Everyday Exotic Spices: Zanzibar Spices & Heritage Centre: The Continuing Story

A few years back, stumbled across an article detailing a delightful business success story about the efforts of Mzee Foum Garu aka Foum Ali Garu, a spice farmer in Zanzibar. 

Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous archipelago off the coast of Tanzania. Zanzibar and Pemba, its sister island, have a reputation for their spices. Spice farm tours are conducted for travelers to Tanzania. Tourists learn the origins and history of the spices produced in Zanzibar, their culinary and medicinal properties, and the traditional local uses. They also get to sample some delicious local dishes and a tasty “Tea Masala”. Natives and foreign students are invited to enroll at the Kizimbani Agricultural Training Institute of Zanzibar to learn even more via an internship or a volunteer project.  Mr. Garu played an integral role in promoting and developing these tours and training courses.

Image credit: Spice farm, Zanzibar by Mark, on Flickr

The organization founded by Mr. Garu was mentioned in the 2013 write-up as “Zanzibar Organic Spice Products”. It is currently operating under the name “Zanzibar Organic Spice Growers (ZOSG)”, and also recognized by the name “Zanzibar Spices & Heritage Centre”. Mzee Foum Garu combined his experience, knowledge and skills for farming spices with several other small-scale farmers and they grow a wide range of cash crops. In addition to spices (cardamom, vanilla, betel nut, turmeric, cinnamon, curry leaves and nutmeg), they cultivate many tropical fruits and vegetables (such as hairy litchi, durian and jack fruit), and plants and trees (such as moringa, the henna plant, and the lipstick tree). There is a growing European market for these food products cultivated by the zanzibari farmers.

Image credit: Zanzibar Spices & Heritage Centre

The article that inspired this post was dated 2013, however, Foum Ali Garu began his work in the 90s. It's great to read that Garu's success has continued and that other local farmers are also benefitting from the agricultural initiatives he started and the entire region is profiting.

FoumAli Garu, Managing Director, Zanzibar Organic Spice Growers. ©

Interesting Food History: The first spices plantations were established by the Oman Sultan Sayid Sa’id in the 19th century.  ~  "Seyyid Said." Encyclopedia of World Biography. . Encyclopedia.com. 16 Oct. 2017 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.                     

Ingredients in this spice mound: 

Coriander, mustard, fennel, turmeric, cumin, sweet paprika, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, black pepper, cloves and white pepper.

Zanzibar Seasoning : African Blends Collection by Merchant Spice Co.

Food Blurb: The Key Ingredient in Nigerian Food

I love watching cooking shows on television. There is this one show where the host goes all over America and shines a spotlight on the various ethnic cuisines. I once lived in Houston, Texas and I wish I had know this but I did not. As most people do, whenever they move to a new place, they bring their customs and traditions with them. They especially bring their food. Because there nothing better than the taste of home when you are now living in a foreign land. It turns out that many Nigerians relocated from their country and there is a thriving community in Houston, Texas. There are some popular restaurants in Houston that serve Nigerian cuisine.

A key ingredient in many Nigerian #recipes are peppers. Here is link to an article that explains "The different types of peppers in Nigeria | Pulse Nigeria". 

• World Cuisine: Four (4) Nigerian Dishes You Must Try (Guest Post)

Taste Of Nigeria was featured on "No Passport Required" 

World Cuisine: Four (4) Nigerian Dishes You Must Try (Guest Post)

Nigeria is regarded as the largest black country in the world having over 150 million citizens and over 250 ethnic groups with 3 major ones. Each ethnic group has some peculiar cuisines associated with them. Below are some of these foods and how to prepare them.  This article explores some mouth-watering Nigerian cuisines you should try.

1. Ofada rice with stew: Ofada is a small town in the South-Western part of the country. Its residents are known to be rice farmers hence the rice grown is named after the town. This rice is brownish in colour and sold across the country.

Ingredients: 2 and a half cups ofada rice, 5 cups water, 1 tsp. vegetable oil (optional), 1 tsp. Salt.

Direction to cook includes heat up the 5 cups of water in a pot till it boils, rinse rice thoroughly with cold running water and pour into the pot of boiling water. Add salt and oil. Thereafter, cook for 35 minutes or until its ready (soft to eat).

2. Pounded yam and melon soup (egusi): This delicacy is also known among the south-western Yoruba people. The ingredients for 2 servings include 1 tuber of yam, 2 cups of ground melon, fresh tomatoes, fresh pepper, 1 medium-size ice fish, Palm oil, onion, stock cube, 1 tsp of salt, 1 small bunch ugwu leaf.

Direction to cook: Peel, wash and boil yam till its well-cooked. Pound in a mortar with a pestle, mould into balls and set aside. Add little water to ground egusi in a pot to form a thick paste with blended pepper, onion and tomatoes. Stir the mixture and allow to cook before adding palm oil. Pour in some water to lighten the soup if too thick, stock cubes, salt to taste and your fried ice fish. Finally, add chopped ugwu leaf and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Serve pounded yam and egusi soup.

Afang Soup:  Yemisi Ogbe, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

3. Afang soup is eaten by the Efikis/Ibibio people of Nigeria. This soup has a bit of bitter taste but highly nutritious and tasty.

Ingredients are Smoked fish, beef or assorted meat, ground crayfish, periwinkle (optional), Afang Leaves (dry or fresh), Water leaves (Alternatively, lamb lettuce or Spinach), Palm oil, Stock cubes, Fresh pepper or ground dried pepper (to taste) and Salt to taste.

Direction to cook: wash and cut Afang leaves, pound or blend it and set aside then slice the water leaves and also set aside. Cook until tender the assorted meat, smoked fish or beef and stockfish with chopped onions, one stock cube/seasoning cube and salt to taste. Then clean the dried fish in hot water, remove the bones to avoid choking while eating and add the fish to the pot of cooked meat. Add the Palm oil, pepper, ground crayfish and stock cube to the pot. Mix well and then add periwinkles (if you are using any). Add salt to taste. Cover the pot and leave to boil for about 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, add the Afang leaves, leave to simmer for 3 to 5 minutes and then add the water leaves. Afang soup is ready to be served hot with Starch, Pounded Yam, Wheat meal, Eba, Fufu, Semolina, Amala,

4. Tuwo shinkafa is popular throughout the northern parts of Nigeria. It is a unique dish consisting of rice flour or soft, short-grained rice and water.

Ingredients: 1 cup white rice (non-parboiled) and 3 cups water

Direction to cook: Wash the non-parboiled rice to a pot. Add water to the rice and let it cook till the water is dry and very soft. Next, using a wooden spoon, mash the rice against the edges of the pot to bring the rice together. Stir and mash continuously until it forms one nice lump. Tuwo Shinkafa is often served as an accompaniment to various soups and stews such as egusi, miyan Kuka, miyan taushe, and stew for overall nutrition.



Original Source: "Nigerian Foods, Tips and Cooking" by Olaniyan Taibat

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RELATED LINKS:

• How To Cook Ofada Rice - Sisi Jemimah
• EGUSI SOUP - NIGERIAN EGUSI SOUP | Precious Core
• Afang Soup (Spinach and Okazi Leaves) - Immaculate Bites
• Tuwo Shinkafa (Tuwon Shinkafa) - Nigerian Food TV

African Food Cookbooks ~ Best Sellers on Amazon

5 Exotic Spices From Around the World by Melisa Marzett (Guest Post)

Even though many herbs and spices are now readily available in local grocery stores all around the world or can easily be purchased online, most of us don't know know the history of these marvelous cooking ingredients and which country is responsible for introducing these exciting flavors to the global community.  Sharing a brief introduction to five (5) exotic spices:

SPICE Spotlight: Juniper Berries

1. Asafetida. This is an Asian spice made from the roots of certain species of Ferula. It is a gum-like spice with a very strong and unpleasant smell.  Actually, the name of the spice has a Latin origin, which means “evil-smelling gum”.  Asafetida is common in Indian vegetarian cuisine and is often the main ingredient in rice and bean dishes. Additionally, it has a wide range of medicinal properties and is beneficial for people with digestive disorders, high cholesterol, and/or nervous disorders.  Asafetida is rich in minerals and nutrients, such as iron, calcium, phosphorus, and protein.  Although most chefs and cooks rarely prepare a dish without onion and garlic, some people do not eat onion or garlic.  Certain people are allergic to onions and for some people, garlic causes extreme heart burn.  Asafetida is an ideal spice for those people.  In fact, its smell is similar to both onion and garlic.






2. Dried Avocado Leaves.  This spice (or herb) originated in Mexico. It is one of the most popular spices in Mexican cuisine.  Avocado leaves have an aniseed fragrance; however, these dried leaves are odorless and have a pungent taste. Dried avocado leaves are added to bean or meat dishes. Regarding health benefits, they are useful for people who have kidney stones and hypertension. Noteworthy:  Only certain varieties of avocado leaves are to be used in cooking or for medicinal purposes because some kinds of avocado leaves can contain toxic substances.

Additional References:

• 13 Health Benefits of Avocado Leaves and Side Effects
• 20 Health Benefits of Avocado Leaves (No.4 Potent)

Avocado Leaves: A Secret Mexican Ingredient

Avocado Leaves: A Secret Mexican Ingredient

Avocado Leaves: A Secret Mexican Ingredientby Victoria ChallancinLove at First Bite. Like any motivated foodie, I almost made myself sick sampling, musing, and guessing what unknown ingredient I was tasting in what appeared to be an ordinary black bean dip.

3. Epazote. This is another essential spice used in Mexican cuisine. Its extraordinary (or strange) scent can be described as a combination of kerosene, mint, and citrus. Epazote is made from the leaves of Mexican herb called dysphania ambrosioides (aka "Mexican tea").  It is used with bean and meat dishes. Additionally, it can be used in soups.

Additional Reading and Recipes:

• Mexican Magic: Epazote's Special Flavor

4. Grains of Paradise. This delicious spice is an integral part of West African cuisine. It is obtained from a flower called Aframomum melegueta. Africans believed that this flower grew in Eden. Grains of paradise look like seeds and have jasmine, citrus, and hazelnut odor. It can be added to meat, fish, and potato dishes.

Link of Interest:

Find spices ordered according to the region:

GEOGRAPHIC SPICE INDEX

Ras El Hanout (4.0 Oz) By Zamouri Spices

Ingredients include over 30 different herbs and spices, such as: 
 Grains of Paradise, Lavender, turmeric, ajawan seeds, kalajeera, ginger, galangal, oris root, rose buds, monk's pepper, cinnamon and more!

5. Juniper Berries. Actually, juniper berries are more likely to be cones than berries. It has the smell of fir and is used for cooking meat dishes, especially stewed rabbit or beef. These “berries” grow on the juniper tree, are common throughout Europe,  included in ancient Greek recipes, and have been found in the Egyptian pyramids.  A wide range of German traditional dishes are cooked with juniper berries.

♦♦  Hope you enjoyed this intro.

About the writer:  Melisa Marzett works for: bigpaperwriter.com.  She does excellent research and can pen articles and supply blog publishers or website owners with quality content on almost any topic. 

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Food Blurb: African Food: What is African Salad?

The fun about being in social communities is that people often like to share what they eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, appetizers.  Sometimes they call food by a certain name and you think you never heard of it.  Then you realize you do know that food but where you live it has a different name.  A friend said they were eating African Salad for lunch.  I like the photo so I immediately Googled to get the recipe.  It was super easy to find.

AfricanSalad (Nigerian Abacha) | How to Make Igbo Foods | All Nigerian Foods

“The fresh Abacha (African salad is a by-product of cassava). There are a lot of processes involved with obtaining the fresh abacha that is used in preparing the African salad ...”

AfricanSalad: Health Benefits of Abacha food (Abacha and Pregnancy) -Nigerian Health Blog

• Abacha has numerous #health benefits. It's not good for weight loss but it is good for pregnant women.

African Salad (Tapioca or Abacha) | NnendiFoods

• “A staple food now in many parts of Nigeria, tapioca is used as a thickening agent in various foods. Tapioca is one of the purest forms of starch food. The Igbos call Tapioca in their native language, 'Abacha'.”

Interested in more Igbo Foods?

Top 5 food in Igbo culture dishes

1. Nkwobi.
2. Igbo Bitter Leaf Soup. ...
3. Fufu and Uha Soup. ...
4. Jollof Rice with Chicken. Jollof Rice is one of the most popular nourishments not only for Igbo people but whole West Africa. ...
5. Yam served with Fish Pepper Soup. It can be called as Yam soup or Ji in the Igbo language. ...

Foodie Friday : Food Blog Spotlight : Cook, Mix, Mingle

Cook, Mix, Mingle is a blog that explores the cultural diversity of South Florida. But since many posts are about Florida cuisine it could also be sub-categorized under food blogs.

Been actively blogging as one of my primary home business projects for years. Publishing my various blogs is rewarding and enjoyable work, but reading blogs by others is eye-opening and a lot of fun!  Every publisher is so unique in their style and method of presentation.

• Cook, Mix, Mingle would likely be viewed as a cultural diversity blog.  But I like all the food finds. ☺

The former publisher, Lawrence Jean-Louis, (she sold the blog) is a young lady who currently hails from South #Florida and has Haitian roots. She shares all sorts of information about the area but my favorite posts are the ones about food. For example: In a blog entry dated February 10, 2014, readers were directed to five #YouTube channels on #howto cook #Africanfood. If you ever visited or lived in South Florida (or Haiti), then you know many of the #recipes for the dishes served in restaurants or private homes, for that matter, incorporate the flavors of the African continent. What a fabulous find for #foodies!  Five food channels right at your fingertips!  This post should be featured in a Food Lovers Guide.  ❤

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More #FoodieFriday Posts Falooda, An Indian Dessert  Improve Boxed Mac-n-Cheese. Is that possible?  Little Things Shares Delightful Recipes and Cooking Tips  Raw Milk Cheese (Americans are Missing Out!)  Happy Holidays! Who Wants Egg Nog?  YACR ( Yet Another Chili Recipe )  Purple is the Color of Royalty and of Glorious Vegetables  Sampling Fast Food World Cuisine is a Fun Do!  Name Your Favorite Instant Noodle  YAPAS (Yet Another Post About Spinach)  Immune-boosting Smoothie ~ Order at Starbucks  Recipes | Desserts | Pineapple Stuffing and More!  Japan’s 10 weirdest ice cream flavors  The Right Blend of Spices for Cajun Food Lovers  Indian Food: Hot n Spicy Samosas (Reblog)  Candied Jalapeño Peppers  Chinese New Year Recipes and Dishes  Pesto Around the World  Experiencing the Joy of Salsa   Spice Spotlight: Cinnamon  It's Flipping Foodie Friday!  Raw Coconut Fig Slice (Reblog)  Winter Salad Binging  Banana Brownies - Back for Seconds