The African Culture-What things do you know?

[His Glory 25]

I found some, but it's hard to know how authentic they are. I asked for help the other day and got a couple recipes that I can feel sure are more authentic.

UPenn has some recipes on their website. ghanalounge has a bunch of recipes. I also found something called cookbookwiki. They have a section on Ghana. Amazon has some books listed mostly as West African Cooking. One book called True Ghana Delights (i think) looked interesting but I don't think it's authentic. I think it changes the traditional recipes to make it a bit high-brow and I haven't learned how to make the basics yet. Another good place to check for recipes is blogs. There are some missionaries in Ghana who have blogs and list recipes that they learned from native Ghanaians while there. Those are probably authentic.

cool thanks! I did learn how to make shitor which even my mom loved and she hates any kind of fish.

[Ta Ta 1]

Bassi is very protective. Almost over-protective. He thinks I do too much. If we go shopping in Accra, he won't let me carry bags. It's interesting because I see women going by with boxes on their heads and he won't let me carry a bag of groceries. He also seems to be aware of where I am all the time when we are together. I think I feel protected when I'm with him. Not like I would step out in front of a car to "test" him. But I'm used to fending for myself. I always took care of myself and my baby. Even in my previous marraige. It's very different to feel so very well taken care of. I should say that when I'm in the center of his family, I feel that all of the men are that way. One wife is every man's wife so they all sort of "watch" over us. I can remember talking with Bassi's sister in law one evening and we got up to get something to drink and two cousins asked us what do you need. Samira told them we want water but I can not drink from the well. So they sent one of the kids to fetch two bottles of water for us. And we just continued talking and laughing.

That sounds familiar

[Bassi and Zainab 1]

I found some, but it's hard to know how authentic they are. I asked for help the other day and got a couple recipes that I can feel sure are more authentic.

UPenn has some recipes on their website. ghanalounge has a bunch of recipes. I also found something called cookbookwiki. They have a section on Ghana. Amazon has some books listed mostly as West African Cooking. One book called True Ghana Delights (i think) looked interesting but I don't think it's authentic. I think it changes the traditional recipes to make it a bit high-brow and I haven't learned how to make the basics yet. Another good place to check for recipes is blogs. There are some missionaries in Ghana who have blogs and list recipes that they learned from native Ghanaians while there. Those are probably authentic.

cool thanks! I did learn how to make shitor which even my mom loved and she hates any kind of fish.

Hey! What's shitor? I thought it was a pepper sauce, but I guess it's something different.

[His Glory 25]

! I did learn how to make shitor which even my mom loved and she hates any kind of fish.

Hey! What's shitor? I thought it was a pepper sauce, but I guess it's something different.

Yes, it is a hot sauce but its made with dried ground shrimp. It tatse a little like a filipino sauce. Very hot!

[xoxo 0]

That's interesting. Let us know what you find out. My fiance is from Ghana, I tend to focus on his culture. I don't think I fully get the concept of an "african" culture because Africa is not a country of a single group of people. So I found that there are cultural differences within the continent itself. I suppose that there are broad differences like the "western experience" versus the "african experience" that you could research. It's definitely complicated, especially because my "american" experience probably isn't closely related to many others unless we have similar backgrounds. I found that my fiance's background is not the same as other groups within Ghana like the Ashanti or Akan. In terms of what I think could help my relationship and understanding my future husband, I have really targeted my focus on him and his tribe and his religion. I think that maybe in the future, or maybe our children, will be interested in broader research and understanding of all the cultural emergences on the continent of Africa.

Edited January 1, 2008 by vee

[knl 0]

Does anyone know a good cookbook that teaches ghanaian dishes? and also some cameroonian dishes. My husband said he loved the food in cameroon. I know how to follow recipes but dont really know how to cook. I was raised on TV dinners and some hispanic dishes.

My husband and I have found this site to be helpful www.congocookbook.com

[ForeverAmen 0]

Does anyone know a good cookbook that teaches ghanaian dishes? and also some cameroonian dishes. My husband said he loved the food in cameroon. I know how to follow recipes but dont really know how to cook. I was raised on TV dinners and some hispanic dishes.

My husband and I have found this site to be helpful www.congocookbook.com

Thanks for sharing. I could use some help in this department.

[Queen Jenn 0]

Here is what I know: my fiance has said that he does not mind doing domestic chores as long as I don't go telling his friends about it

A very diplomatic angle

Isn't that men in general? You know they have to uphold that macho image!!!!!!

Oh yeah you know it ! Maybe we can use that as a future bribe.....mop that floor or I will call the guys at the office and tell them you dusted the furniture

with the pink feather duster while you were wearing your apron and I have the picture to prove it..............just being a meanie and don't even care if he does housework, well ok maybe once in a while. Repairs , maintenance and yard work would be great if he would do that.....I despise that.

Pssssstttttt (come closer and swear you won't tell....)

My husband wore 2 inch white platform sandals in a radio contest race against 49 other men in the rain to try and win our daughter front row Hannah Montana tickets & back stage passes. And I DO have pictures already in the scrapbook. He made me swear to never mention it or show the pictures to any friends or family back in Jamaica.

Thanks for reminding me I have blackmail materials!

That is so incredibly sweet that he would do all that to try to win tickets for your daughter. WOW!!!!!!

[Queen Jenn 0]

There are certain things that my fiance will never have to worry about like laundry. When I used to live with my sisters we would take turns. They would leave the clothes in the drier so long that they became all wrinkly. I HATE THAT. So, instead, I offered to do the laundry. So much better for my sanity

Aother is the kitchen. This is another area that I am very particular. I do not like having people in my kitchen with me. I like my solitude. If he wants to cook that is fine with me (he's a good cook....yum) but helping me is out of the question. And I need to have all my dishes done before I go to bed. I do not leave pots and pans in the sink overnight

Bassi INSISTS on helping in the kitchen when I'm cooking. It slows the process down, but it's so much fun! He's beyond silly. His mom said he used to do the same thing with her. I hope it will be similar here. I say hope because you know when you're on vacation and cooking by choice it's not the same as after a 12 hour day while helping the baby with her homework and trying to get dinner done quickly. Bassi eats everything I cook with relish. I LOVE cooking for my man.

I don't dislike dishes in the sink, but I find that if I empty the sink every night, in the morning it makes me smile when I go in the kitchen. The room feels lighter somehow. But I run the dishwasher so it's not time consuming and since I make three meals a day in my kitchen, I usually have a full dishwasher every night. When the dishwasher is full, I run it and prop the door open to air dry the dishes. If the cat doesn't close it. He hates cabinet doors open in the kitchen. obessessive compulsive cat, go figure!

At least your cat closes the doors. Mine opens them farther and climbs in. One time, he was sitting in the cupboard with the canned tomatoes. It was so funny.

He's a curious cat. He'll climb in open cubpoard doors. And if you leave the toilet lid up, he climbs on the seat and plays in the water.

[Bassi and Zainab 1]

I don't dislike dishes in the sink, but I find that if I empty the sink every night, in the morning it makes me smile when I go in the kitchen. The room feels lighter somehow. But I run the dishwasher so it's not time consuming and since I make three meals a day in my kitchen, I usually have a full dishwasher every night. When the dishwasher is full, I run it and prop the door open to air dry the dishes. If the cat doesn't close it. He hates cabinet doors open in the kitchen. obessessive compulsive cat, go figure!

At least your cat closes the doors. Mine opens them farther and climbs in. One time, he was sitting in the cupboard with the canned tomatoes. It was so funny.

He's a curious cat. He'll climb in open cubpoard doors. And if you leave the toilet lid up, he climbs on the seat and plays in the water.

Does your SO like your cat? I was reading an old post about some African countries not liking cats because they think they are evil. I saw lots of cats when I was in Ghana. They were pets and they were around. Bassi said they are kept around to catch mice. Goats were obviously more popular. But Bassi doesn't hate my cat. I made them talk on the phone once. They were both a bit annoyed with me, but they love me so they deal with my idiosyncracies.

[forchika 4]

I found this website and I used it to make the African Fried Rice the other day check it out, I think it had a variety of different dishes from several different parts of Africa...... I like it because, you can watch her cook live thru the internet. I just love cooking with Yetti......

http://www.afrofoodtv.com/

[Bassi and Zainab 1]

I found this website and I used it to make the African Fried Rice the other day check it out, I think it had a variety of different dishes from several different parts of Africa...... I like it because, you can watch her cook live thru the internet. I just love cooking with Yetti......

http://www.afrofoodtv.com/

Thanks for sharing forchika. I'll check it out.

[Ta Ta 1]

Thanks forchika, nice site. I need more west African dishes, like Cassava etc.......if anyone has more ideas please share.

[ForeverAmen 0]

I found this website and I used it to make the African Fried Rice the other day check it out, I think it had a variety of different dishes from several different parts of Africa...... I like it because, you can watch her cook live thru the internet. I just love cooking with Yetti......

http://www.afrofoodtv.com/

Perfect! I just viewed her cooking Puff Puff. Tomorrow after church I will try to provide my husband with a nice suprise. He's the cook in our household, so whatever I do in the kitchen is often appreciated.

[Kanyiri 0]

Efia - I found a Ghanaian cookbook on Amazon that was ok, but most of what I know is from when I was there. If you would like a few of the recipes that my husband and I make, then let me know and I'll either post them or PM you. Most of Ghanaian cooking is not so much about measurements but about approximations.