We had a District Meeting and talked about how we are not just African Elders and American Elders, but all "missionaries for the Lord". We have to learn to be one not only in our purpose, but one in our everyday dealings with each other. Elder Etherington suggested that we have days of the week that each one cooks, and whatever they make will be eaten with a "grateful heart". Great suggestion!
Every Monday we have "Family Home Evening" with the Aéroport Elders who live upstairs from us. Elder Sperry suggested that Elder Mbikayi make us his FAVORITE dinner of Foufou and fish after we have the lesson. He was thrilled, and we were excited to try it. We want our missionaries to know that we are very willing to try knew foods.
This was our "resident chef' for the evening..... Elder Mbikayi. He taught us how to prepare foufou and fish. Sometimes they make it with chicken, but fish is his favorite.
Elder Sperry and Elder Mbikayi buy their fish at a little market in the Grand Marché. They shop for food every Monday and freeze them so they will stay fresh.
Elder Sperry was taught how to prepare the fish so he showed me. So together we prepared the fish to fry. First you cut off the fins and then the spiny part on each side.
Then, you "gut it" by taking out all of the insides. This brought back memories of fishing with my boys..... I asked Elder Mbikayi if you take out the eyes. He said it was personal choice. He loves the eyes. As you can see in the picture, mine came out!!!
You then make three large slits in the fish and you are ready to go.
He put just a little salt on them and cooked them in a little vegetable oil.
I kept my "eye" on the eyeless fish. . . That is mine!
Now we started the foufou. You have to buy a special flour to make this. They buy it by the "kilo's" and went in together with the Mpaka Elders. Elder Mbikayi didn't use any measuring cups, he just used a salad plate to measure the flour. You don't add any salt or anything..... After it cooks for awhile, you add more flour until it turns into a dough.
Then you take it off of the heat and make it into little "balls" of foufou!
It reminded me of the "play dough" I make for my grand-children back home.
The foufou is ready!
After the fish is cooked, you take it out and put onions, green peppers, and tomatoes in the fish-oil. Add a little water and cook until it is nice and soft. This makes the "sauce".
Then you add the fish back into the sauce and you are ready to eat!
Look at the smile on Elder Mbikayi's face. He can't wait to get his hands on that foufou. That is how you eat it too......with your hands.
Elder Sperry really does love it!
AHHHH! It was wonderful. Elder Bailey and I enjoyed it too. I didn't get a picture of us eating it, but we were very impressed with how everything turned out. We will definitely be trying that again....only this time, it will be with chicken. I am still smelling fish in our house 5 days later!
Brother Sebastian Nganga in the Pointe Noire Branche gave us some "organic spinach he grows by his house. We made it yesterday for dinner.
It tastes the same only it grows on a vine!
We put it in a vegetable soup and it was wonderful! This is Paco who helps us teach piano, and is our translator for anything we need his help with. He has helped us teach and train most of the leaders in the Branches.
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So that is our food-blog for the week. We love trying new things and especially want to be a good example to our Elders to try new things and not to be afraid to do something different. We are grateful for "willing hearts" in our mission and for our missionaries who are working hard to be one!
Until next week!
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