"Living a truly ethical life, putting the needs of others first, and providing for their happiness has tremendous implications for society." -Dalai Lama

"Peace requires the simple but powerful recognition that what we have in common as human beings is more important and crucial than what divides us." -Sargent Shriver

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Cookin' Tanzo Style


So cooking over kerosene stove, while limiting at times, is still enjoyable.  I love cooking so one of the most enjoyable parts of my day is cooking dinner.  So many people at home may be curious about the options available.  We actually have quite a bit: spinach, eggplant, hot peppers, bell pepper, onions, tomatoes, and potatoes.  I only miss a few things like cheap eggs (eggs are expensive for our budget), milk, cheese, and nice ready-to-cook meat.  I am lucky that I have an amazing family though, because I usually have some packages of tuna for some quick protein.  One of my favorite Tanzanian foods is chapati.  Chapatti is the African version of the Indian naan.  You may also say that it is just a thick tortilla.  Well anyways, I thought it might be fun to show here so if you are interested, you can try it out for yourself!

To make chapatti, you need 3 cups of flour (maybe a little extra to flour the rolling surface), oil, salt, and water.


First, in a bowl, combine 3 cups of flour, a pinch of salt, and about a tablespoon of oil.



Next, add enough water so that you are able to form one elastic ball of dough.




Break off pieces of dough, experiment with the size you want.  Roll out the dough, drizzle a little oil on the dough, and then roll the dough back up and set aside.  I am usually able to form between 8 to 10 balls from one batch.






After oiling all of the dough, set aside for 20 minutes to 1 hour.



After setting aside, roll out the chapattis into reasonably thin circles.  Again, the thickness is mainly up to your own preference. 

Heat about a tablespoon, or less, of oil in a pan.  After it is hot, add a chapatti.


When the chapatti is good and bubbly, it is time to flip.


After you cook them all, you can go traditional and enjoy with a hot bowl of beans, or make wraps.    


So this is just a little taste of Tanzania.  Hopefully more to come!  Bon appetite!  Peace out!

1 comment:

  1. This post was so fantastic, I had to share it. Hope you don't mind :)

    ReplyDelete