Okay, so this morning I decided to try and make some African breakfast meals. I’ve always been curious about different cuisines, and African food is something I haven’t really explored much.
Getting Started
First, I did some digging online to find some popular breakfast options. I stumbled upon a few interesting dishes, and decided to give a couple a shot. I wasn’t aiming for anything super complicated, just something tasty and reasonably easy to make.
The Recipes I Tried
I went with two dishes:
- Mandazi: These are like East African doughnuts. They seemed simple enough – flour, sugar, yeast, some spices, and coconut milk.
- A simple porridge: I figured a hearty porridge is a breakfast staple in many cultures, and I found a recipe that used maize meal (kind of like cornmeal) with some milk and a touch of sugar.
The Cooking Process
I started with the Mandazi. I mixed the dry ingredients – flour, sugar, a bit of cardamom and cinnamon (because I like those), and some yeast. Then, I gradually added the coconut milk, kneading it all together until I got a nice, soft dough.
While the dough was rising (which took a while, I won’t lie), I started on the porridge. This was super easy. I just boiled some water, slowly whisked in the maize meal, and kept stirring until it thickened up. Then I added a bit of milk and sugar, and let it simmer for a few minutes.
Back to the Mandazi – once the dough had doubled in size, I rolled it out and cut it into triangles. Then, I heated up some oil in a pan and fried the Mandazi until they were golden brown and puffy. They looked pretty good, if I do say so myself!
The Taste Test
The porridge was warm and comforting, a bit like a thicker, slightly sweeter version of grits. It was definitely filling!
The Mandazi were the stars, though. They were slightly sweet, with a hint of spice and that lovely coconut flavor. They were a bit crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I dipped some in the porridge, which was a surprisingly good combination.
Final Thoughts
Overall, it was a successful experiment! It was fun to try something new, and both dishes were pretty tasty. The Mandazi were definitely my favorite, and I can see myself making them again. I might try adding some different spices next time, or maybe even a glaze.
It’s made me want to explore more African cooking for sure.
