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One of the most important ways that African grandparents share their love of cooking is through the preparation of wot sauce. Wot sauce is used as the base of stews and other dishes, but it can also be poured on injera bread if one wishes. In fact, a great African inspired way to enjoy a meal is through eating with one’s hands and a piece of injera flat bread.

Lab is a type of white soft cheese that many African grandparents love to serve with wot sauce. Most Ethiopians are Orthodox Christians or Muslims. Their religious practices encourage them to avoid using pork in African cooking. Therefore, wot sauce is generally used with beef or lamb. Some African cooking recipes call for chicken or goat meat. A few African inspired variants even use lentils and chickpeas. Older grandparents who cannot enjoy meat while practicing African cooking techniques might want to give the vegetarian versions a try.

Kitfo, or spiced raw beef, is sometimes served. However, few grandparents are making it these days because making kebbeh butter is difficult outside of Ethiopia. However, plain yogurt along with grated lemon rind can work well in cases where more authentic ingredients are unavailable. Crafty grandparents always know how to quickly whip up a substitute when the need arises.

Children who cannot stand the spice of wot sauce might want to try Alecha. Green ginger is used instead of the strong berbere spices that most wot sauce recipes call for. Nevertheless, it can still be enjoyed in the same way as wot sauce.

A few grandparents that want to introduce their grandchildren to African cooking have used dabo kolo as after school snacks. These African inspired fritters are extremely popular with children. African inspired celebrations of major holidays can benefit from their presence as well. In fact, grandparents who want to enjoy an African inspired celebration of the Orthodox Eastern season will probably put these out for their friends and relatives. Want to try your hand at making dabo kolo? Simply follow the Kilimanjaro Foods inspired recipe below:

Dabo Kolo
Makes about 300 pieces

2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons Kilimanjaro Foods Berbere Spice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup water, room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, or vegetable oil

1.  Preheat oven to 350° F.  Lightly grease two large baking sheets, or line with parchment paper.

2.  In a bowl, whisk together the flour, Berbere Spice, sugar, and salt.  Add the water and butter or oil and mix to form a thick, stiff dough.

3.  Turn the mixture out onto an unfloured work surface.  Knead lightly for 1 to 2 minutes, or until smooth.  If necessary, sprinkle a little additional flour over the surface to prevent sticking.  Cover well with plastic wrap, and let the dough rest in place for at least ten minutes.  Dough can be wrapped tightly and refrigerated, for up to 24 hours at this point.  Let come to room temperature for 30 minutes before proceeding.

4.  Divide the dough 4 to 8 pieces.  Roll each piece under your hands into a long rope, about as thick as a pencil.  If the dough resists, or starts retracting after rolling, set aside for a few minutes to let it relax.  Cut each rope into tiny pieces, using a bench scraper, scissors, or a knife.  Each piece should be about as long as the width of a finger.

5.  Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets.  Bake at 350° F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until crunchy and browned.  If not using parchment paper, shake the pan or stir a few times to prevent sticking.

6.  When fully baked, remove from oven and allow to cool completely on the pans.  Store at room temperature in an air-tight container.

Grandparents who have plato okra leaves left over from making something else will probably whip up a batch of Palava Sauce. This is a staple of African food, and is used in many dishes from fish to meats.

Some doting grandparents will want to want to make a hearty loaf of rice bread for their grandchildren. Two cups of cooked rice and three tablespoons of sugar is a great way to start making some fine African food. Of course, African food does not need to be complicated. Rice bread with bananas is not difficult to make and is quite tasty. Best of all, it is gluten free!

After grandparents have served a great meal of African food, they will want to give their guests something to wash it down with. Ginger beer is nonalcoholic, and many grandparents love the taste. Pineapples, yeast and ginger are added to boiled water. After the mixture stands overnight, it can be strained and molasses is usually added to it. This is a particularly sweet treat that many grandparents love to treat their grandchildren to, and nobody is too old to enjoy some great ginger beer.

These days, a large number of African women are working mothers. The ones whose grandparents are still alive will never consider employing a house girl or a nanny. The grandmother will take care of the grandchildren willingly and happily. When a woman gives birth in Africa, the grandmother will make the trip to the daughter’s home and help out in taking care of the infant to pass along family traditions and in general, teach the daughter “how these things are done”.

The grandfather is not involved in domestic matters. His role is basically to perform his duty as a custodian of African culture. In this context, the grandfather usually gives a name to the grandchildren. He also ensures that they learn the rudiments of African culture even if the grandchildren live in the city. In some cases, the grandfather will veto or approve the choice of a grandchild’s husband/wife to be. The grandfather is also the person who receives the bride price paid by the groom during traditional African marriage ceremonies.

Most parts of Africa are now enjoying a modern lifestyle, so grandparents cannot stop their grandchildren from attending the white man’s school (western education). For all that, there are instances in Africa where the grandmother will insist that her granddaughters must get married after high school because they feel girls with a university education do not make good traditional African wives.

Even after they die, grandparents continue to exercise some influence in the lives of their grandchildren. Among the Yoruba of south western Nigeria “Yetunde” is the name given to the grandchild born after the death of a grandmother and it means “grandmother has come back”. The masculine version of this name is “Babatunde” and it means grandfather has come back.

In our seemingly self-centered Americanized lives, it is wonderful to see a culture where age has its privileges and is revered instead of feared. Think back to your own childhood. What role did your grandparents play in your life?

As the Italian half of The Black Italian Griglia Cucina, the recipes I create always come part from handed down generational authentic Italian recipes and my own array of special recipe ideas, always cooked with love. I have always been open and enjoyed using different ingredients from different authenticated foods to enhance and give flare to our every day eating at home.  Most of the time, my experimentation was quite successful!  The day we incorporated my husband’s Soul (the other half of The Black Italian) into my authentic Italian recipes, it became one of the best ideas that we could have ever dreamed possible.

We continue to be open to trying new seasonings, flavors, herbs and spices to create new dishes or enhance other flavors.  When we met with Tanya Hahn of Kilamanjaro Foods, her personality, zest and passion for food and flavor drew us to listen to more about the different types of sauces, spices and such that Kilamanjaro has to offer. We thought it would be interesting to try some of the unique African inspired flavors that Kilamanjaro offers in our own authentic Italian homemade recipes.

Our first huge success was with the Berbere Spice. We used it in two different recipes. Today, I want to tell you about the pasta salad recipe!

The Black Italian makes a Homemade Garlic Ranch Pasta salad. It is simply refreshing and full of flavor but after adding the Berbere seasoning, it brought the dish to a whole new level of flavor and taste!  I will not make the pasta salad without it!  The recipe contains The Black Italian’s Homemade Garlic Ranch dressing, 1 pound of small shells cooked al dente (meaning the pasta is slightly firm), a handful of shredded carrots, 1 cup of fresh or frozen peas, bits of bacon and salt and pepper to taste.  But the kicker is sprinkling the Berbere seasoning on top and mixing it throughout until it gives a slight “rust” color to your dish.  Amazingly flavorful and full of kick!  At The Black Italian, we highly recommend the Berbere Spice which is so versatile to use from pastas, to veggies, to meats! 

Stay tuned next time to hear about the Berbere Grilled Chicken Wings!

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This sauce can revive old marinades. It can also create a new sauce with ingredients found in the family kitchen. Mix it with beer, honey, a can of fruit like pineapple, and more to give the family a treat. Allow the meat to soak up the flavors for a few hours before sticking it in the oven or over a low heat on your grill.

Another companion for Kilimanjaro Foods Jerk Sauce for a family meal is mayonnaise. It is an excellent basting ingredient for many meats, especially chicken with the skin still on it. Baste the parboiled chicken generously as you brown the meat on the grill. The mayonnaise will give a delicate crisp, while the sauce will keep the flavor lively.  Use the mayo mix other ways: as a condiment for a burger or to kick up tuna fish for a quick meal of open face sandwiches.

Toss a vegetable, perhaps Brussels sprouts or broccoli with olive oil, Jerk Sauce from Kilimanjaro Foods, and garlic or another spice. Cook it as usual, or roast in a 400° oven for approximately ten minutes, turning once.  Add the sauce to almost any boxed side dish. It can spruce up instant mashed potatoes, stuffing, or macaroni and cheese for the family.

An open mind and Kilimanjaro Foods Jerk Sauce will turn some of the old standbys into new dishes the family will celebrate.