Right Sharing of World Resources

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1 presents Cooking with our partners Food is an important way to share culture. Cooking foods that our Right Sharing partners might eat is a way to understand their life and culture a little better. Below are a few simple recipes that are common to South India, Kenya, and Sierra Leone. Even though they have been adapted for North American cooks, we hope that they will still be useful in helping your group relate to our partners. South Indian Foods Idly is a breakfast item that is eaten throughout south India. Usually it is made with ground and fermented rice. To make it the traditional way, a rice grinder is needed as well as special idly pans. Since idly is time-consuming to make and requires special utensils, many modern Indians have taken to buying their idlies from street vendors and breakfast shops near the bus and train stations. Selling idly is a business undertaken by many of the women supported by Right Sharing grants. These funds help the women purchase the necessary utensils; they make the idlies in their homes early in the morning and then sell them at the transportation stops both in the morning and the evening. The recipe below has been much adapted so that it can be made by an average American. Substitutions have been made for ingredients and for kitchen tools; for instance, instead of an idly maker, this recipe uses an egg poacher. However, even though the recipe is not authentic, it will give you some idea of the type of food that our RSWR partners eat and sell in south India. Rava idly 6 cashews broken into pieces and 6 unbroken cashew halves 1teaspoon butter 1 tablespoon oil 1 teaspoon mustard seed 1 teaspoon crushed canned chick peas A pinch of turmeric powder ¼ cup shredded carrot 1 cup Cream of Wheat ½ cup yogurt 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves ¾ teaspoon baking soda or fruit salt Water ½ cup or less depending on consistency desired Electric rice grinder Idly steamer 1. Roast cashews in butter. Remove from pan and set aside. 2. Add oil, mustard seed, and chick peas to the pan. Cook until it begins to sputter. 3. Add turmeric powder and carrots and sauté until it begins to shrink. 4. Add uncooked Cream of Wheat and cook 3 minutes. 5. Remove from heat. Add yogurt, cilantro, and baking soda or fruit salt. 6. Add water a little at a time until it is the consistency of a thick porridge 7. Place a cashew half upside down in each section of the egg poacher. 8. Pour the batter on top of the cashews. Traditional rice grinder

2 9. Cover and steam for 5-8 minutes. Idlies are done when a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. 10. Let sit for 5 minutes and then unmold onto a plate. 11. Serve hot with butter and chutney (recipe below). Tamarind is a fruit that is indigenous to tropical Africa. It has spread widely throughout the tropical belt and is now a staple in cooking in Africa and South Asia. Chutney is a family of condiments from South Indian cuisine that usually contain some mixture of spice(s), vegetable(s), and/or fruit(s). There are many varieties of chutney. Below is a mock tamarind chutney that uses apple butter instead of tamarind. Easy mock tamarind chutney 1 jar of apple butter, 17 oz ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cumin powder 1teaspoon chili powder 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice (to taste) Pour apple butter into a small bowl. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Pour chutney back into the jar and store in the refrigerator. Dosa Dosa is a thin pancake that is often made from the same batter as the idly. Just make the idly batter a little thinner by adding more water and cook it like a pancake in a skillet. Roll it up or fold it over and eat it with the tamarind chutney or other sweet or savory sauce.

3 Right Sharing of World Resources Chai tea Indian chai tea Chai is black tea brewed with spices and milk. There are endless recipes and everyone has their favorite spice mix. Tea stalls are ubiquitous throughout India and many of the women whom Right Sharing supports sell tea and snacks as their income-generating activity. Spice Mix 24 green cardamom pods 18 black peppercorns 1 teaspoon anise seeds ½ teaspoon ginger powder ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder Use a coffee grinder to grind the spices to a powder. Store the Chai Spice Mix in an airtight container. Tea for 2 Cups of Chai 1-½ cups water ½ cup milk ½ teaspoon Chai Spice Mix from above 2 teaspoons black tea leaves 2 teaspoons sugar (or to taste) Boil the water and milk with ½ teaspoon of the spice mix. As water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and add tea leaves and sugar. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Strain mixture and serve hot. Kenyan chai tea A Right Sharing partner in her tea stall in India. Indian traders and workers in Kenya in the early 1900s brought with them chai tea and it became the most popular beverage in Kenya. Today in Kenya, no meal is complete without a cup of chai. This recipe is from Leah Sitonik, the wife of the RSWR Field Representative in Kenya, Samson Ababu. 3 cups water 1 heaping teaspoon tea (more for a stronger taste) 1 small pinch of rosemary 1/8 teaspoon ginger 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

4 1 cup milk Combine spices, tea, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 3 minutes. Add milk and reheat until just below boiling. Remove from heat and strain into a teapot. Add sugar to taste. Ugali Kenyan foods 4 cups water 2 cups white cornmeal, finely ground 2 teaspoons salt Bring water and salt to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in the cornmeal slowly, sprinkling small handfuls. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue stirring, mashing any lumps, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pot and becomes thick (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool. Place ugali into a large serving bowl. Wet hands with water and form into a ball. Ugali is the most common food in Kenya. It is eaten every day with every meal. It can be served with everything: cooked vegetables, stew, eggs, etc. Ugali requires few ingredients and is quite easy to make. Ugali and its accompaniments are eaten with the hands. A piece of ugali is pulled off and used to scoop up the stew or other accompaniment. Ugali with Sukuma wiki Onions, Greens, and Tomatoes (Sukuma wiki) The name of this dish means stretch the week in Swahili. It is a way to stretch the food budget in a nutritious, delicious manner. Onions, tomatoes, and greens are eaten by the bushel in Kenya. Many of our Right Sharing partners grow these vegetables for their income-generating projects and make a good living selling them in the local markets. This dish is easy to make, healthy, and delicious when served with ugali. 2 teaspoons canola oil 1 yellow onion, chopped 3 ripe but firm tomatoes, chopped 2 bunches kale or collard greens (about 1 pound total), ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced 2 tablespoons lemon juice ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

5 Onions, Greens, and Tomatoes (Sukuma wiki) continued: Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until collapsed and juicy, about 10 minutes more. Add kale, ½ cup water, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss once or twice, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Spoon into bowls and serve. Kenyan chicken stew Poultry rearing is a popular project with our Right Sharing partners. This chicken stew is a common dish in Kenya and is easy and quick to make. Right Sharing partners selling their vegetables in the local marketplace. ½ cup canola oil 1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger 1 tbsp. mashed garlic 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 tomatoes, finely chopped 1 teaspoon salt 2 pounds chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks are best) 1 tbsp. ground turmeric 2 tbsp. sour cream cilantro leaves for garnish Heat the oil in a frying pan. When the oil is hot, stir in the ginger and garlic, then add the onion and fry for about 6 minutes, or until browned. Add the tomatoes and salt; then reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for about 4 minutes, or until the tomatoes soften. Now add the chicken and the turmeric and stir to combine. Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and allow the chicken pieces to cook very slowly in the oil and tomato mixture. After about 20 minutes, add the sour cream. Uncover, bring to a simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes more, or until the sauce is very thick and coats the chicken. Turn into a serving bowl, garnish with the cilantro leaves, and bring to the table. Kenyan poultry project supported by RSWR

6 Sierra Leone foods Groundnut Stew Groundnut stew has been called the national dish of Sierra Leone. Groundnuts, a type of peanuts, are a common food that is grown by farmers in Sierra Leone. Many of the Right Sharing partners grow them, along with rice, cassava, corn, beans, and potatoes. 2 tbsp. oil 1 red onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbsp. chopped fresh ginger 1 pound boneless chicken, cut into chunks 1 tbsp. crushed red pepper Salt and pepper to taste 5 cups chicken stock 3 small sweet potatoes, cut into chunks 1 16-oz. can diced tomatoes ¼ pound collard greens 1 cup chunky peanut butter RSWR partners with their groundnut harvest Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger until softened. Add the chicken and cook until browned. Add the crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Add chicken stock to mixture. Add sweet potatoes and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add tomatoes, collard greens, and peanut butter. Cover the pot and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, another 20 minutes. Rice is a staple food in Sierra Leone and it is the source of most of the calories that people consume. Almost all of the Right Sharing partners in Sierra Leone grow rice for consumption and sale. Here is a recipe that combines rice flour and sugar for a simple, sweet snack. Foorah 2 cups rice flour 1 cup sugar 3 cups water or a combination of water and milk 1. Mix the rice flour in a bowl with about 1 cup of water and/or milk, saving about 1 tablespoonful for coating the balls 2. Bring the rest of the water to boil in a saucepan. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. 3. Pour the flour paste gradually into the simmering water and cook, stirring all the time until it forms a thick paste as the rice granules swell. 4. When the rice is thoroughly cooked and contains no raw flavor, allow the mixture to cool slightly. Then remove tablespoonsful of the mixture and form them into balls. Coat them with the rest of the rice flour. 5. Serve cold.