Red - Red, African Yam & Friends

Though I took my camera to dinner I completely forgot to take a photo of what my friend served for dinner: Red-Red (Black Eyed Pea Stew) and African Yams. 

These are dishes from Ghana but other African countries also make and consume these tasty dishes.

I searched several recipes on line and the stew I found in the posted video seems to more closely resemble the black eyed pea stew cooked with tomatoes, scotch bonnet peppers, ginger, garlic and onions.

But I know my friend also used cabbage and bay leaf and perhaps some fish.  Fish (salted or dried, sometimes canned) seems to be the ingredient most often added.  But variations exist. My friend made it with chicken cooked until falling off the bone and shredded/  He served the dish with African yams which I've never had before.

(Photo Credit:  Africana L.L.C) ~This is what uncooked African yam looks like.

(Photo source: Adamara's Blog) ~ This is a cooked African yam with stew.

I love potatos and the African yam reminded me of Russet potatos except that it is more dense.
I've never seen these in

the local grocery store. My friend had to go to the next municipality (about an hour out of town) to buy them.

He said he will make fufu (foofoo, foufou) next time.  I have had it before and I love it. Fufu can be made with many things: cassava, African yams, potato, corn and perhaps more. You pound the ingredient for so long until it becomes soft and sticky like dough.  Once fufu is finished you work a bit of it between fingers and use it to scoop up some soup.  I like mine with ground nut soup.

(Photo credit: Whats4eats) Here are some ladies making yam fufu the traditional way.

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If you would like to try a recipe for Red-Red you can click here for one variation. 

There are many others on line.

I always appreciate friends who take time out of their busy schedules to prepare a meal for me.
The food is generally very tasty when you enjoy sitting down to someone else's labour and shared conversation.

I've asked my friend to join me and my family members for the Christmas meal this year.
He usually goes to his auntie's for holiday meals but his uncle's health is in decline.   His aunt is busy looking after her husband's needs and she doesn't have the energy, strength or time to entertain at the holidays.

We are fortunate to live in a city where people are generally quite hospitable especially at holidays meals.
One can often get an invite or several invites to dinner but it is nice to spend time with friends who are like family.

Come back again soon.
 I hope to share a special event with you next time.

♥♥♥

Enjoy the rest of your week.

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Sunday Catch Up

It is pouring rain here (though it stopped for a bit) and a wind storm is expected tonight. 

I managed to get out this afternoon though to see a lovely performance of Verdi's Requiem as performed by senior students in the Vancouver Academy of Music and the Vancouver Bach Choir.

It was pretty much a full house At the Orpheum Theatre and it was lovely to see so many seniors from senior's residences being escorted to the concert too.

The program was Guiseppe Verdi's Requiem Mass. 

I took a friend to the performance in celebration of her birthday next month. 

Both she and I enjoyed it very much.

I managed to snap a few photos before the performance but didn't get a chance to photograph the soloists or the conductor. I'm sure you know how that goes with the rules about no photos at concerts.

 Prior to the main program, there was a mini concert by the younger students of the academy. Unfortunately I wasn't aware of this and I missed it when I went out to the lobby since I wasn't permitted back in until it was finished.

Next up conductor, Leslie Dala gave a moving introduction to the Requiem coming right on the heels of yesterday's Remembrance Day services.  

He and the soloists were all wearing a poppy to honour our war heroes.  

Today's performance  did not disappoint!

 Read more here about the Requiem. If you would like to hear it you can click here for a moving performance at La Scala Theatre in Milan, conducted by Daniel Barenboim.

Monday morning I will meet up with my niece and nephew who are both here from out of town to visit friends.  They are on different travel schedules and in different locations so I'm glad we managed to pull it together for a short visit.  I don't get to see them very often.  The last time was when we laid my late mom, and their paternal grandmother to rest. I am so impressed with how they have matured into gracious, loving and responsible young adults.

 Later in the evening I've been invited to dinner at the home of dear Ghanaian friend I haven't seen for long.  We've got a lot of catching up to do.

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We are expecting to receive a lot of rain this week.  That means limited photo opportunities since I'll be sticking closer to home until Friday.  

I will write more about Friday's event so please do come back soon for another visit. Don't be too shy to leave a comment if you drop by for a visit. 

Have a wonderful week.

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♥♥♥


Linking to Our World Tuesday