of chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1-2 tablespoons of sazon (regular or salt-free)
• 1-2 tablespoons of adobo (regular or salt free)
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 lemon, juiced

Ingredients (for the Guava BBQ Sauce):

• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 8 ounces guava paste
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 lemon juiced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 shallot, minced (1 tablespoon)
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons ketchup
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste) 

Directions:

1. Prepare the chicken. Cut the chicken thighs into small cubes. Place in a bowl and season with the olive oil, lemon juice, adobo, sazon, garlic powder and oregano. Mix well and let it marinate in the fridge for at least an hour, preferably overnight. 

2. Prepare the barbecue sauce. As the chicken marinates, you can begin making the barbecue sauce. Chop the guava paste into small cubes. Add the cubes into a skillet at medium high heat. Then add water as the guava begins to melt. Once the guava has melted, add the pineapple juice and all of the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Place the sauce in a container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. 

3. Grill the pinchos. Preheat the grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the marinated chicken pieces to skewers to build the pinchos like a kebab. Grill the pinchos for 7-8 minutes on each side. Brush the skewers on each side with the guava barbecue sauce for an additional five minutes. 

MAIN COURSE

Given this entire post was inspired by Bad Bunny's performance at the Half-Time Show for Superbowl LX, it seems only appropriate that the culinary challenge should be to prepare one of the performers' most favorite childhood dishes. That dish is Arroz con Salchichas, which is a rice dish prepared with Vienna sausages. 

This dish is comfort food for many Puerto Ricans, as it has the aromas and flavors that remind them of their home. A kitchen where their mother or grandmother may have been preparing dinner. Without a lot of resources available to them, they would take basic ingredients, like rice, and inexpensive ingredients, liked canned sausages, to prepare a meal that would be filling and bring comfort. But, what really makes arroz con salchicas special are the aromas and flavors that come from fundamental aspects of Cocina Criolla: the use of sazón and sofrito. Indeed, those two ingredients are so iconic to the cooking of Boriquen that I have included recipes for making each at home. 

ARROZ CON SALCHICHAS

Recipe from Pop Sugar

Serves 10

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh sofrito
• 1/2 cup white onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1.5 teaspoons sazón
  
• 1 teaspoon adobo
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 5-7 canned Vienna sausages chopped
• 2 cups parboiled rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 dried bay leaves
• Salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat the sofrito. Heat a cast-iron or aluminum Dutch oven (calderop) to medium heat, then add olive oil and sofrito. Saute the sofrito for 3-4 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the green pepper and onion. Saute until the onion begins translucent.  

2. Continue with the dish. Add the Vienna sausages, tomato paste, sazón, adobo and chicken boillon cube to the pot, and stir until combined. Pour in the chicken broth and by leaves and then bring the mixture to a boil. While it is coming to a boil, taste the broth and add salt as needed.  

3. Add the rice. Once the mixture is boiling, add the rice to the Dutch oven - make sure all of the raw grains of rice are evenly submerged across the top of the caldero. Let the water and rice boil for a few minutes, or until you see the rice start to absorb the liquid in the pot. 

4. Continue to cook the dish. When the top layer of water has been absorbed, stir the rice once with a wooden spoon and then cover the Dutch oven and lower the heat to low. 

4. Finish the dish. Remove the lid when the rice is fully cooked, about 20-25 minutes later, and simmer for another 5-10 minutes. You will know the rice is done when all of the additional liquid within the pot is gone and the rice is plump. 

SAUCE

I have seen multiple sources describe sofrito - a blend of onions, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro and culuantro -- as the most important ingredient in Cocina Criolla or Puerto Rican cuisine. The sauce or paste serves as the foundation for a multitude of dishes across the culinary landscape of Boriquen. Yet, its origin comes, not from the Boricua, but the Spanish -- or, more accurately, the Catalonians. The first recipe for sofrito comes from a Catalan cookbook called Libre de Sent Sovi, which was published in 1324 C.E.  The Spanish brought the Catalonian flavor base with them and to the island of Puerto Rico.

P.S., if you have left over sofrito, as you will inevitably have if you make this recipe, it also doubles as a great dip for chips, whether tortilla chips or, more appropros, plantain chips. 

PUERTO RICAN SOFRITO

Recipe from Serious Eats

Makes 4 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 medium Spanish onions, cut into large chunks (about 2 cups)
• 4 cubanelle peppers, stemmed, seeded and cut into large chunks (about 2 cups)
• 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and roughly chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 4 medium ripe plum tomatoes, cored and cut into chunks (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 large bunch cilantro, washed and roughly chopped
• 18 medium cloves garlic, peeled
• 8 aji dulces
• 4 leaves culantro
• Kosher salt

Directions:

1. Process the onions and peppers.  Place the onions and cubanelle peppers in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until coarsely chopped.

2. Finish the sofrito. With the motor running, add the remaining ingredients one at a time through the feed tube and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Transfer to container and store in refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze.

SPICE MIX

The last recipe is another pillar of Cocina Criolla, the spice mix known as sazón. While one can find bottles of the spice mix in stores, as with any mix, there is usually a high amount of salt, up to 7% of one's daily intake. And, when you take into account the various other stages of meal preparation when you add salt, it can really add up. 

When you prepare spice mixes at home, you can reduce the amount of salt in the recipe, which makes it healthier. That is certainly the case with this sazón.

PUERTO RICAN SAZÓN

Recipe from Hispanic Food Network

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons ground annatto achiote seeds
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1 tablespoon granultated onion
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, optional

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until they are thoroughly combined. Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place for up to six months. 

*     *     *

In the end, I am glad that I made the switch and did a special featuring Puerto Rico. The islands are a constant reminder of the beauty of the United States ... a place where people can have their own culture, their own cuisine and their own identity, and still be considered Americans (at least by right-minded people). However, to truly honor Puerto Rican cuisine, I need to make my dishes for family and friends, as opposed to just for myself. That effort will be the subject of future posts. Until then, .... 

PEACE.

Duck Fesenjan

This particular dish, Duck Fesenjan, is a Persian stew -- a koresh or khoresht -- traditionally prepared with duck and a sauce made with walnuts and pomegranate. Much like the broader Persian cuisine from which it comes, the history of fesenjan dates back centuries. Indeed, some have traced that history as far back as the Sassanid era, which was from 224 C.E. to 651 C.E., and written recipes date back to at least the thirteenth or fourteenth centuries. 

Indeed, the long culinary history is as evident as the ingredients and cooking processes set forth in the black and white of the recipe. The use of pomegranate in Persian cooking predates the Islamic-era. Cooks used pomegranate in dishes to symbolize abundance, fertility, and/or the beauty of nature. Likewise, the cooking process of slow roasting or braising meat with fruits and nuts is also a centuries-old cooking technique in Persia cuisine. In this particular case, the combination of duck and walnuts was said, according to ancient Persian texts, to personify perfection. Indeed, if prepared properly (or even close to properly), then the resulting dish is perhaps as close as one can come to culinary perfection. 

The cooking process defines the dish. Walnuts need to be ground into fine crumbs, which can be done with a food processor or a spice grinder (although the latter takes more time). As the walnuts are ground, they will release their oils. The ground walnuts function as a thickener for the stew, aided by the pomegranate molasses, which also gives the stew its darker and richer flavor. The thickness and color are only achieved by cooking the ingredients for a long time. 

The recipe also calls for the use of chicken stock or duck stock. If you are using duck legs for the stew, then you should use chicken stock. If you use a whole duck, as I did, then I would consider making your own impromptu duck stock. You can break down the duck as you would a chicken into pieces (chicken breasts, wings, leg quarters -- or legs and thighs). You will then have the backbone and the neck, along with other bones, that can be combined with two chopped carrots, two chopped celery stalks, one chopped onion, a couple of bay leaves, a tablespoon of black peppercorns, a sprig (or two) of fresh rosemary and a sprig (or two) of fresh thyme. Also, as an option, you can add a tablespoon of dried juniper berries.  Add enough water to cover the duck, bring it to a boil, and reduce the heat to let it simmer for at least an hour (or, more preferably, longer).  This process is adjusted from the duck broth recipe created by Hank Shaw on his website, Hunter, Angler, Gardener, Cook, which is one of my go-to resources. I simplified the recipe and adjusted the amounts because, unlike Hank Shaw, I was not looking to make a lot of stock. 

The extra effort to make duck stock is clearly worth it, because Fesenjan is such an iconic dish in Persian cuisine. It is also considered a dish of the rich or upper classes, as illustrated by the Persian saying, "he behaves as if he has had partridge and fesenjan."  Although that saying typically refers to someone showing off or behaving pretentiously, the dish itself is often the centerpiece of festivals, like Nowruz, weddings, or other celebrations. Fesenjan is also popular among the Iranian Jewish community and diaspora, who enjoy the dish in connection with Passover or Rosh Hashanah. 

Finally, fesenjan is always served with rice, and, Persian cuisine offers a variety of rice dishes. However, given the status of the dish, I felt it was appropriate to serve it with Javaher Polow, or Persian Treasured Rice.  Together, the meal was fit for royalty, perhaps Shashid I or Khosrow I. However, if one does not have the time to make treasured rice, a standard Persian white rice recipe will do. 

DUCK FESENJAN

Recipe from Hunt Gather Cook

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon duck fat or clarified butter
• 3 pounds duck legs or 1 duck 
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup pomegranate molasses
• 2 cups walnut halves, toasted and finely ground
• 2 cups duck stock (or chicken stock)
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Pomegranate seeds, optional, for garnish
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions:

1. Prepare the duck. If the duck is fat, pierce the skin of the legs (and other parts, if using a whole duck) all over with a need or the sharp point of a knife, do not pierce the meat. (For most wild ducks, you won't need to do this.) Salt well and set aside. 

2. Brown the duck. In a large sauté pan, heat the tablespoon of duck fat over medium heat. Add the duck legs (and other parts, if using a whole duck), skin side down and brown slowly, rendering the fat. Remove the legs (or other parts) as they brown and set aside. 

3. Continue the dish. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent. Add the duck legs and other parts to the pan, skin side up. Add enough duck stock (or chicken stock), cover and simmer gently for 1 hour. 

4. Continue to prepare the stew. Stir in the ground walnuts, pomegranate molasses and the spices. Cover and cook over very low heat until the meat is tender, stirring every 20 minutes or so to keep the walnuts from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat and add more stock or salt to taste. You want the stew to be very thick but not pasty. 

5. Finish the dish. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and parsley. Serve with rice. 

PEACE. 

Buffalo Wings with Homemade BBQ Sauce

I have always loved buffalo wings, and, until recently, I was the only one of the Savage Boleks who enjoyed eating wings. And, for me, the hotter the wing sauce, the better. However, my daughter has started eating wings recently.  She does not like things as spicy as I do, but it is great to have someone who also likes to eat buffalo wings in the family. 

So, I thought it would be great if I prepared a wing sauce with my daughter that would be more to her liking. She is good with barbecue sauces, generally mild, and a little sweet. I went through some recipes and found a basic barbecue sauce recipe that we could make together.  As much as I wanted to try something different (I also had a guava barbecue sauce that I have been wanting to make), it seemed only appropriate to start with the standard sauce. If she liked it, then we could move on to different sauces. 

The recipe that I found had all the basic ingredients that one would expect in a barbecue sauce: ketchup, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, honey, and lemon juice. These ingredients create a balance of flavors that clearly tends toward the sweet. The honey and sugar overpower the vinegar, Worchestershire sauce and lemon juice. The sweetness is re-balanced with the black pepper and the dash (or two) of hot sauce. It's a basic barbecue sauce that works well for kids.

As for the wings, I decide to make them in the oven. I am not one for deep frying things at home (I don't want to deal with the oil) and I was unsure that my daughter would like grilled wings. The oven could work well for wings, either baking them or, as I prefer, just sticking them under the broiler. Once they are done, just toss the wings in the sauce and you are ready to go. (Just like they do in a restaurant). 

In the end, my daughter loved the sauce and she ate all of the wings. I have to say it is not my favorite sauce, but I did get to enjoy time with my daughter and a shared meal. That is more important thany anything I could make for myself. 

BUFFALO WINGS WITH HOMEMADE BBQ SAUCE

A Daddy-Daughter Collaboration 

Sauce recipe adapted from Add a Pinch

Ingredients (for the sauce):

• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Tabasco sauce)

Ingredients (for the wings):

• 2 dozen buffalo wings
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Prepare the sauce. Whisk all of the ingredients (other than the wings) in a medium saucepan situated over medium heat. Allow to come to a bubble and then reduce theheat to low. Allow to simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. 

2. Prepare the wings. Sprinkle salt and freshly ground pepper over the wings. Arrange the wings on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Heat the oven's broiler. Place the wings in the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Turn the wings and cook for 10 minutes more. Turn the wings again one last time, cook for 5 minutes. 

3. Finish the dish. Remove the wings from the oven and add to a large bowl. Add the barbecue sauce and toss the wings. Plate the wings and serve immediately. 

PEACE.

Panch Poron

Generally, I use a lot ground spice blends in my cooking, from Berbere to Zaatar. So, when I come across a whole spice blend, I take notice. That is precisely the case with Panch Poron. Not only does this whole spice blend catch my attention, but its provenance keeps my attention as I look for various recipes that incorporate the blend. 

Panch poron is a whole spice blend that figures prominently in Bangladshi cuisine, as well as the cuisines of the nearby Indian states of Assam, Bihar, Odishga and West Bengal. Its name translatres into "five tempered spices," and those five spices are universal in all panch poron recipes. They are cumin seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and nigella seeds.

It is said that the number of spices used in panch poron could be traced back to the 8th to 12th centuries, when the Pala dynasty ruled over what is now Bihar and Bengal. The dynasty was Buddhist, in which the number five has important meanings, such as the five senses, five colors, five elements. The number five also plays an important role in Ayurveda, such as the five elements or the five actions, which incorporates panch poron in various vegetable dishes. 

The spice blend is used in an array of dishes, although typically lentil and vegetable dishes. Cooks also use it in fish curries, but panch poron does not appear to figure very prominently in meat dishes. That being said, I have found a few chicken dishes that use the blend, so one may soon be in the works. 

Whereas many recipes call for whole spices to be toasted, panch poron is more often tempered (known as phoron in eastern India, but also tadka in northern India or phodni in the west), that is, heated in oil por ghee during the early stages of cooking. That enables the flavors of the spices to permeate through the cooking oil or ghee, which helps to flavor the dish.  

PANCH PORON

Recipe from Tara Dalal

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds (rai/sarson)
• 1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds (methi)
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds (saunf)
• 1 tablespoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 1 tablespoon radhuni (optional)

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Store in an air-tight container.

*     *     *

For more about panch poron, check out Rituparna Roy's article in Whetstone Magazine. 

PEACE.

Nasi Goreng Berkat

There are two atolls, consisting of more than two dozen coral islands, in the Indian Ocean that lie far from any major land mass. It is 1,683 kilometers (or 1,013 miles) from these islands to the nearest point in Australia (Exmouth). It is slightly shorter -- 1,270 kilometers (or 789 miles) from the islands to Indonesia (Jakarta). While not the most isolated places on Earth, these islands -- known as the Cocos Islands or the Keeling Islands -- are truly isolated.

The islands are formally a part of Australia, the result of the expansion of colonialism and the British empire, which formally annexed the islands in 1857. Yet, the inhabitants of the Cocos Islands have stronger cultural connections to southeastern Asia than anywhere in the United Kingdom or even Australia, which took control over the islands after a transfer of power from the U.K. in 1955. And, it is this connection that I wanted to explore, to learn more about the people and their cuisine. 

The history of the people, known as the Cocos Malay, goes back to at least 1825, when they were brought to the islands by a British trader, Alexander Hare. Soon thereafter, another British trader, John Clunies-Ross, took control of the island. Clunies Ross forced the slaves and indentured servants to work on coconut plantations to produce copra, the dried white flesh of the coconut.  The workers all toiled for the Clunies-Ross family under a basically feudal system for generations. The system ended in the late 1970s, when Australia forced the family to sell the islands to the government. The coconut and copra production was taken over by the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society, LTD., but ultimately ceased in the late 1980s.

The Cocos Malay people.

The Cocos Malay -- who number about 600 -- are predominantly Malay in ancestry, but their ancestors were brought in from not just British Malaya (now Malaysia and Singapore), but also the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), New Guinea (now Papua New Guinea), Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), and even as far away as South Africa. The Cocos Malay are united by their language, a distinct dialect known as Basa Pulu Kokos and their Muslim religion.  

Drawing from that heritage, the cuisine of the Coco Malay draws its influences from Malaysian, Indonesian and Sri Lankan cuisines. Yet, the Cocos Malay cuisine is distinct. There are dishes such as vegetarian rice noodles, sweet and sour fish, and ayam payang (chili chicken).  

This particular recipe reflects the Indonesian influences upon Cocos Malay cooking. The dish, nasi goreng, is the Indonesian version of Chinese fried rice. As the story goes, Chinese traders and migrants brought the dish to the East Indies, where the locals made it their own. The recipe serves an very good purpose, as it was a way to make use of leftover rice and other ingredients. In fact, the best rice to use is day-old rice, as its drier texture makes it easier to fry. 

Just as the Indonesian people took fried rice and made it their own through nasi goreng, the Cocos Malay have taken nasi goreng and, in turn, made it their own. However, given the Cocos Islands are relatively isolated, if it does not come from the sea or could be cultivated from small personal gardens, then it is to be imported. There is one exception ... the coconut. And it is coconut flakes that help the Cocos Malays make the nasi goreng their own. 

NASI GORENG BERKAT

Recipe from Travel by Stove

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked white rice
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 3 cloves garlic, mashed
• 4 shallots, mashed
• 1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek (Malaysian chile paste)
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Maggie chicken bouillon cubes
• 2 red chiles, sliced
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes
• 1 cup mustard greens, chopped
• Sesame oil
• 1 piece skinless chicken, shredded

Directions:

1. Saute the garlic and onion. Heat the oil and saute the garlic with the onion, shallots, and Sambal. When fragrant, add the rice and mix well. Add the soy sauce and Maggie powder. Stir until well incorporated, then add the mustard greens, coconut, and sliced chiles.

2. Finish the dish. Drizzle a little sesame oil over the rice and serve with shredded chicken. 

PEACE.

Nanticoke Catfish

"The Black watermen of the Chesapeake Bay have the same kind of impact as the Tuskeegee Airmen, the same impact as the Buffalo Soldier. But their story is just beginning to be told." 

-- Vincent O. Leggett, Author

African-American watermen were pioneers. Yet, unlike the Tuskeegee Airmen and the Buffalo Soldier, the story of these watermen is as old as the story of the United States. As the British brought slaves to the Chesapeake Bay area, slave-owners put them to work on vessels that plied the waters to catch fish, along with harvesting oysters and crabs. Yet, the waters were more than work, they were a way to freedom and economic independence. 

As early as 1796, the federal government began issuing Seaman Protection Certificates. Such a certificate declared that its holder, an African-American, was a citizen of the United States. Certificate holders were often referred to as "Black Jacks." They were free from the bondage of slavery (as illustrated by Frederick Douglass, who borrowed a certificate from a friend to make his way out of the slave-owning, eastern shore of Maryland to the freedom of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). But, they were not free from the discrimination and oppression of a racist society, economy and government.  African-Americans still suffered under unjust laws that restricted what they could do on the water. For example, Maryland passed a law that prohibited African-Americans from owning a boat large enough that it had to be registered (and, of course, large enough to engage in oystering, finfishing, crabbing, and other work). They often depended upon lax enforcement, or white bosses, to make it possible to work. 

The Civil War freed African-Americans from the bonds of slavery, but not the racist discrimination and segregation that remained and reconstituted itself under Jim Crow laws. Yet, even under these awful conditions, African Americans found freedom and independence, both on the water and adjacent to it. African American watermen continued to serve as captain and crew on vessels, many of which had white owners, but the watermen were able to earn enough to support themselves and their families. They benefited from a larger economic environment, one in which oysters and fish from the bay were in high demand. 

Downes Curtis

African-Americans were also able to establish their economic independence along the coasts, setting up their own businesses related to the seafood industry. Take, for example, the story of Downes Curtis, one of the only African-American sailmakers in the Chesapeake Bay region. Downes and his brother learned the craft from Dave Pritchett, an English sailmaker, in Oxford, Maryland. After Pritchett died, the Downes Curtis continued the business. They cut sails for log canoes and oysterboats in a building that once served as a school for African-American children.  (Today, the building is a private residence). Curtis built up a business that not only served African-Americans working on the bay, for vessels that raced its waters, like the Island Blossom. Curtis continued this work until 1996, when he died at age 85.

African-American Watermen working on a
fishing boat outside of Alexandria, VA 

Back on the waters, African-American watermen continued to captain and work on vessels up and down the Bay. They also developed their work methods, including the use of work songs or shantys. The use of such songs can be traced to early customs of African slaves working on plantations. Watermen used work songs to coordinate their work pulling up fish nets, such as the nets used to catch menhaden. As explained by William Hudnall, who organized a group of watermen who sing the shantys: The harmony brings everyone together on the same chord at the same time, and that's what made the work easier." The songs are sung by leaders and workers, with the former calling first followed by the response of the latter. Together, they would haul in the large purse seine nets, inch by inch, until the menhaden were on board. This tradition disappeared with the advent of mechanical equipment that could haul the nets onboard. The songs went silent for years and then decades.

During that time and thereafter, the maritime industry on the Chesapeake Bay plummeted with the populations of oysters, finfish and blue crab. It became harder for African-American watermen, and, indeed all watermen, to continue their trade. That has resulted not only in fewer fishing vessels working the bay, but also in the potential loss of a very rich history. Given the significant contribution that African Americans have made to the Chesapeake Bay seafood industry, both on and off the water, its preservation has become an important issue. Their history is American history. The only difference is that it is not widely taught, if taught at all, in schools and universities. If you want to learn about it, as I did, you have to spend a lot of time on the Internet or visiting museums to learn their stories. 

After spending a lot of time reading on this subject, I decided to prepare a dish that honored the history of African-American watermen on the Chesapeake Bay. I turned my search to finding an appropriate dish. My search led me to Vincent Leggett, a person who dedicated his life to preserving the history of these watermen and telling their story to present day audiences. Leggett wrote a book, The Chesapeake Bay Through Ebony Eyes, which inclued recipes. One of those recipes is Nanticoke Catfish. The name references the Nanticoke River, a tributary of the bay that runs through the eastern shore of Maryland. (Nanticoke comes from the Algonquin word nantaquak, which means "tidal people."). It is a basic fried fish dish, using catfish that could be found along the eastern shore. While such a dish would have been typically prepared with the indigenous catfish, like a brown bullhead, it can be enjoyed today by using blue catfish, an invasive species that is wreaking havoc in the bay. 

NANTICOKE CATFISH

Recipe from Vincent O. Leggett, The Chesapeake Bay Through Ebony Eyes 

and available here

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon rubbed sage
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 large eggs
• 8 catfish fillets
• Vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Prepare the batter or breading. Mix the flour, cornmeal, sage, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl or pie plate. In another shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk the eggs until well beaten. 

2. Prepare the fish. Rinse the catfish fillets under cold running water and pat them dry. 

3. Prepare the oven. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels. 

4. Prepare the oil. Pour vegetable oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a large, deep skillet. Heat theoil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. 

5. Prepare the fillets. Dip the fillets into the eggs and let the excess drip off. Dredge them in the flour mixture and gently shake off the excess.

6. Fry the fillets. Working in batches to avoid overfilling the skillet, slip the fillets into the hot oil. Fry the fillets, turning once, about 4 minutes on each side, until the coating is crisp and golden brown and the fish is opaque in the center. Transfer the cooked fish to the wire rack and keep them warm in the oven until all of the fish fillets are fried. Serve hot with lemon wedges.

*     *     *

Post Script: William Hudnall organized the Northern Neck Chantney Singers, a group of African-American watermen who would do a lot to preserve these work songs used in the menhaden fishing industry for future generations. To listen to their work, as well as learn about their history, check out this YouTube video:

PEACE.

250 & Me

As the United States commemorates its 250th anniversary of independence, I find myself questioning what exactly we should be celebrating. As I began writing this post, the Supreme Court had just issued its decision in Louisiana v. Callais. A majority of extreme conservative justices basically killed one of the most significant achievements of the civil rights movement: the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The majority's decision sparked an immediate inferno of racism, which spread across Southern states who renewed redistricting sprees aimed at removing African-Americans from political office. 

And, it has gotten worse from there. The six uber-conservative justices on the Supreme Court issued their decisions in Mullin v. Otra Lado and Mullin v. Doe. The decision in Otra Lado upholds the policy that excludes asylum seekers at our border, preventing them from even setting foot on U.S. soil. People seek asylum fled their homes because of war, violence, persecution, human rights violations, or climatre change. They make the long dangerous trip to the United States seeking safety, security and a better life. Now they are being denied refuge in the United States solely because of the color of their skin or where they come from. 

And then there is the Doe decision, which is even worse. The majority upehld President Trump's termination of temporary protected status (TPS) for Haitians and Syrians. TPS enabled migrants from these countries to come to the United States because of the humanitarian or natural crises in their countries. And, while the protected status may be temporary, those crises have a seemingly permanent nature to them. Indeed, the United States currently advises its citizens against traveling to either Haiti or Syria because of the situation on the ground in both countries.  Yet, the conservative majority on the Court cleared the way for 350,000 Haitians to be forcibly returned to a country largely controlled by gangs with little to no central government and thousands of Syrians being forced back to a country where violence and insecurity remains a day-to-day reality. 

And, there is also the growing disparity in the United States between the obscenely wealthy and everyone else. The billionaires have seized control of major media outlets, corrupting their journalistic work, and feeding false narratives to all of us. They seek to fuel distrust, hatred and intolerance to divide eveery one else. There are many divisions: the middle class v. the poor, citizens v. immigrants, everyone v. migrants, etc. Those divisions are necessary to ensure that the wealthy remain at the top, using the economic and governmental systems to enlarge their wealth, while exploiting our inner weaknesses to keep us divided, deprived, and, for most, on the verge of being destitute. 

None of the above is worth celebrating. Our country was founded two and one-half centuries ago on the principles that all men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, including the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We have had 250 years to get to the point where our country put those noble principles into action, not just for all men, but all women, not just for all white people, but for every person regardless of race, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability ... for every one. We made great strides toward that goal over the 250 years, but we never reached it. And, now, we are being pulled backward, threatening all of the progress that we have made during that time.  

So, I will not celebrate the United States as it presently stands on its 250th anniversary. Instead, on July 4, 2026, I am going to stand up and celebrate what has truly deserves to be celebrated on this occasion: 

Us. The People.

I am celebrating the diversity of each and every one of us; and, I will do so on an equal and inclusive basis. 

So, who exactly are we as a people? The best way to answer that question is perhaps to draw inspiration from Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. He hosts the show Finding Your Roots, which has aired on PBS for more than twelve seasons. Professor Gates helps influential people learn more about their ancestors. He do so in very compelling ways, weaving the narrative with research and historical records. So, if Professor Gates were to tell the story of ordinary American people as a group, how would he do it? 

Perhaps Professor Gates's starting point would be something along the lines of a DNA test. Fortunately, our country performs such a test on a yearly basis, courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau. And, for 2025, the test revealed our country to be approximately 57.5% White, 20.0% Latino, 13.7% African-American, 6.7% Asian, 1.4% Native American (including Alaskan Native), and 0.3% Hawaiian and Pacific Islander. Those who live in the United State embody diversity. 

Professor Gates would not just end the story there. He would go on to explain what the research and historical records tells us about our past. He would note that we, collectively as a people, have some very interesting stories. Each story is a piece of our shared heritage. Some of those stories have been forgotten. Others have been repressed. They all remain a part of our common narrative. Each story -- good or bad, happy or sad -- has an equal right to be told, passed along from generation to generation. 

I have tried, in my own very small way with this blog, to recount some of those stories that revolve around food. I have organized my small effort as qwhat I call my Federal Project Number One. The blog posts revolve around a recipe, but come with underlying culinary and cultural history told (as best I can) from the perspective of the people themselves. This project truly began before I even knew I was undertaking the effort. It all started when I was searching for the origin of barbecue in the United States. That search led me to Wesley Jones, a free person who was interviewed about his life as a slave. He recounted how, as a slave working in South Carolina, he prepared barbecue for the white plantation class. I gained a perspective that I never came across while watching barbecue shows on television or reading cookbooks.

That was just the beginning. I spent more time searching for the stories about who we are as Americans, usually through the lens of food. The effort picked up a lot of steam as the current adminsitration began to whitewash our history, seeking to erase the struggles and accomplishments of marginalized and oppressed peoples over the past 250 years. My increased focus has taught me more about the history of the United States than I was ever taught from elementary school through college. 

For example, we are taught about people like John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, Cornelius Vanderbilt and J. P. Morgan. We are taught that they seized hold of the American dream, starting companies that became highly successful (and monopolistic). And, they are all white males. We are not taught about people like Thomas Downing, an African American who started his own business selling oysters, and even creating one of the most popular oyster dishes in the 19th century (the Oyster Pan Roast). He tried to gain a hold on the American dream, but was never accepted - a fact he learned first hand when he was forcibly removed from a railcar reserved for white people. 

There are other names that could be lost to history, like Joe Goe Nue, who opened one of the first Chinese-owned grocery stores in the Mississippi delta. He, along with other Chinese immigrants, opened these stores, which became a lifeline to African Americans who suffered under the discrimination of the post-Civil War south. They also brought their culture and cuisine to the area, melding Chinese recipes with local ingredients to create dishes like grocery roast pork.  

These stories are as just American as any of the stories about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, or Abraham Lincoln. The reason is simple: the American people are not defined by their leaders, but by the masses. And those masses are far more diverse now than they have ever been. Diversity has never been a weakness for us. It has always been our strength, empowering us both as a country and a people. Until very recently, the United States had been a place that drew people from all walks of life and all parts of the world to its shores. Indeed, the Census Bureau determined that nearly 15.9% of the people living in this country are "non-citizens," a term the Census Bureau defines to include people who are lawful permanent residents, immigrants, and those who are undocumented. That magnetism brought with it a range of knowledge and perspective that not only enabled the United States to be a leader in so many fields, but enabled so many people to find and make better lives for themselves and their loved ones. 

All of this is at risk because the current U.S. government, fueled by the white supremacist Make America Great Again ideology, is trying to close off our country to everyone (except, it seems white Afrikaaners). 

If we continue to look back, as those in the MAGA movement are trying to force us to do, then we will only see a time when our country was anything but great: decades (and, indeed, centuries) of discrimination, oppression, and violence against anyone who was not a property-owning, Christian, white male. By contrast, if we look forward, we will see a future that we can create ourselves. A future in which the United States becomes a better country. Not just for a particular group of people and not just for those who are at the top. But a better country for everyone, especially the 99% who make everything in this country work and for whom the American dream is increasingly beyond their reach.  

Rather than looking backward with the MAGA (Make America Great Again) "movement," I would greatly prefer a more forward looking movement. One that mobilizes around making the United States a better country. In making the United States a better country, we would accept our past shortcomings, address them, and work to make the United States to ensure that every person, regardless of citizenship, be treated humanely, with dignity and respect. We would ensure that every person is treated equally, with the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, with an equal opportunity, regardless of class, race, gender, or any other characteristic. We would open our country to those who wish to join in this effort to make the United States better than it has been for the past 250 years. 

So, on this 250th anniversary, I will celebrate us -- all of us, the diverse people who live in this country -- and what we have done, are doing now, and will do to make the United States a better country for everyone. 

*     *     *

Post-Script (7-2-26): On the same day that I published this post on my blog, the New York Times published an interesting article, How a Nation of Immigrants Traces its Roots, which explores the history of immigration to the United States and how that history has been reflected in the American people over time. The New York Times also published an interesting interactive map, An American Mosaic, which enables one to see how people identify themselves in any part of the United States. I looked up where I lived and got interesting results. It is totally worth spending some time exploring who we are across the country. 

PEACE. 

Final Note: The opening and final pictures of this post were created using AI. 

Dogfish Head Bourbon Barrel Aged Worldwide Stout

Dogfish Head debuted its World Wide Stout back in 1999. The brewers offered not just a stout, but one that set itself apart from the entire family of stout beers. Most stouts are pitch black, with a strong malt backbone, and usually aromatic and taste elements that feature chocolate, coffee, cocoa, or roasted grains. They are also generally low in ABV, ranging from 4% to 6% but could go as high as 8% to 12% if it is an imperial stout.

Dogfish Head and its brewers sought to transcend even the imperial stout with its World Wide Stout. Everything about this beer is more than the average stout. Somehow, the beer appears more black than a typical stout. Its aromas feature deeper tones of coffee and roasted grains. Its flavors feature fuller notes of the same elements. And, as for its ABV, that runs anywhere from 15% to 20%. For that reason, the World Wide Stout is basically an experience onto its own. 

But, the brewers have not rested with simply the World Wide Stout. They have continued to experiment with the beer, producing versions of the stout like a Barrel Aged World Wide Stout. As a fan of barrel aged beers, I bought a four pack when I was at Dogfish Head's brewpub in Rehoboth Beach. I also did what the brewers suggest, cellaring the beer for a period of time. Now, I have had a chance to enjoy the beer, and, like its predecessors, the Bourbon Barrel Aged World Wide Stout is that singular experience. 

The beer pours pitch black, like motor oil or obsidian. The aromatic elements feature more of the bourbon barrel, which is not unexpected with barrel aged beers, but also a strong alcohol presence (which is also not unexpected given its 18.3% ABV). There are hints, not of coffee or chocolate, but of a boozy fruit, like blackberries or cherries, which I found to be interesting. Those elements came through in flavor as well, providing an unexpected sweetness.

As with anything that has a very high ABV, this is a beer for sipping and enjoying over a longer period of time. It is definitely worth the experience, even though it can be quite pricey in the store. Still, it is worth purchasing to try and keep around whenever you want to just sit back and relax.  Until next time ...

PEACE.

Around the World in 80 Dishes: Namibia

A few years back, I prepared a street food dish, known as Coupe Coupe, as part of my Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge to prepare a main dish from the country of Gabon. As one person noted, the dish combined indigenous ingredients and techniques with colonial influences. Yet, Coupe Coupe is quintessential Gabonnais barbecue, and a street food that one could find in places like Libreville.

When I finished that challenge, I remarked that I needed to prepare more street food as part of my Around the World culinary challenge. Now, I find myself with the challenge to prepare a main course from Namibia, a country that is approximately 2,700 kilometers south of Gabon along the Atlantic coastline of the African continent. And, there is perhaps no better dish to prepare than Kapana, the essential street food experience in Namibia.

Before I talk about Kapana, I must first talk about Namibia, one of the newer countries (having gained its independence in 1990) and one of the most sparsely populated ones (with only 3.1 million people living in a country with 824,292 kilometers) in the 34th largest country in world. (Namibia is larger than California and Montana, but smaller than Texas and, of course, Alaska.) The overwhelming majority of the population -- more than 93% -- are indigenous Africans, with the remainder consisting of groups associated with those who have colonized or sought to colonize the land in the past, such as Afrikaners, British, Dutch, and Portuguese. 

Colonization left its mark on the indigenous people in more ways than one. During the early twentioeth century, when the land was known as German South West Africa, the Germans committed genocide against the indigenous Herero peoples, killing 80% of them, and the Nama people, killing 50% of them). The survivors lost everything, and were subjected to forced labor, racial segregation and discrimination. While Germans lost control of the land after World War I, the South Africans moved in and took control of "South West Africa," imposing apartheid, separating the white  Afrikaaners from the indigenous peoples, with the latter living in the developing areas while the former were left outside. When independence came, Namibia transitioned into a stable parliamentary semi-presidential republic (that is, it has a President and a Prime Minister).

While the colonists are gone, their influences remain behind, especially in the cuisine of Namibia. Nowhere is that more obvious than in the culture that has developed around the grilling of meat, especially beef.  

At the meat market in Namibia (Source: Trip Advisor)

Beef has a special place Namibia. It is reported that there are nearly one million more cows in Namibia than people. Thus, cattle and beef play an important in the economy. In the past, cattle, along with sheep and goats, would be raised by Namibian corporations, as well as family farmers, and then sent to the abbatoir for butchering. The cuts would then make their way into the local market or be exported. However, in recent years, there has been a trend of exporting live cattle. One study suggested that the farms and farmers export the cattle perhaps because they could get higher prices from foreign buyers for younger cattle in countries like South Africa rather than butchering the beef locally. Yet, the same study suggested that fully grown cattle may fetch even higher prices at Namibian abbatoirs. Given Namibian farmers do not use growth enhancers, it takes longer for the cattle to grow, which suggests some farmers may just be looking to make money quicker than investing the time to fully raise the cows. This creates long term issues for the abbatoirs, which struggle to remain productive and profitable. 

While more cows may be headed out of the country, beef still plays a central role in Namibian cuisine. The per calorie intake of beef in Namibia is the highest in Africa, rivalling the intake of western countries like Canada. Indeed, much like a braai in South Africa, the grilling of meat is not just a preparation of a meal, it is a social and cultural event in Namibia. And it goes by the term ... kapana.

MAIN COURSE

And, for this culinary challenge, I have tasked myself with preparing kapana. One quick note to start: there appears to be some dispute over terminology. The word kapana means "fry" or "grill" in Oshiwambo (the language of the Ovambo people, an indigenous group in Namibia). Thus, it more than likely refers to the process, and perhaps even the marketplace where it is prepared. By contrast, the name for the grilled beef dish is otete.

The kapana, that is the marketplace, usually consists of a long line of stalls where each grill master works with their own charcoal grill. (The above picture illustrates such a market.) One cannot simply set up their own stand at the marketplace, as the stalls are regulated. However, individuals can set up their own kapana stalls, selling grilled pork, beef and other meats, in other locations. 

Kapana, the process, begins with the grill master (who are mostly men) acquiring a large cut of well marbled beef, along with perhaps some organ meat (like livers or kidneys). The exact cut of meat is typically a secret, for reasons that I will explain later. The grill master will then slice the meat against the grain into long, thin strips. The meat is then placed on the grill, usually without any seasoning, with the fat on top to keep the beef moist, and then cooked until it is at least medium. People get the grill masters attention and then order their meat as it cooks. Once it is done, the grill master will cut the meat into bite-sized pieces, which is then served alongside a salsa consisting of tomatoes, onions and chiles, and a small mound of kapana spice, which is usually in a cardboard box in front of the grill. As Stephanie Haines, a contributor to the Christian Science Monitor described the experience, "[w]hen it's cooked right, the beef is moist and smoky, the salty fat is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, like a grilled hunk of cheese. 

One final note: kapana is something that unites all Namibians, regardless of social or economic status. Grillmasters often incorporate cheaper cuts of beef along with the well-marbled ones, which helps to reduce their costs and offer their product to the less well off people in the community. People gather around the stalls, to talk and eat, making the marketplace an impropromptu gathering place. 

Oshetu Community Market (Source: Evendo.com) 

The place for kapana is the Oshetu Community Market (also known as Single Quarters). The market is located in Katutura, a township within Namibia's capital of Windhoek. The name, Katatura translates from Otjiherero, the language of the indigenous Hererero peoples, as "the place where people did not want to live." The township was not their home; the South Africans created it as part of their apartheid policies, forcibly removing indigenous Africans from their homes and relocating them to the township. Now, the township has the marketplaces where people go for kapana.  

As for me, I will be preparing kapana using my backyard grill. I found a recipe online and decided to use sirloin steak, as it was economical (relatively speaking) and produced long strips when sliced (relatively speaking). Given I was using a gas grill (as noted above, charcoal was preferred), I decided to use some of the kapana spice (recipe below) for a quick marinade of the meat. The spice mix incorporates smoked paprika, which helps to create the smoky elements of kapana when using a gas grill. It was a brief marinade, probably no more than 15 minutes, given I was dealing with thin slices of meat. As for the salsa, I decided to go with a jalapeno pepper for the chile, although I did give some thought to a Scotch Bonnet chile. If there had been serrano peppers at the store, I probably would have gone with those chiles. Needless to say, when I was done, the beef was amazing, both on its own, as well as with the salsa and some additional spice mix on the side. 

KAPANA (OTETE)

Recipe adapted from Esterkocht and International Cuisine

Serves 10

Ingredients (for the meat):

• 3 pounds of well marbled beef steak (like ribeye)
• 2 teaspoons Kapana spice mix
• 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil or olive oil

Ingredients (for the sauce/salsa):

• 2 tomatoes, chopped finely
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 1 chile pepper (according to heat preference), minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar

Directions:

1. Prepare the meat. Cut the meat into long, interconnected strips. Place the beef streps in a casserole dish. Add the kapana and oil. Using your hands, rub the meat very well. Cover with cling film and chill for about 1 hour. In the meantime, make the fire and let the grill heat up. 

2. Prepare the sauce/salsa. Combine all of the sauce/salsa ingredients together. Mix well and set aside.

3. Grill the meat. About 10 minutes before grilling, take the meat out of the fridge to bring it to room temperature. Place the meat on the grill (whose temperature should be about 350 degrees Fahrenheit). grill for 3 minutes and then fip to the other side. Grill for another 3 minutes. Turn the meat again and grill for 2 minutes. Turn one more time and grill for two minutes. (These times may vary depending upon the thickness of the beef strips.) 

SPICE MIX

From what I have learned, the kapana spice mix is usually served alongside the kapana. However, some recipes (like the one I have included above) call for marinating the beef, albeit briefly, by spreading some of the spice mix over the meat. Given that is how I traditionally prepare meat for barbecue here in the United States, that seems like a reasonable approach, even if it takes us a little bit away from the traditional kapana in Namibia. 

Setting aside that issue, this spice mix is amazing. It has both smoky and spicy elements, which are rounded out with the use of ginger, coriander, and brown sugar. Quite frankly, it is better than many of the barbecue rubs that I have made or bought. This mix may well become my go to grilling spice mix going forward into the future. 

KAPANA SPICE MIX

Recipe from Esterkocht

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tabelspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon red chile flakes
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper 

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients together and mix well. Let the rub infuse for a few days for the flavors to med together before using. The spice mix will keep for a few months if sotred in an airtight container in a cool and dry place. 

*     *     *

This challenge cemented the place of street food as part of my Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge. The kapana was amazing, perhaps the best beef dish that I have had in quite a while.  Not only that, it probably resulted in my go-to spice mix for pretty much anything that I grill or smoke. Now, I will be off to find some more street food recipes that can serve as challenges in the future. Until next time ...  

PEACE.