Out of Africa
Inspired perhaps by the dawn of a new century, we’ve been busy creating some exciting new blends. Adventurous cooks are already beginning to look beyond Moroccan and Middle Eastern foods and wondering what new flavours they can try. We have detected an interest in continental Africa, with new cookbooks highlighting this area and new cafes in some of Sydney’s trendier areas featuring African food. We’ve created our own blend of Berbere, a coarse grind of cumin, coriander seed, black pepper, salt and other spices, which brings a touch of the exotic sub-continent to grilled chicken and red meats. Try using it like a curry powder to make a tasty stew, using chicken, tomatoes and roasted capsicum strips – it’s fabulous.
African cooking often uses large amounts of a single spice like paprika or ground coriander– for instance, you can make a Berbere paste by roasting 3 teaspoons of Berbere mix and puree-ing with a small minced onion, a garlic clove, salt and 3 tablespoons of red wine. To this you add a good cup or more of paprika, a cup of water, and extra cayenne pepper to taste, then stir it over moderate heat for about 15 minutes until the onion puree is cooked. (You don’t have to memorize this – it is on the back of the pack!) You will probably feel sure that you have overdone the paprika, but this is the correct amount! This dark red, thick mixture can then be refrigerated for up to six months, and used by the spoonful as a rich, spicy alternative to tomato paste.