The Missing Pfood Posts

Burkina Faso is not Italy.

They have two dishes, though, that make you dream of the land yonder. I present Burkina's version of macaroni.

Above is what happens when I try to cook. :) The recipe is as follows:

Boil 400g macaroni
Drain water
Add 2 cans of sardines in oil, undrained
Add a couple tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste
Share with the children next door whose parents left them home alone all day with no food.

Let me tell you this. While you might not think this looks delicious, they were happy as anything to have this. They LOVE sardines here. So this was a real treat.

Macaroni Two

This was lunch yesterday. They cook it in a huge pot. What is curious though, is they measure the water so they don't have to drain anything. When they have seen how I make macaroni, they tell me I waste too much water. This is their recipe, as far as I can tell.

Add 3 cups oil (palm) to the pot (maybe 3 cups is an exaggeration, but it's a lot)
To this, add tomato paste and onions
Fry the fish
Remove fish
Add water to the tomato/onion oil and bring to boil
Add pasta and cook till mushy
Serve

Tô

This is the Burkinabe national dish. They love it like we love hamburgers, or in keeping with the Italian theme, Italians love pizza. They can't get enough of it. Many people eat it everyday, twice a day. They make a big pot of it and eat it at night and then eat what's left for breakfast the next day. They LOVE it. I read a description that it's like polenta in Italy. I do believe you could get shot for telling an Italian that, but what do I know about Italians?

The preparation is to first pound the corn or wheat into flour. They do that by hand. I'll have to get a photo. You can imagine. Then you cook it over the fire till it becomes thick with a to stick. Most people have a special tô stick. I'll also have to get a picture of that. It's basically a branch from a tree that has 3 smaller branches coming off the stirring end. Similar to a whisk. They then ladle it out with a special gourd spoon so that it makes the little patties you see here and let it cool.

I don't know what sauce this was. The 12 year old girl next door made it. It was kind of spicy, had meat and was pretty good. I think there was also soumbala. That is a taste I'm getting used to. I was thinking of trying to bring some home so you could taste it. At first I really didn't like it. It has a very strange smell and taste.

Last night the mom next door cooked. She said she was sorry there wasn't any meat or fish in the sauce. But I think it's very nice she shares. Especially since I never cook so I don't share with here.

Anyway, she made this sauce. I have no idea what it was. In some bites I thought I tasted a little peanut butter. But then I also thought maybe it was okra. No idea.

They also eat this with their hands. I have no idea how. I eat it with a spoon.

For lunch I hope to get my favorite dish, acheke. Acheke is like couscous. It is made from the cassava root. And my phone is charging so I'll be able to post. See you in a couple hours!