Easter Sunday for the most part is celebrated on the same day most of the world celebrates. Easter Sunday starts with church services which can last for several hours. The celebrations continue at home with many families coming together to share large feasts of mostly poultry/fish and to enjoy each other’s company.

North Africa (Egypt) celebrates Sham el Nessim, an ancient celebration which literally means “sniffing the air” on Easter Monday to celebrate the arrival of spring. Families celebrate with outdoor picnics of a wide variety of food particularly a salted fermented fish (fissekh) which can be poisonous if not properly prepared. The traditional preparation of fissekh is often passed down through generations of fissekh makers.

South Africa on the other hand finds Fall around this time of the year with several families taking to the roads for vacations. Camping and braai’s (barbecue) is common place at this time.

African food preparation is not complete without the use of locally available seasonings. Just as salt is important in meal preparation, the addition or omission of some locally made seasoning can make or break a dish. The various seasonings are gotten from plant sources….it could be in form of seeds, roots, bark or flowers. These items follow various preparation procedures from drying and grinding to soaking and leaving whole. In this series, we will explore once a week, a seasoning from the beginning to end.

Ogiri
A seasoning native to Nigeria, West Africa, Ogiri is a paste of fermented oil seeds. There are many types of ogiri but the most common varieties are Ijebu, Igbo and Nwan. The names are derived from the region of origin.
Ogiri Ijebu is fermented Egusi seeds and is of Ijebu Yoruba origin – a south western Nigerian tribe. Popular all over West Africa, Egusi has many names from Agushi, Egushi to Egusi. Its seeds are from West African melons, whose fruit is bitter and inedible. The seeds are covered with a light brown shell which is removed prior to cooking. When de-shelled, the seeds have a creamy white appearance and it is ground into a powder that has a consistency of bread crumbs. They are then used to cook very savory stews and served with the staple fufu.
Ogiri Igbo is fermented castor oil seeds and is Igbo origin – a south easthern Nigerian tribe. Castor oil seeds are available in all parts of Africa. In old times, castor oil was valued for its laxative properties and it is used by many new parents in caring for their newborn children. Its seeds are grown fresh every year. The seeds are relatively large, black and glossy. These seeds are poisonous if ingested raw. The fermentation process eliminates the toxic quality of these seeds.
Ogiri Nwan is fermented fluted pumpkin seeds

Methodology
The Egusi seeds are boiled until very soft. They are then wrapped tightly in banana leaves and left to ferment in large clay pots for five days. After fermentation is complete, it is smoked for 2 hours and mashed into an oily paste which is ogiri.
Ogiri igbo follow the same process but fermentation process can take three to five days. The longer the fermentation process, the stronger the flavor and value .

Ogiri has an oily gray pasty consistency and a very strong pungent smell. The smell is greatly reduced when frozen. Ogiri is best used in the preparation of Egusi soups….it lends a deeper richer flavor to the dish.

The practice of Islam as a religion is far spread in Africa. According to the World Book Encyclopedia, Islam is practiced by over 45% of Africa’s population, making it the most common religion in Africa. Ramadan is a holy month that is observed by Moslems worldwide with solemn prayers and fasting (no eating or drinking) from dawn to sunset.

The food eaten during this holy month varies throughout Africa. The Suhoor or Sahur (pre-dawn meal) in general should be satisfying since it is meant to last the entire day. Proteins are a very good choice since it is filling and slowly burns off through the day. Common breakfast meals include bean fritters & pap in West Africa, eggs (cooked in various ways) cheese, yogurt, and dates in combination with bread or “fools” in parts of North Africa. An East African favorite of cooked cornmeal (mealie pap) is also a common suhoor meal.

The iftar is the meal eaten at sunset after a long day of fasting. It is most often a larger meal. The practice in some areas of Africa is to start with a light meal or appetizer, then to graduate to the main course. It is customary in some parts of Africa for wealthy Moslems to host iftar banquets for everyone in the extended family. Iftar usually consists of lots of rice, beans, and breads, variety of choice meats including poultry, beef, goat and occasionally seafood. Fruits are also a big part of the meal.

Try the following recipes for an African twist to your suhoor or iftar and Ramadan Kareem to all!

Suhoor

West African Bean fritters

West African Pap (Akamu)

Yam & Fried Eggs

South African Mealie Pap

Iftar

Moroccan Harira (North African)

Tuo Zaafi & Peanut Stew (West Africa)

Nigerian Jollof Rice

Tanzanian Pilau

East African Samosas

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African cuisine is as diverse as the populace of the continent but one culinary tool has been a common denominator in this diverse culinary culture… the mortar and pestle. Used for centuries, the mortar and pestle was the tool that local culinarians depended on to prepare everything from staples to spice mixes. The use of the mortar and pestle tool was so widespread that it was custom in some West African cultures to give a new bride this tool to take to her husband’s house. A true African country is simply not complete without a mortar and pestle.

The mortar is a large heavy bowl made of wood on a pedestal base. It is about 1 to 1½ feet high and has an interior diameter of 24 to 30 inches. The pestle is about 3 to 5 feet tall. The design is a slender rod form with a ball shaped ends. The design on the ends is to allow for a larger surface area which makes the grinding process more effective and less time consuming. The complete tool weighs about 20 to 30 pounds. Cleaning is very easy with the only requirement is water and a clean rag to remove any stuck on food items and allow to air dry.

Modern technology however has made the process of grinding and pounding easy. Food processor, blenders and powdered staples like yam and other staple flour has all but removed the need of this tool. The staples that are made from the flour formulation however don’t fully duplicate the taste and texture of the manually pounded form.

Recipe