Mt. Meru Menus (2002)

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

WINNIPEG WAVE--My tour guide (from Winnipeg) has never heard of the Winnipeg Handshake.  He says that the Winnipeg Wave is the finger point a driver does before turning.

UPSIDE-DOWN TREE--A nickname for the Baobab tree.

NYAMA CHOMA--Seen everywhere in Kenya.  OED?

   A brief check of "Tanzania" and "Kenya" in the OED database shows me there's room for improvement.  I'll post just one cookbook now.
   I can't say that Kenyan or Tanzanian immigrants are numerous in the U.S., or that they're top ten cuisines.  But still, things like "ugali" and "posho" and "ndizi" have to have some OED hits.


MT. MERU MENUS
A COOKBOOK IN AID OF THE UPENDO LEPROSY REHABILITATION CENTRE OF MAJI YA CHAI, ARUSHA, TANZANIA
Printed in March 2002 by the Joshua Foundation

Pg. 2:  "First Toasties" is an expression I had never heard before coming to East Africa.  It is food consumed, with a drink, at sundown, or before your evening meal.  "Snacks," "Bitings," "Nibbles"--call it what you like, but don't let them spoil your tea, dinner, supper or whatever you like to call it!

Pg. 8:
   _DAWA--MY FAVOURITE SUNDOWNER_
"Dawa" is Swahili for medicine and this particular medicine is available all over the continent in one form or another, certainly where the sun-down is marked.  This recipe uses Konyagi, the Tanzanian gin produced in Arusha.
("Dawa" must be in the OED!--ed.)

Pg. 10:  _G AND TEA_ (Gin, iced tea, tonic water, lemon, mint leaves, crushed ice--ed.)

Pg. 16:
   _MDTORI_
Mtori is a traditional dish of the natives of Kilimanjaro.  When the women give birth they are confined to the compound for 3 months during which time they are fed on this soup.  When they emerge they are beautifully rounded and blooming with health.  Very nutritious, easily digestible and although not very attractive in appearance, this soup is very "moreish."
Serves 4.
1 kg beef shin bones with some meat left on them
16 green bananas known as "ndizi Uganda," chopped
2 large onions, chopped
1.2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. margarine
(...)

Pg. 17:  _ZANZIBAR FISH SOUP_.

Pg. 34:
   _HEAVEN AND EARTH POTATOES_
This is a vegetable dish I enjoyed when I lived in Germany.  It is called such as apples come from above and potatoes come from the ground.  It is a good accompaniment to veal and pork.  When it is ready it resembles a thin golden coloured sponge cake!

Pg. 38:  _"CHOROKOS" IN COCONUT MILK_.

Pg. 46:
   _LAMB MAHGREB_
North African dish with a nice fragrance.

Pg. 49:
   _BEEF AND GREEN BANANA STEW_
   (Ndizi za Kupika)
A Tanzanian specialty; a local "comfort food."

Pg. 59:
   _P-5_
No, not a secret Italian Masonic lodge or a coveted UN appointment but shorthand for a delicious pasta dish: (_P_enne alla _Panna, al _P_orri, al _P_rosciutto e a; _P_armigiano).

Pg. 71:
   _MALVA PUDDING_
(Forgot to check if this is in OED--ed.)