Taste of Africa
IN 1992 Portia Mbau opened one of the first African restaurants in South Africa, starting in her house in Observatory, Cape Town, with space to seat just 10 people. Today she happily serves more than 200 guests at a time in a historical building in the Cape Town city centre. Portia’s food is inspired by her travels across Africa, starting when she was young. She adds her own flair to traditional foods, using fresh and organic ingredients.
In her first book, The Africa Cookbook, she shares popular recipes from the restaurant as well as easy-to-do home-cooked meals.
Her daughter Lumai Mira de Smidt helped compile the book and took the pictures.
1 ETHIOPIAN DORO WAT CHICKEN
This is a popular dish on our menu. The chicken pieces are stewed in a paprika paste, which adds extra spice to this recipe. When chicken bones come back clean with no traces of gristle, marrow or meat, I consider that evidence that the dish was “finger-licking good”.
SERVES 6 PREPARATION: 15 MIN RESTING: 30 MIN COOKING: 50 MIN
1½kg chicken, cut into serving pieces
45ml (3T) freshly squeezed lemon juice
10ml (2t) salt
500ml (2c) finely chopped onion
60ml (¼c) niter kibbeh (see recipe)
22,5ml (1½T) finely chopped garlic
10ml (2t) finely chopped fresh ginger
2,5ml (½t) ground cardamom
10ml (2t) ground nutmeg
125ml (½c) berbere (see recipe)
15ml (1T) paprika
125ml (½c) red wine
180ml (¾c) water
TO SERVE
basmati rice
Dry the chicken pieces
