Kwanzaa Recipes: Callaloo Soup, Luku, and Baked Plantain

Kwanzaa is Swahili for "first fruits of harvest" and is an African and American celebration. It is celebrated over seven days from December 26 through January 1. Cooking in very sacred to this celebration where, on the 6th day of Kwanzaa, a feast is held.

Below are some Kwanzaa recipes that include soup, a main dish, and a dessert.

Callaloo Soup, from the Caribbean Islands, is conventionally made with callaloo greens, which were introduced to the Caribbean by Africans.

4 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped

3 cups chicken broth

½ cup coconut milk, fresh or canned, unsweetened

1 medium potato, peeled and chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons black pepper

¾ pound fresh spinach with stems removed, chopped

½ pound cooked crabmeat

Paprika

1. In a large kettle, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 5 minutes or until onion is transparent.

2. Add chicken broth, coconut milk, potato, salt, and pepper to kettle and stir well. Bring to a boil over high heat.

3. Reduce heat to low and cover, leaving cover slightly ajar. Simmer for 15 minutes or until potato can be easily pierced with a fork.

4. Add spinach and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until spinach is tender.

5. Add crabmeat and stir well. Cook for another 5 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with paprika and serve hot.

This recipe serves 4 to 6.

A main dish, Luku, comes from Ethiopia. It is usually made only for special occasions because of the high cost of chicken.

8 hard-boiled eggs

¾ cup vegetable oil

5 to 6 cups chopped onion

¼ cup tomato paste

½ cup water

2 teaspoons salt

¾ teaspoon black pepper

1 ¼ tablespoons garlic, peeled and minced

2 teaspoons paprika

¼ teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

8 pieces chicken

1. Remove shells from eggs. With a sharp knife, make 4 to 5 shallow cuts on both sides of each egg. Set aside.

2. In a large kettle, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add onions and saute for 8 to 10 minutes or until onions start to turn brown.

3. Reduce heat to medium and add tomato paste and ½ cup water. Stir well. Cook for 10 minutes, then add remaining oil. Cook for 5 minutes more.

4. Add salt, pepper, garlic, paprika, cumin, and chicken. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes.

5. Add eggs, cover and cook 10 minutes or until chicken is tender.

This recipe serves 6.

Baked Plantain

East and West Africans enjoy this fruit treat, which is similar to bananas. This is a typical sweet dessert from Africa.

4 large, ripe plantains

½ cup brown sugar

¾ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ cup butter or margarine, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Wash plantains and cut in half lengthwise. Do not peel.

3. Arrange in a shallow baking dish with the cut sides facing up.

4. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Stir well.

5. Top plantains with brown sugar mixture.

6. Cover pan with foil and bake for 35 minutes or until plantains are soft.

This recipe serves 4.

Enjoy these tasty Kwanzaa recipes!