I’ve searched the West Coast (San Francisco’s many large, indie bookstores) and the East Coast (Barnes & Noble’s largest store in the country) and I found 2 African cookbooks. One, Discovery of a Continent by Marcus Samuelsson, which was sold in Starbucks for a while, which I already owned. And I must add, I don’t feel it’s very well written for a Western cooking audience, if that’s who he is trying to expose to Sub Saharan food. The other cookbook, I found in Barnes and Noble in Union Square, which I could not link in my Amazon Store, because they don’t carry it. This is where this chicken kebab recipe came from, The Africa Cookbook, by Jessica B. Harris. I would highly recommend this book if you’re interested in taking a foray into African cooking - it’s much easier to read, and the sequence of the chapters makes a lot more sense to a Western person used to looking at Western cookbooks. Samuelsson’s book is more a combo of travel diary, photo book, and anetcdotes with some varying recipes of interest and detail. Harris’ book is for a more serious cook, that doesn’t need glossy pictures and long winded stories, just recipes that work and are relatively simple.

A woman in Padbe IDP camp, making homemade beer to sell

Last year, I traveled to Uganda and spent time in Kampala, as well as in the North, near the Sudan border. I think I got a real taste of what most people eat in that area, and it never included meat. There was no refrigeration first of all, and second, no one could afford it - you typically bought the whole animal and butchered it yourself - a long task if you get a large goat. So, the 2 meals I’m making this week, which include meat, are either for special occasions, or the better off. My friend who is South African is also advising me, and South Africa does tend to be the exception on the continent, when it comes to economy and food trends. So, chicken from South Africa seemed like a good jumping off point for an African cooking virgin.

This recipe was so simple, and I added couscous, which is a typical side dish in a lot of African countries. For the couscous, I followed the package directions, added a bit of curry, parsley, salt, pepper, and slivered almonds for a bit of crunch. Here is the marinade/recipe for the chicken:

If you can, marinate for 24 hours before cooking ( I did about 8 hours)

1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 tablespoons vegatable oil

4 onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon hot Madras curry powder ( I used another spicy version I had on hand)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 tablespoon light brown sugar (the key to this recipe’s flavor)

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. Cut the chicken into 3/4 inch cubes and place them in a deep bowl. Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onions until they are lightly browned. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 2 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly to make sure the sugar has dissolved. Allow the marinade to cool and pour it over the chicken. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 24 hours.

2. If using wooden skewers, soak them in a cold water bath for at least 30 minutes before grilling, so they do not burn when grilling. When ready to grill, remove chicken pieces from the marinade, place them on skewers, and grill over a hot grill, stovetop grill (what we use), or under a broiler for about 10 minutes, turning once or until the chicken is cooked through. This can also be served with a sweet chutney or any other side.