Gambian Oyster Stew

"We had no money and struggled - we used to only charge 10 dalasi per cup, now its 60 dalasi. We are a family now, this association." 

-- Marie Demba

The above quote references the sale of cooked oysters by a female vendor at one of the markets in The Gambia. The quote is part of a larger story. It is the story of how that little bivalve can play an oversized role in the economic empowerment of marginalized people.

The Gambia is a very small country in Western Africa, basically running along the shores of the river of the same name. It is not a place that one would ordinarily associate with oysters; however, there are mangrove forests along the river. Those forests provide an ideal place for oysters to plant themselves and grow. And, for four months of the year, from March to June, the oysters can be harvested. 

Approximately 98% of the people who harvest oysters in The Gambia are women. During low tide, they take canoes out onto the water and, with small axes, the women chip oysters off the roots of the mangrove trees. Once the tide re-emerges, the women return to the shore. They process the oysters that they have harvested. The process begins with a sorting of the oysters. If the oysters are destined for a local market, then the women shuck them and cook them.  

All of this work is hard and dangerous. Many of the women do not know how to swim, so there is the threat of drowning whenever they go out onto the river. When they return safely, the women confront the absence of basic facilities needed to prepare the oysters, such as clean water. They also lack basic protective gear when they shuck the oysters, like gloves, leaving their exposed hands to being cut by the sharp edges of the oyster shells. 

Nevertheless, they persevere and do so collectively. For example, the female oyster harvesters in Kartong, a small village in the south of The Gambia, have joined together to establish the Senegambia Oyster Women Association. Through this association, the harvesters get training in oyster cultivation, including how to preserve the mangroves where the oysters grow. A video produced by the United Nations Food & Agricultural Organization describes their work: 

Not only do the women make money by harvesting, boiling and then selling the oysters, they also create additional income through the byproduct -- the oyster shells -- that are used to make jewerly or sold to be turned into white lime for construction uses. The women generate income to support themselves and their families, including paying for their children's education, paying their rent and even establishing their own bank accounts. The Senegambia Oyster Women Association has also grown, bringing in additional harvesters from neighboring villages. 

The story of the women harvesters, as well as their association, demonstrates perhaps the most important feature of the common oyster ... its ability to lift communities out of poverty through economic empowerment, enabling people to achieve economic independence and relative prosperity that has been otherwise denied to them. This empowerment has been demonstrated, time and time again, over the course of history, both in large countries, like the United States, and small ones, like The Gambia. 

Having learned how oysters empowered women in The Gambia, I began to search for a Gambian-inspired oyster recipe. That search was rather difficult, as there are few such recipes to be found. Nevertheless, I eventually I found the makings of an oyster stew in a video interview of Ida Cham-Njai, who is the founder of the Yabouy Home Cooking School. While I have made many oyster stews in my time, this particular stew provided a unique opportunity to try something different. Most notably, and perhaps expectedly, the base of the stew does not include cream. Rather, the base is created with tomatoes (which, quite frankly, I like a lot more than cream). Additional flavor comes from the use of onions, bell peppers, scallions and garlic, but there are no other herbs or spices added to the stew. The end result is a simple to prepare stew that is very delicious.

GAMBIAN OYSTER STEW

Recipe from Give Me This Day (recipe originally from Ida Cham-Njai)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• Handful of fresh oysters in their liqueur (about 12 oysters)
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 large onion, diced
• 5 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bunch of scallions, white parts diced, green parts sliced
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Cooked Rice, to serve

Directions:

1.  Saute the oysters. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the oysters, and cook for only 1-2 minutes, until they firm just slightly around the edges and start becoming opaque. Remove immediately and set aside. 

2. Prepare the stew base. Heat the oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add the onion, scallions, and the pepper, and saute until the onion is translucent and the pepper softens, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute more. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine with the ingredients, then add the tomatoes and oyster liqueur. Lower the heat to medium. Continue to cook, as the tomatoes break down, for another 3-5 minutes. 

3. Add the oysters. Add the oysters, and gently stir the oysters into the base. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat. 

4. Finish the dish. Plate some cooked rice, and spoon the stew with the oysters over the rice. Garnish with scallion greens. 

PEACE.

Dhal Bhat

"Dhal bhat power, 24 hours."

-- Nepali saying

Many cuisines are readily identifiable by one dish. For example, jollof rice would be cited for the cuisines of Ghana or Nigeria. Sushi could be identified for the cuisine of Japan, while pho could be identified for the cuisine of Vietnam. And, if one had to choose which dish could be representative of Nepali cuisine, that dish would be dhal bhat. 

The name translates literally into lentil soup and rice, which is a very good description of the dish. Yellow or red lentils are prepared with a variety of spices, like mustard, turmeric, coriander and cumin, to prepare a stew that is served alongside or with rice.

Yet, to Nepalis, dhal bhat is not just a dish or even a meal. It is a story as old as the people themselves. Nepali farmers have been cultivating both lentils and rice for centuries. Nepali cooks have take those two building blocks to prepare a dish that became the source of fuel or energy for farmers when they went back into the field. Hence the phrase, "dhal bhat power, 24 hours." Between 400 C.E. and 750 C.E., dhal bhat became more popular generally as both Buddhism and Hinduism, with their emphasis on vegetarian dishes, spread among the Nepali people. As time went on, especially during the thirteenth through eighteenth centuries,  dhal bhat went from representing fuel for farmers to a dish that meant hospitality and community. It was something that not only energized farmers in the fields, but also something that brought families together. Even today, when someone serves dhal bhat, it is a sign of regard and respect of the host toward guests. 

There are regional variations of dhal bhat within Nepal. If one travels the terai, which are the lowlands of western Nepal, they would most likely find a thinner dhal bhat prepared with mustard oil and chiles, making a spicer dish. If they headed into the Himalayan mountains, they would be served a thicker stew, with barley or millet serving as a substitute for the rice. 

I found a recipe for a dhal bhat prepared in connection with the Tibetan Nuns' Project, a charity that supports and educates nuns living in India. The dish caught my attention as part of my own Mindfulness Foodways, where I have been exploring healthier foods to prepare. A dish that could naturally provide power for twenty-four hours is far more preferable than western-style supplements. Although the source describes this dhal bhat as "Tibetan-style," it is very similar to the dishes prepared by Nepalis, whether in the Himalayas or the terai.

This dish challenged me in a few ways, but all of them are good. I have eaten lentil dishes in the past, but they are not a regular part of my culinary repetoire. This dish provided a compelling reason why they should be. Quite frankly, I should be preparing a huge pot of this at the beginning of the week and making a small bowl of this part of my breakfast for the day. That definitely provides me with something to think about. Until then ....

DHAL BHAT

Recipe from the Tibetan Nuns Project

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 small red onion, chopped in small dice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger minced
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
• 1/2 teaspoon tumeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1/2 tablespoon butter or ghee
• 2 tablespoons cilantro and/or green onion, chopped. for garnish
• Water
• Basmati rice
• Indian chutney or pickle (achar) as accompaniment

Directions:

1. Prepare the lentils. Wash the lentils and rinse a couple of time. Be careful to remove any stones. If you have the time, soak the lentils in water as long as you can, up to overnight, before you cook. They can get very soft and can cook faster.

2. Prepare the rice. Prepare the rice according to its instructions. 

3. Prepare the base. Heat the oil in a pan for a minute or two. Add the ginger, garlic and onion and stir fry on high until the onion is a little brown on the edges, about a minute or two. Stir in the cumin seeds, salt, turmeric, mustard seed and coriander powder, turn down the heat to medium and cook for two minutes (stirring often). Add the tomatoes and butter. Stir and cover with the lid and cook for four minutes. 

4. Continue cooking the lentils. Stir in the lentils, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add one cup of water, cover the lid and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in 2 more cups of water, as the water will begin to decrease as you cook. Continue to cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. 

5. Finish the dish. Remove from the heat, garnish with the cilantro and/or green onions. Serve immediately with rice. 

PEACE.

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.

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.

Akotonshi

Living in the Chesapeake Bay region, I often find myself having a parochial view about blue crabs. I know that blue crabs can be found around the world (see my post about their invasion of Italian waters), but I admittedly think very regionally about blue crabs when it comes to cooking. Bury them in Old Bay or XO and steam them. The only true crabcakes are Maryland crabcakes. It becomes ingrained in a person the longer they live in the area.

Yet, there is so much more to blue crab dishes. I previously posted about a crab dish from Ghana -- Ghanian Crab Stew -- but I spent more time talking about rice than I did blue crab. As it turns out, the crusteacean has quite the place in Ghanaian cuisine and culture. So, it seems appropriate to return to Ghana when I was looking to prepare a crab dish based upon a cuisine far beyond the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. My efforts would take me to the brackish waters in southern Ghana, such as the estuary of the Volta River, where the river waters meet the Atlantic Ocean, and the various lagoons that are parallel to that ocean.

At one point in time, there was an abundance of blue crabs, shrimp, shellfish, and fin fish in these brackish waters. These populations benefitted from mangroves, which sprouted up in various areas along the lagoons and deltas, and which provide protected areas for crabs, shellfish and fish. They also supported fisheries across southern Ghana. Those fisheries, in turn, provided incomes that sustained families from Agbletokwei to Kpotitsekopre. 

However, those fisheries have faced a range of issues in recent years. Much of the mangroves have been cut down, causing a loss of habitat for crustaceans like the blue crab. Overfishing generally, and the rise of industrial fishing and illegal fishing, have also contributed to the loss of populations, as has the increased amount of pollution from industrialization. As the populations of crab, shrimp and fish decline, so does the ability of small-scale fishermen and women to make a living and provide for their families. 

There have been efforts to try to support small scale, local fishing. For example, back in 2021, the U.S. Agency for International Development provided millions to help restore Ghanian fisheries. That program focused on sardines, mackerel and anchovies, which meant more of a focus on the Atlantic Ocean (which is still needed), than the brackish coastal waters. (The current Trump administration is trying to destroy USAID, depriving the entire world -- including the U.S. -- of the benefits from international development assistance.) More recently, in July 2025, the Ghanian government passed the Fisheries and Aquaculture Law, which helps protect small scale fishers who use traditional canoes from illegal fishing vessels. This law is also focused on the ocean, rather than the lagoons and rivers of the country. 

I hope that a more wholistic approach may be pursued, one that recognizes the interconnectedness of the rivers, lagoons and oceans, thereby addressing all of it. This effort would also require a focus not only on the water, but also the land, such as restoring the mangroves and the habitats for aquatic species, which is happening in certain parts of Ghana, like in the Keta Lagoon. These efforts have seen positive results, For an overview of what is being done in that lagoon, check out this video from Terraformation:

We have the power to undo the damage we have done, but it takes commitment and, most importantly, time.  With more mangroves come more aquatic species, like blue crabs. And, with more blue crabs come dishes like Akotonshi.

AKONTOSHI

Recipe adapted from African Food Network

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 8 whole crabs or 1 pound of cooked crab meat
• 2 large fresh ginger pieces
• 2 cloves
• 4 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 large onions, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 3-4 large tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 large green bell peppers, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons grains of paradise, growned to a powder (optiona0l)
• 4 medium minced African bird peppers (or hot Thai peppers)
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup dried shrimp
• Plain bread crumbs
• Parsley
• Salt 

Directions:

1. Prepare the crabs or crab meat. If cooking whole crabs, clean them and bring a large pot of water to a bowl. Add the ginbger cloves and crab and cook for 15 minutes. Remvoe crabs and meat, keep shells for plating. If using crab meat, mix crab meat with 1/4 cup of water that has been boiled with ginger piece and cloves for 15 minutes.  Drain the water, flake the meat and set aside.

2. Saute the onions, tomatoes and spices. In a heavy pot, heat the oil to medium and add the other ingredients in the following sequence, stirring for a minute for so between each ingredient: onions, ground ginger, tomatoes, tomato paste, green pepper, cumin, nutmeg, thyme, grains of paradise (if using), paprika, masked peppers and dried shrump. Reduce heat and simmer for about 4-5 minutes, stirting constantly until vegetables are cooked.

3. Add the crab meat. Then add the crab meat and stir for another couple of minutes to heat it through. 

4. Finish the dish. Remove from heat, and spoon the crab mixture into the crab shells or ramekins if you began with crab meat. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of each serving and toast under an oven broiler for a couple of minutes. Be careful not to let the crumbs scorch. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately. 

PEACE.

Around the World in 80 Dishes: South Africa

I have gotten to where I am in life not because of something I brought to the world but through something I found - the wealth of African culture. 

-- Hugh Masakela 

When reading these words, they sound like the notes emanating from the trump of the famous South African jazz musician. "The Father of South African jazz, Masakela was known for his anti-apartheid songs, such as Soweto Blues and Bring Him Back Home." His music encouraged and inspired South Africans in their struggle to end the racist system of apartheid. That struggle eventually prevailed on May 4, 1990, when an agreement was reached to establish a democratic government -- of all the people and by all of the people -- by 1994. And, in that year, South Africa held its first fully democratic election, in which the Rainbow Nation (a term originated with Archbishop Desmond Tutu) elected Nelson Mandela as its first black President.

South Africa has always interested me, as it represents one of the best examples of how a diverse people can tear down a racist system and replace it with one based on equality and freedom. To be sure, South Africa has its issues, particularly economic issues which have perpetuated and, in some respects, worsened the economic divides amongst its people. But, there is a wealth of South African culture, one that transcends dollars and cents, or Rands. One that is truly invaluable.

My Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge invites me to learn more about this wealth. The Rainbow Nation, South Africa, is truly a diverse one, as evidenced by the fact that it has eleven official languages (Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, Xhosa, Xitsonga and Zulu). This diversity presents a lot of potential dishes for a main course. There are, of course, many dishes from the various African nations who live in South Africa, along with dishes from other significant ethnic groups, such as curry dishes from India and Malaysia, who were brought or made their way during the colonial period. And, there are, of course, the dishes of the colonizers themselves, such as the English and the Afrikaans. There are so many options that it took a very long time to decide. And, in the end, the decision was made not by myself but, interestingly enough, by Chef Gordon Ramsay. 

While I was preparing a meal one afternoon, I happened to have Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted on the television in the background. The show chronicles Chef Ramsay's travels to various parts of the world, where he spends a week learning about the people, their culture, and their food, all tied together by a challenge to prepare a meal at the end. This particular episode followed Chef Ramsay as he learned about South African cuisine in the KwaZulu-Natal province, with a particular emphasis on the Zulu cuisine, but a recognition of other influences. He prepared a whole fish on the braai, learned how to make Ushatini and Chakalaka, and discovered the importance of pelepele or piri piri. 

Ramsay's adventures provided a roadmap for this particular challenge. I am going to make the principal dishes from that Uncharted show: whole fish on the Braai, which will satisfy the challenge, along with the sides of ushatini and chakalaka. I will even make pelepele (or peri peri).   

MAIN DISH

For the culinary challenge, I prepared a whole fish for the braai. Gordon Ramsay's preparation of this dish was very simple, basically just some salt on the fish before placing it on the grill. My recipe involves a little more preparation and ingredients. 

WHOLE FISH ON THE BRAAI

Recipe from Fish Wife

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 whole fish (such as Red Roman, red snapper)
• 1 red onion
• 1 handful of cilantro
• 2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced chiles
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 lemon

Directions:

1. Prepare the fish. Score both sides of the fish.  Chop the red onion and the cilantro and stuff into the cavity of the fish. Grate some lemon rind and add to the cavity. Mix together the garlic, chiles, ginger and soy sauce. Spread one-half of the sauce over both sides of the fish. Keep the remaining half for basting the fish. Place the fish on a fish basket that can be flipped.

2. Grill the fish. Heat a charcoal or gas grill over high heat. Cook the fish over the heat for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping over 3 to 5 minutes. Using a basting brush, paint the fish with the marinade with every flip. When the fish is done, remove from the heat and allow to rest for a few minutes. 

SIDE DISH

Chakalaka is a South African side dish that is often served with the braai. Its origins lie in the townships around Johnannesberg, where Mozambican mineworkers lived and worked. These mineworkers would combine tinned food, like beans and tomatoes, with chiles to create a dish that they could eat with pap (porridge). Chakalaka represents an effort to take something that was brought to the region by colonialists (tinned food) and making it into something indigenous. 

CHAKALAKA

Recipe from Cooking Channel

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 green Thai Bird's eye chiles, seeded and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 ounces ginger, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 5 large carrots, scrubbed, topped, tailed and grated
• 14 ounces canned chopped tomatoes
• 12 ounces tomato paste
• 14 ounces canned baked beans
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper 

Directions:

1. Saute ingredients. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions until soft and translucent. Add the chiles, garlic and half of the ginger (reserve the other half to add right at the end). Add the curry powder and stir to combine. Add the bell peppers and cook for another two minutes. Add the carrots and stir to make sure they are well combined with the other ingredients and coated in the curry powder. Add in the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir. Cook until the mixture is well combined and slightly thickened, about 5 to 10 minutes. 

2. Finish the dish. Remove from the heat and add the baked beans, thyme and remaining ginger. Stir to combine; season with salt and pepper. Serve hot or cold. 

RELISH

Ushatini is a South African version of a salad or relish that I have seen around the world. In the Americas, it resembles salsa or pico de gallo, with tomatoes, onions and chiles. In the Middle East, it is halfway to a salad e-shirazi (all it needs is cucumbers). Yet, ushatini is South African with its use of the piri-piri chiles (or, in my case, Thai green chiles). It is a great accompaniment to the Braai, as it should be spooned over the grilled meat or seafood.  

USHATINI

Recipe from Cookpad

Ingredients:

• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 big tomatoes, diced
• 3 chiles, minced
• Vinegar, to taste
• Salt, to taste 

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. 

CONDIMENT

The final part of the Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge involves the preparation of peri-peri sauce, or what was referred to in Uncharted as "pele pele" sauce. This condiment was made possible by the Portuguese, who brought chiles to South Africa (as they did around the world), which served as the basis for the sauce. This is a very spicy sauce given the types of chiles used. 

SOUTH AFRICAN PERI PERI

Recipe from African Bites

Ingredients:

• 10 hot chiles (habanero, scotch bonnet or Thai chiles)
• 1 medium onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons bouillon powder or Maggi cubes
• 2 basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 1-3 roma tomatoes
• 1/2 to 1 cup vegetable oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper 

Directions:

1. Prepare the sauce. Coarsely chop the tomatoes and onions and discard the pepper stems. Then puree the tomatoes, onions, garlic, pepper, parsley, basil, and bouillon powder in a food processor with as much oil as needed to make a thick-ish puree. 

2. "Cook" the sauce. Pour the pepper mixture into a small saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and slowly simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Adjust seasoning with salts.

 3. Finish the dish. Let it cool, pour into a mason jar or a container with a lid, and store it in a fridge for up to a week. For the pepper sauce to last longer, fully cover it with oil. 

*     *     *

In the end, I think these dishes turned out well, even if they may not have reached the standards of either Gordon Ramsey or his hosts when he visited South Africa. The dishes enabled me to participate in an endeavor to learn more about South African cuisine, especially the dishes of the indigenous peoples. This challenge was a success and motivates me to my next one. Stay tuned for more....

PEACE.

Around the World in 80 Dishes: Mexico

"Mexican food is far more varied than people think."

-- Gael Garcia Bernal, Actor & Filmmaker

That statement is particularly true if the people happen to live in the United States. In a country where the history of Mexican food tells the tales of Chi-Chi's and Chili's, along with Taco Bell and Chipotle, one could easily think that Mexican food consists of nachos, tacos, quesadillas and chalupas. Yet, the entirety of Mexico, from the Rio Grande to the Usumacinta, from the Pacific to the Caribbean, plays host to a wide range of different cuisines. The foods of the arid stretches of Sonora differ from those along the coastline of Jalisco. Those dishes differ from the indigenous cuisines of Oaxaca and Tabasco.

Americans love Mexican food, but as Anthony Bourdain once noted, "we have barely scratched the surface of what Mexican food really is." In some respects, Mexican cuisine is older than "the great cuisines" of Europe. And, it can stand its ground with those cuisines as well. A mole sauce from Oaxaca is as complicated to make (if not more so), in terms of ingredients and processes, as any sauce from storied European cuisines that are featured the Michelin-starred kitchens of restaurants anywhere in the world.  

The regional cuisines of Mexico

In order to understand the range of regional cuisines in Mexico, one needs to look at the country itself. Generally speaking, one could outline at least seven different regional cuisines. There is the El Norte (Aguascalientes, Baja, Sonora, Chihuahua, Cohuila, Durango, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas), with a range of seafood dishes from the coasts of the Pacific Ocean and Baja California) to the beef dishes from the ranches of Sonora and Chichuahua. (I think this could be split in two separate regions on its own.) There is the Costa del Pacifico Norte (Comalina, Jalisco, Nyarit, and Sinaloa), which is known for dishes such as pozole and birria. There is the Bajio (Guanajuato, Michoacan, Queretaro and San Luis Potosi), where rice and pork feature prominently. There is Costa del Pacifico Sur (Chiapas, Guerrero, and Oaxaca) where one could enjoy the cuisine of the indigenous peoples. Then there is El Sur (Campeche, Quintana Roo and Yucatan), where one could enjoy pork dishes like pibil. There is El Golfo (Tabasco & Veracruz), where, as noted above, there is Afro-Cuban and Creole influences. Finally, Mexico Central (Federal District, Hidalgo, Mexico, Morelos,  Puebla, and Tlaxcala), where many of the other regions' influences meet. 

This variety makes the preparation of a main dish from Mexico especially challenging. I have previously dabbled in the particular regional cuisines, whether it is preparing the Mole Verde Zacatano or Tacos de Chapulines con Tequila y Guacamole. Yet, which cuisine will reign supreme for this Mexican round of my Around the World in 80 Dishes Challenge? 

With so many regions, states and cuisines to choose from, I decided to introduce some randomness. I used a random address generator to provide me with three addresses as starting points to choose the cuisine and the dish. Those addresses gave me the following Mexican States: (1) Sonora; (2) Jalisco; and (3) Tabasco.

APPETIZER

I have never traveled to the State of Sonora, let alone walked the streets of its capital, Hermosillo, during the 1980s. (I would have been in my teens during that time.) Yet, if one did, they would have come across the culinary creation known as the Sonoran Dog or the Danger Dog. Vendors, known as dogueros, grilled bacon-wrapped hot dogs, which they placed in bollilo bun could be customized with a rage of toppings and condiments. Toppings typically included tomatoes, onions, beans, guacamole or salsa, while condiments could include mayonnaise or mustard. 

Grilling the dogs is the key. One cannot boil or steam them. However, some vendors operated in less than sanitary conditions or in violation of food preparation regulations, which gave rise to the name "danger dogs." Fortunately, I found a recipe on Saveur from Danny Trejo, the famous actor who owns restaurants like Trejo's Cantina and Trejo's tacos. There is no issue with the food, the only danger would be crossing one of characters played by Trejo, like Navajas from Desperado or Machete from the movie of the same name.

DANGER DOGS (SONORAN DOGS)

Recipe from Danny Trejo

Serves 4-6

Ingredients (for onions and peppers):

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced (1 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced (2/3 cup)
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced (2/3 cup)
• Kosher salt

Ingredients (for the Danger Dogs):

• 2 jalapenos, quartered lengthwise
• 6 hot dogs
• 6 bacon slices
• 6 hot dog buns
• 2 tablespooons vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Prepare the onions and peppers. In a large skillet, add the oil and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the green and red bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until everyhting is soft and deep golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, season to taste with salt, and set aside. 

2. Prepare the jalapeno peppers. In an empty skillet, add the jalapenos skin-side down and cook over medium heat without moving until charred, about 5 minutes. Turn them owner and cook until tender, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Return the skillet ot the stove and turn off heat. 

3. Make the danger dogs. Tightly wrap the hot dogs in bacon from end to end. To the empty skillet, add the oil and turn the heat to medium. When it's hot and shimmering, add the hot dogs and cook until browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, give each hot dog a quarter turn and cook for another 5 minutes. Repeat on the remiaining two sides until the hot dogs are crisp all over. 

4. Finish the dish. To serve, spoon the reserved onions and peppers into buns, then top each with one jalapeno slice. Top with the hot dogs and serve immediately. 

MAIN COURSE

As the story goes, the Spanish conqusitadors were not the only ones to arrive in what is now Mexico during the 16th century. Those conquistadors brought goats with them, which were used to help clear the rugged terrain as the conquistadors and colonizers made their way across the Americas. However, the goats became a problem. Their numbers multipled and, as the Spanish colonizers settled in, there was not as great of a need for the goats. Unlike cattle or pigs, the Spanish were not fans of eating cabro or cabra, as they did not like the smell or taste of the gamey meat. So, in Jalisco, they decided to give the goats to the indigenous peoples. The goats were just as much of a problem for the natives, as the goats ate everything, including the crops. So the indigenous people decided to eat the goats. They used traditional preparations, using spices and herbs as they cooked the meat slowly in vinegar and water, until it became a delicious soup. The Spanish were unimpressed, referring to the soup derogatorily as "birria," which means "worthless" or "useless." 

That worthless soup outlived the Spanish empire and became an important part of the cuisine in Jalisco. A person who prepares the iconic soup became known as birriero. The preparations began to vary with regions within Jalisco and with the cooks, but the end product - the soup with its rich broth did not change. As birria expanded across Mexico, there were additional changes. For example, as it reached Tijuana in the 1950s, a street food vendor named Don Guadalupe Zarate decided to use beef instead of goat. There is also a legend in connection with Zarate that customers asked him to add liquid to the birria, which led to the beef soup. (I think that this part is probably legend, as other sources indicate that the preparation of birria as a soup goes back to Jalisco.)

Birria continued its expansion northward, along with Danger Dogs, into the United States. Culinary migrants, whose aromas and flavors would add to the tables in kitchens and restaurants across the country. Birria could not make it on its own, it needed real people, real migrants who came to this country seeking a better life for themselves and their families. At first, there was Chalio Luis, who brought birria to the Los Angeles, California in the 1970s. Then there was Reuben Ramirez, along with his cousins Oscar and Omar Gonzalez, who opened a birria stand in South Central Los Angeles, California in 2013. There were countless others, who brought their knowledge as birreros or just as someone who could prepare birria to the U.S. for people to eat and enjoy. 

Today, Americans have embraced birria, with restaurants serving the beef and broth, often in taco form, in restaurants from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles, California. However, our government has turned against the Mexicans migrants and residents who live in the United States (along with all other individuals with brown or black skin). Governmental authorities have increased their efforts to deport them, with masked individuals rounding up individuals and taking them away in unmarked vans to detention centers and prisons. These facts were not lost on me as I prepared this dish. 

BEEF BIRRIA

Recipe from Isabel Eats

Serves many

Ingredients:

• 4 to 5 pounds chuck roast, cut into large 4-inch chunks
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 12 guajillo chiles, rinsed, stemmed and seeded
• 5 ancho chiles, rinsed, stemmed and seeded
• 5 arbol chiles, rinsed and stemmed
• 2 large Roma tomatoes
• 1/2 medium yellow onion
• 1 4-inch Mexican cinnamon stick
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• Water, as needed
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup distilled white viengar
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoong ground cloves

Directions:

1. Brown the meat. Generously season the meat with salt and pepper on all sides, and heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Working in 2 batches, add the meat and sear on all sides until browned. Remove the pot from the heat, add the seared meat back into the pot and set aside. 

2. Continue with other ingredients. While the meat is searing, add the guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, arbol chiles, tomatoes, onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and pepper corns to a medium pot. Cover completely with water and bring to a boil over high ehat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. 

3. Blend the other ingredients. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the softened chiles and other ingredients to a large blender. Add 1 cup of the chile soaked cooking water, the beef broth, white vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano and cloves. Blend on high for a few minutes until compeletly smooth. (You may have to do this in 2 batches if your blender is not big enough.) Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh strainer into the pot with the seared meat. Discard any solids left behind.

4. Cook the birria. Stir the meat and chile sauce together to combine and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 3 to 3 1/2 hours until the meat is fall-apart tender. 

5. Finish the dish. Transfer the meat to a large bowl and shred it with two forks. Add the meat back into the consomme and serve as a stew in bowls with diced onion and chopped cilantro, or as tacos in corn tortillas with shredded Oaxaca cheese, cilantro and diced onions.

SAUCE

For the last dish, which comes from the state of Tabasco, a State that lies along Mexico's Caribbean coastline of Mexico. This region has a long history, stretching all the way back to the Olmec civilization, which predominated over the area from 1400 BCE to about 400 BCE. After the decline of the Olmecs, the Chontal Maya civilization emerged, controlling the area from 300 CE until the Spanish conquistadors and colonists arrived. 

I wanted to find a recipe that draws from the pre-Spanish culinary traditions. I found it in chirmol. I am not talking about the Guatemalan salsa. Instead, it is a "stew" whose origins go back as far as the Chontal Maya civilization, if not further back in time. The quotation marks are used because chirmol is not so much a stew, as it is a mole. A sauce prepared with a range of ingredients that set it apart from other preparations. For the chirmol, the key ingredients are the tortillas, which are burnt; the anchos, which provide the smoke and spice; and, most importantly, the petitas or pumpkin seeds. 

The sauce is very versatile, but it is usually served over chicken, fish or pork. Of course, chicken and pork are not indigenous ingredients, both of which having been brought over by the Spanish. If you want to de-colonize the dish, I would use either fish or turkeys, which had been domesticated by indigenous people in the area long before Spanish arrived. 

CHIRMOL TABASQUENO

Recipe from Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 3 stale tortillas or tostadas
• 3 to 5 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 head of garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
• 1 white onion, peeled and quartered
• 1/2 pound Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1/3 pound pepitas or pumpkin seeds
• 3 cloves
• 1 tablespoon achiote paste (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds (optional)
• 1 hoja santa or small bunch of epazote (optional)
• 2 tablespoons lard or olive oil
• 1 pound of crab meat (or any other protein)

Directions:

1. Prepare the tortillas. Get a large heavy frying pan or comal very hot. Partially char the stale tortillas, you want lots of black marks, but don't blacken them totally. If you are using tostadas, no need for this. 

2. Prepare the chiles. Briefly toast the ancho chiles, pressing down on them with a spatula. You want to see some blistering, so maybe 10 to 30 seconds per side. Submerge all the toasted chiles in warm water. 

3. Prepare the other ingredients. Arrange the onions garlic and tomatoes on the hot pan to char them. You want serious blackening here. The tomatoes will take the longest, and don't be tempted to move them too soon or you will leave all the good blackened bits in the pan. If that happens, scrape it up immediately and set the scapings aside.

4. Toast the pepitas. In another pan, toast the pumpkin seeds over medium high heat until they start to pop. Move to the bowl of a blender. Crush up the toasted tortillas and put them in the blender too, along with the cloves, achiote, and anise seeds, if using. Add enough water to the blender to turn this all into a runny paste. Pour the contents into a large bowl. 

5. Continue the preparation. When the vegetables are nicely charred, peel the garlic, then add everything to the blender with the soaked chiles and the joa santa leaf if using. Add some of the chile soaking water and blend this to a puree too. Add it to the bowl and mix well. Add salt to taste.  

6. Finish the dish. Heat the lard or olive oil in a pot over medium high heat and when it's hot, add the chirmol. Stir well to combine and drop the heat to low. Let this simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Serve over cooked crabmeat or other protein. 

*     *     *

This challenge has special meaning. I strived to complete it by Mexican Independence Day in 2025, during a time in which the administration of the United States was using its enforcement powers in unconstitutional and inhumane ways against Mexicans who were living here both lawfully and without proper documentation. It was also reported that the administration planned to have Immigration & Customs Enforcement target Mexican Independence Day celebrations in Chicago, Illinois. Rather than persecute people, I wanted to join in the celebration of their culture.

In so doing, I made three interesting dishes from across the country. All three were successes and I look forward to where the next challenge will take me. 

PAZ.