Taking Inspiration from Zambian Flavors #EattheWorld

This month the Eat the World bloggers are headed, by tabletop, to Zambia. Read more about the Eat the World project here.

Juli picked Zambia as our destination for the month. But, because of the holiday, I completely blitzed on making a dish until the night I was due to publish the post. Yikes. Nothing like waiting till the last minute.

Here's the Line-Up

• Taking Inspiration from Zambian Flavors by Culinary Cam (you're here)

• Village Chicken by A Day in the Life on the Farm

• Zambian Dried Bean Curry by Sneha's Recipes

• Zambian Spinach by Amy's Cooking Adventures

Taking Inspiration from Zambian Flavors

Even though I waited until the last minute to execute, I actually had my dishes planned weeks ago. Like many African cuisines, the dishes I found included leafy greens, sweet potatoes, and ground nut pastes. So I took inspiration from those and used what I could find on California's central coast.

Ifisashi

This is a traditional dish made with leafy greens, such as spinach or pumpkin leaves, cooked in a creamy peanut sauce. It is a staple in many Zambian households and prepared using whatever leafy greens were available, making it a versatile and adaptable dish. I used lacinto kale.

Ingredients

• 2 bunches of leafy greens (I used lacinto kale)

• 2 Tablespoons oil (I used olive oil)

• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed

• 1 cup peanut butter (unsweetened and unsalted)

• 1 cup chicken stock

• salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the chopped leafy greens to the pot and stir to coat. Add in the garlic and stir until fragrant. Move the greens to the side of the pot and spoon the peanut butter into the center. Pour in the stock, whisking until a sauce forms. Stir well to combine with the greens. Cook the greens for about 8 minutes, until they are tender. Serve hot.

Sweet Potatoes in Groundnut Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 large sweet potatoes, roasted and peeled

• 1/2 cup diced onions

• 1/2 hot pepper (I used a Jalapeño), deseeded

• 2 Tablespoons peanut oil

• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste

• 3/4 cup beef stock

• 1/2 cup peanut butter

• salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

Blend onion and pepper together in a blender until smooth. Heat peanut oil in a skillet and heat the onion-pepper mixture. Whisk in the tomato paste and cook for five minutes. Add in the peanut butter and beef stock and mix to combine. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for fifteen minutes. Serve over roasted sweet potatoes.

I also served a rice with a lamb and green bean stew. Neither were inspired by Zambian cuisine, but went well with the greens and sweet potatoes.

Where We Went Last Year: Our 2024 Tabletop Travels

Click on my recipe title to go to the original post and see the other bloggers' offerings

• January - Spain - Arroz con Langostinos y Carabineros

• February - Afghanistan - Afghani Dumplings: Aushak and Mantu

• March - Indonesia - Rijsttafel, An Indonesian Feast with a Colonial Twist

• April - Denmark - Stegt Flæsk Med Persillesov and Some Danish Memories

• May - Oman - Squid Mishkak and Majboos

• June - Costa Rica - Ceviche De Tiquicia

• July - Palestine - Deconstructed Sayadieh, the Power of Food, and Other Palestinian-Inspired Bites

• August - Zimbabwe - Huku Ne Dovi (Zimbabwean Chicken and Groundnut Stew)

• September - Kiribati - Ika Mata

• October - Belize - Two French Sweets that Landed in Belize: Rum Cakes and Coconut Sugar Cakes

• November - Azerbaijan - Üç Bacı (Three Sisters) - Azerbaijani Dolma

• December - Iceland - Pylsur Ein Með Öllu ('One with Everything' Hot Dog)

That's a wrap for my January offering. Next month the group is headed to Myanmar (previously called Burma). Stay tuned!