In Bibi's Kitchen: The Recipes and Stories of Grandmothers from the Eight African Countries that Touch the Indian Ocean [A Cookbook] Hardcover – October 13, 2020

I honestly hate cooking. But I have a toddler now and he loves solid food (and hates bland food) so I started looking for inspiration and ideas. I spent a lot of time in East Africa many years ago and love the way vegetables and lentils are cooked so was especially hopeful to find recipes that the whole family could enjoy.This book is amazing. The stories are beautiful and poignant. The photos are incredible. And the recipes are really wonderful and accurate. I played with some like the Berbere spice mix so my child could also join in and I made lentils with the mix for a party - people were so amazed, everyone kept asking for the recipe. The recipes to make greens, especially, are a big hit in our household and I frequently make one of them (there are sever variations and they are all easy). My son loves picking up the greens and eating them with his hands, they’re so good!Last week I made tamarind lamb from South Africa with the Zanzibar pilau rice (subbing honey for sugar) and my husband and son absolutely loved it and gobbled it all up. This book is such a revelation and as a South Asian, such a loving ode to the spices and lives that food involves. You can also play with it and make some recipes in the instant pot for the convenience and speed. I love love love it and have recommended it to so many people!

In Bibi's Kitchen is organized by country, and each of the eight countries has its own chapter. They start with an interview to get to know the mothers/grandmothers who have contributed, followed by their favorite recipes to make/eat. The recipes have been adapted in some places (so you can use canned coconut milk rather than making it fresh, or use ingredients like spinach or "any dark leafy green" in place of wild pumpkin leaves and other local ingredients) without affecting the character of the dish. They are accessible, delicious, mostly very healthy, and often super nourishing/comforting.So far I've made:Digaag Qumbe (chicken stew with yogurt and coconut) from Somalia (I made this first with chicken but have made since as vegetable stews. It's very easy and versatile.)Xawaash Spice Mix from Somalia (I don't usually make spice mixes, but we've made up batches of this several times because it's so good!)Basboosa (semolina cake with coconut, cardamom, and almonds) from KenyaKunde (black-eyed peas and tomatoes in peanut sauce) from Kenya (Making this again tonight!)Quick Stewed Eggplant with Coconut from Tanzania (a favorite)Tseke com Peix Frito (spinach with curry sauce and crispy fried fish) from MozambiqueChakalaka (spicy vegetable relish) from South AfricaChakalaka and Cheddar Braaibroodjies (grilled cheese with the above chutney) from South AfricaMalva pudding cake from South AfricaMofo Gasey (yeasted rice and coconut pancakes) from MadagascarCarrot Salad with Vinaigrette from MadagascarI love how this format gives some individual character to each country. I'm no expert on the many countries of Africa, and it's rewarding to get a sense of them separately rather than as a collective of "African" recipes. Also, the eight countries chosen are all in a particular region, which helps create a picture of what that whole region is like. It's on the coast, so fish and seafood. Some places have colonial influence (like Somalia - Italy), some places are influenced by trade and religious practices from North Africa/the Middle East, etc. You can trace a lot of history/geography through recipes and ingredients when they are laid out like this, which I personally find absolutely fascinating.

While enjoying an online interview with a well-known vegan chef/author/food security activist, spotted this book on the shelf behind him. Was intrigued, so took a chance. And am thrilled with it! Beautifully-made book. (Another Ten Speed Press hit!) Interviews and stories from numerous grandmothers from eight West African countries, who share their recipes, techniques and stories about cooking, and their lives. All in heart-warming, clear, beautifully-photographed detail. True home cooking! 95% of the recipes are made with ingredients easily-accessible to mainstream US cooks. (Frozen chopped spinach?! Onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, greens, chicken, plantains, etc.) With recipes for making the specialized spices, if you can't find them locally. (Hint: Oaktown Spice carries a killer Berbere, which you can order online.) Ohhh, yas! Another culinary rabbit hole to go exploring... 🙂Update: I made the quick Stewed Eggplant with Coconut, the Mbowa, and the Kunde for dinner tonight. SO easy, delicious, vegan, and 'cause I'm single there are leftovers. Cooked the eggplant about 10 minutes too long; as the recipe said, it just got silkier. LOVE this cookbook!!!!

I loved the stories information. Last night I had seven friends for African dinner. I made Digaag Qumbe, Somali cilantro and green chile sauce, Bariis, Zebhi hamli, and Polo polano. All were delicious and and my guests had a great time! I also made Sabaayad, which didn’t turn out too well. 🫤. Not sure if it was me or the recipe. I am looking forward to trying more recipes.

I love this book it reminded me of all the recipes I received from my Grandmother's while in the kitchen cooking with them these are recipes from the ancestors

Wow, just blown away by the beauty of the images and the great diversity of recipes from parts of Africa we rarely hear about. This book is a beautiful cultural artifact and is so much more than just a cookbook because it teaches you about each country and then you get to hear from the bibis themselves. As a second generation Eritrean American, I can't express how much it meant to see my culture displayed in this book, and how authentic and tasty the recipes are! Representation matters, and it's lovely learning about cultural foods in other countries too, ones I might not ever try otherwise. Get this book!