1.0 BOTANY'S CULINARY DISHES ENLIGHTENMENT
(Written on March 31st 2012)
Many times you hear people talking about these foods in restaurants, hotels, clubs etc…please allow me to enlighten you so that you get rid of the naivety which may lower your self-esteem in culinary/dietary/food matters…
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Let me recall this scenario where a friend (name withheld) requested for a serviette when he heard another guest in a ceremony asking for one…out of curiosity, he called the waitress so that he could also be given a serviette. The waitress came back and gave him a piece of cloth…hell broke loose & he started shouting why he had been given a napkin instead of the meal by the name “ SERVIETTE”…..
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The waitress went into a fit of laughter before telling him that, “sorry sir, kindly allow me to politely explain to you that a serviette is a small square piece of cloth or paper used while eating to protect the clothes, wipe the mouth & hands”
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My friend just laughed at himself due to the embarrassment & tipped the waitress a cool Ksh.1000.
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So in order to avoid such embarrassment in future my friends/pals, lets learn one or two things about culinary/food/dietary dishes:-
(1)BUFFET:-
Is a system of serving meals in which food is placed in public area where the diners/eaters generally serve themselves. This is commonly referred as “Self-Service”
(2)CUISINE:-
This can be stated as the foods & methods of food preparation traditional to a region or population i.e. Swahili delicacies like rice,dates,vitumbua,vitobosha,mahamri,mbaazi,bajia,mitai,kaimati,viazi karai etc
(3) MAIN COURSE/DISH:-
Is usually the heaviest, heartiest, & most complex or substantive dish on a menu. The main ingredient is usually meat or fish; in vegetarian meals, the main course sometimes attempts to mimic a meat course.
(4) SIDE DISH:-
Is a food item that accompanies the main course of a meal. Side dish may include salad, potatoes, bread etc.
(5)DESSERT:-
Is a course that typically comes at the end of a meal, usually consisting of sweet foods i.e. cakes, biscuits, fruits, ice-cream, pies et cetera.
(6)BANQUET:-
a large meal at feast, complete with main courses & desserts. It usually served for a purpose such as in charitable gathering, a ceremony, or a celebration & is often preceded or followed by speeches in honour of someone.
(7) AMUSE-BOUCHE:-
Is not ordered from the menu but served as a little tingle for the taste buds both to prepare the guests for the meal & to offer a glimpse into the chef’s approach to cooking. These are often accompanied by a complementing wine.
(8)APPETIZER:-
Food items served before the main courses of a meal. This maybe served to sustain guests while waiting for the meal to be ready. I.e. drinks et cetera.
(9)SALAD:-
Is any of wide variety of dishes including vegetable salads; salads of pasta, legumes, eggs or grains; mixed salads incorporating meat, poultry or seafood; & fruit.
(10)COCKTAIL:-
This is not a meal but its no harm to know what it is.
Cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink that contains two or more ingredients. At the least one of the ingredients must be a spirit.
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Not forgetting learn how to use forks, spoons and knives since in most hotels, restaurants etc they are very common.I remember a case where, I tried to cut a piece of roasted chicken & suddenly it slid off the plate, hitting the guest sitting next to me…it was quite an embarrassment& had to teach myself how to use them properly to avoid ANY future embarrassing moment.
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Hope you have learnt a thing or two pals...enjoy your meals next time pals...
1.1 HOW TO PREPARE PILAU
INGREDIENTS
1) 1/2 Kg Rice
2) 1/4 Kg Meat
3) 6 Tomatoes
4)1 Tomato paste
5) 4 Potatoes
6)1 Dhania
6) 1 Onion
7)1 Pilipili Hoho
8) Spices(Viungo vya pilau)
9) 2 Carrots
10) Vinegar
11) Cooking oil
12) Salt
13) Garlic
14) Pepper(Pilipili)
15) Food colour
Method
1) Chop the meat into small pieces.Boil the meat first in a sufuria to make it tender.Takes 10-20 minutes.
2) Chop the potatoes and dip them in food colour water.Fry them slightly( 5 minutes at most) and remove them.
3)Take a clean sufuria.Add cooking oil and then add the potatoes.
4)After 3 minutes, add grinded garlic, the spices and half the content of the tomato paste.
5)Immediately add the boiled meat to the above mix.
6)Leave the mix for a while(4 minutes) while stirring with a cooking spoon.
7)Then add 2 cups of already boiled water to the mix.Add some salt
8)Continue stirring the mix for 2 minutes.
9)Add the rice(should be clean and washed) into the mix and leave to cook until the water dries(Minimum time 15 minutes)
10)Make sure you regulate the heat to prevent the rice from not being well cooked.
11)The pilau will now be ready after that.
Making Kachumbari for the Pilau
1)Cut 4 tomatoes cylindrically/cyclically.
2)Add grated carrots to the chopped tomatoes.
3)Add dhania(cut into small pieces),some salt to the mix.
4)Add chopped onion.
5)Add chopped pili pili hoho into the mix.Should be in small pieces.
6)Add three tablespoons of vinegar and stir the mix.
Making Pepper(Pilipili) for the Pilau
1)Add some oil to sufuria then two chopped tomatoes.Make sure the tomatoes become tender.
2)Add the remaining tomato paste to the mix.
3)Add 4 peppers to the mix.The peppers should be cut into very small fine pieces.
4)Let the mix cook for 5-10 minutes.
5) It should form a broth.
After that the pilau can now be taken with the pilau,kachumbari and cooked pepper...
.........................................Enjoy the meal...........................................
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