Senegal is one of the most hospitable countries I have ever been to. They are actually known for their "teranga" (a word in Wolof the Senegalese language that means hospitality). I have never felt more taken care of in my life than in Senegal. When I came back from Senegal my mother thought I was so polite and respectful that she wanted to send me back. I have realized that the more friends I have made from other countries and cultures, the more vital I have found it to open my door with food and drinks. What type of host are you? Have you thought about the connections of food, culture, and conflict? We may be insulting others by not being aware of these things. So next time you host, make sure your guests are comfortable. We feed others before ourselves because we are showing them respect. So in honor of great hospitality let us all eats some Senegalese Chicken Yassa!! It is a savory chicken dish with delightful flavors. Recipe is at the bottom of the post.
A LIST OF 7 PEOPLE YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO BE YOUR HOST
Somali Pirates
Mexican Drug Lords
Charles Taylor
22nd President of Liberia
Hugo Chavez
61st President of Venezuela
Tamil Tigers- Sri Lankan Militant Separatist
Omar Bashir
President of Sudan-accused of war crimes by the ICC
Anyone from the North Korean Ruling Family
Who would be on your list? Leave your suggestions on the comment!
WATCH THIS EPISODE OF: Vice Guide to North Korea
The episode chronicles an independent TV journalist who manages to get into North Korea, and captures what it is like to visit and live in North Korea. This rare footage is a must watch!!
NORTH KOREA AND CONFLICT
"Many outside organizations describe North Korea as a totalitarian Stalinist dictatorship with an elaborate cult of personality around the Kim family and one of the lowest-ranking human rights records of any country. The North Korean government denies this association. North Korea is the world's most militarized nation,with a total of 9,495,000 active, reserve, and paramilitary personnel. It is a nuclear-weapons state and has an active space program." -Wipikedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korea
You can watch the full episode by clicking on PART I, PART II, and PART III
Well, enough of the negativity!!! Let's create some positivity and eat some delicious food.
Chicken Yassa or Poulet Yassa
- 1/4 cup peanut oil (or any cooking oil)
- 1 chicken , cut into serving-sized pieces
- 4 -6 onions cut up
- 8 tablespoons lemon juice
- 8 tablespoons vinegar (cider vinegar is good)
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Maggi seasoning sauce (or Maggi cubes and water or soy sauce) (optional)
- 1 chili pepper , cleaned and finely chopped (optional)
- cayenne pepper or red pepper (spicy red pepper)
- black pepper
- salt
- 1 small white cabbage , cut into chunks (optional)
- 2 carrots cut into chunks (optional)
Directions:
- Mix all ingredients (except the optional vegetables), the more onions the better, and allow chicken to marinate in a glass dish in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.
- Remove chicken from the marinade but save the marinade.
- Cook according to one of the following methods.
- Cooking method 1: Grill chicken over a charcoal fire (or bake it in a hot oven) until chicken is lightly browned but not done.
- Cooking method 2: Saute chicken for a few minutes on each side in hot oil in a fry pan.
- While chicken is browning: Remove onions from marinade and saute them in a large saucepan for a few minutes.
- Add remaining marinade and the optional vegetables and bring to a slow boil, cooking the marinade into a sauce.
- Reduce heat.
- Add chicken to the sauce, cover and simmer until chicken is done.
- Serve with Rice, Couscous (couscous with chickpeas and raisins is very good), or Fufu.
