COMMUNITY COOKING WITH THE CO-OP

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Teen, Adult, Family
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Program Description

Event Details

 

Need a new recipe? Join us!

 

Coos Bay Library has teamed up with Coos Head Food Co-op to provide safe, easy, and healthy recipes to create at home. Join us virtually on Zoom for this fun community event!

Monthly Event: Every Fourth Thursday!

For this month’s recipe, Sam Baugh, Community Engagement Manager at Advanced Health, and his daughter Alex, will be making Saka Saka (Congolese Cassava Leaf Stew) with Fufu.

Sam's Saka in a white bowl on placemat

Scroll down for ingredients.

Register for this virtual event @ https://bit.ly/3powyqG

 

Event is FREE and open to everyone!

 

INGREDIENTS:

For the stew:

  • 2 lbs fresh or frozen Kale or Spinach
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 small piece of ginger (about 1 inch), grated
  • 1 cup peanut butter (natural, unsweetened)
  • ½ cup palm oil (or substitute with red palm oil)
  • 1 lb smoked fish (mackerel, tilapia, or catfish) or salted meat (optional)
  • 2-3 cups water or broth
  • 2-3 small chili peppers (optional, for heat)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

*Scroll down for Fufu ingredients

Instructions (We will go over these live on 1/23):
1. Blanch the Kale or Spinach
In a large pot, Blanch the Kale or Spinach. Bring water to a boil. While the      water boils prepare an ice bath. Boil the Spinach for 30 second – 1 minute until the spinach turns a bright green color. Remove immediately and place in the ice bath.
2. Add Aromatics
In a separate pan, heat the palm oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger. Sauté until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Add this mixture to the pot with the cassava leaves.
3. Incorporate Peanut Butter
Stir the peanut butter into the stew until fully dissolved. Adjust the thickness of the stew by adding more water or broth if needed.
4. Add Protein (Optional)
If using smoked fish or salted meat, add it to the pot at this stage. Allow it to simmer gently, so the flavors meld together.
5. Season and Simmer
Add chili peppers for heat (if desired) and season with salt and pepper. Simmer the stew for an additional 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Serve
Saka Saka is traditionally served with Fufu (a starchy dough corn meal) or rice.

Tips:
1. Palm oil: This gives the dish its authentic flavor and color, but if you can’t find it, you can use coconut oil or vegetable oil.
2. Saka Saka can be served with either Rice or FUFU.

Corn FUFU ingredients:

  • 4 cups Corn Flour
  • 8 cup water

    Instructions: 
    1. Place 6 and a half cups of water in a pot and bring to a boil. 
    2. Place one cup of the corn flour in a bowl then add 1 cup of water to the flour and mix to form a smooth paste. Add another half cup of water and mix well to form a loose creamy mixture (with the consistency of liquid whole milk).
    3. When water boils, carefully subtract 5 cups of the water, placing it in a hot water safe container. Then stir the remaining water in the pot with a wooden spoon while adding the corn flour mixture. Add in all of the mixture, while stirring continuously so as to avoid forming lumps. The mixture will thicken up as you stir. This mixture will form the base so we can easily mix in the rest of the flour without forming lumps.
    4. Now add half of the flour and mix well to incorporate. Add the other half and mix well till well incorporated. The mixture will be harder at this point and it is a bit of a workout but you got this!
    5. Once the flour is all mixed in, add half of the reserved hot water to the pot. Cover and let it cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. After that, open and mix the fufu with the water in circular motion until well incorporated. Add the remaining hot water then cover and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Cover and mix the fufu again with the hot water until well incorporated. Now let it cook for about 3 minutes and your corn fufu is done!

Check out the Community Cooking playlist on the library's YouTube channel with over three years worth of recipes!
Go to: https://bit.ly/3pXmapN

 

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