www.denamoore.com April 2, 2012

I love cooking and finding a balance between the flavors of home and what is available here has been great fun.  I am teaching a couple of the ladies who live here how to cook some of my favorites.  We meet once a week and as we are cooking they teach me the language.  Using a common phrase “how do you say…” and a few sherades has been commical at times but great fun.

In the last few weeks I have built a website with my name and will be posting all future recipes there.  Just go to www.denamoore.com to find all the recipes from the blog plus all the new ones we can dream up.  If you have suggestions or know tricks that will improve one of the recipes you see I would love, love, love to hear from you.  On my website you can still add comments and there is a contact page so you can email me directly!

Happy Cooking and go check out the latest Chicken Noodle Casserole on the new website!

Dena

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Chapatti February 18, 2012

Chapatti is unleavened flat bread that is popular throughout Swahili speaking regions in East Africa.  During a visit to a village in Tanzania my hostess taught me to make this wonderful bread that also serves as a utensil.  Just break off a piece and scoop up your mboga (vegetable, meat, whatever).  While in that village we had chapatti for breakfast many days.  I loved smearing peanut butter or Nutella on mine but that is not very African.  They are better hot but will keep well, like tortillas.

Ingredients:

• 2 c. flour*
• 1 ts. Salt
• Oil
• Water

1.  Mix the flour and salt.  There is no need to use yeast or baking powder.  Add about 2 Tb oil and mix until clumpy.  Add little bits of water until it forms dough and leaves the sides of the bowl.
2.  Separate into four pieces and roll out on a floured surface.  When rolled to about ¼ inch thickness roll up like a jelly roll and then roll again into circles like a cinnamon roll.  Cover in oil and let set.  These can sit for a few minutes to rest or several hours while you do other chores!
3. When ready to cook, heat a skillet (I like cast iron) and a little oil, about 2 Tb.  On a floured surface roll the dough into 10-12 inch rounds and fry in hot oil until the edges start to turn golden and it is bubbled in several places.  Flip and fry until crisp.

*I use a bleached flour made from wheat.  There is an option here between wheat or corn flour, but there is no self-rising available.  When making my recipes always opt for all purpose.