Recipes

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia and Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia

In the language of the Nama people of Namibia, the word "namib" means "the land without people." Namibia’s harsh terrain has discouraged large-scale settlement over the centuries. Inland, people herd goats and some cattle, but the land does not support a great deal of crop-growing. The country is developing a fishing industry, and the coastal region is mostly desert. For years, Namibia was ruled by South Africa, so South African foods such as rusks, melktarts and the like can be found here, particularly in the capital city of Windhoek.

Groundnuts (peanuts) and cassava are eaten in Namibia. You might wish to have tapioca on hand and perhaps some pictures of the cassava plant that is used throughout the world as a food source when water for growing crops is scarce. Tapioca is processed from the cooked, dried and mashed cassava root. The children might like to try tapioca pudding.

Black-eyed Peas Serves 4 4 cups fresh black-eyed peas 1 teaspoon salt 1 chili pepper, crushed or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper Soak fresh peas (used canned peas if you cannot find fresh) in cold water for about five minutes to soften. Using both hands, rub and gently squeeze the peas as they continue to soak. This process will gradually loosen the skins, which will float to the top. Skim and discard the skins. Drain and rinse the peas, add salt and hot pepper and cover with clean water. Boil until tender. Serve, along with the cooking water over oshifima or another stiff porridge. If you like, you can cook greens, such as spinach and perhaps serve some sliced bananas with peanuts to have a complete meal.

Stiff porridge Oshifima Serves 4-6 This recipe is an adaptation of an African staple food, served at every meal to help stretch the meats and vegetables. In Namibia, this dish could also be prepared with cassava. You can make this with water instead of milk, or you can try substituting equal parts tapioca flour for the corn meal. 1-1/4 cups white cornmeal 1 cup milk Heat a cup of water to boiling in a medium-sized saucepan. Meanwhile, in a bowl gradually add 3/4 cup of the cornmeal to the milk, stirring briskly to make a smooth paste. Add this mixture to the boiling water, stirring constantly. Cook for 4 or 5 minutes while adding the remaining cornmeal. When mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the pot and stick together, remove from heat. Dump oshifima into a lightly greased bowl. With damp hands, shape it into a smooth ball, turning in the bowl to help smooth it. Serve immediately. To eat in the traditional manner, tear off a piece of oshifima and make an indentation in it with your thumb. Use this hollow to scoop up stew or sauce from a communal bowl. Recipes from The Africa News Cookbook: African Cooking for Western Kitchens, by Africa News Service, 1985, p. 120 and p. 135.