EQUATORIAL GUINEA

COUNTRY	Equatorial Guinea
Dishes	Succotash, Akwadu
Time	1 hour
Effort	5/10
Rough cost	£5

COUNTRY	Equatorial Guinea
Capital	Malabo
Population	1,454,789 (154th largest)
Land mass	28,050 km2 (141st largest)
Languages	Spanish, Portuguese, French, English
Religions	87% Christianity

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, this is a country on the west coast of central Africa, formerly known as Spanish Guinea before gaining independence in 1968. It consists of a mainland and a ring of small volcanic islands. Due to its lucrative oil industry it has become one of the richest countries in Africa, however, this wealth is distributed very unevenly, creating a society characterised by extreme inequality.

The culture in Equatorial Guinea is a blend of African and Hispanic influences, but not a huge amount is known about its cultural heritage. It was more tricky than usual to find recipes but we opted for two simple and staple dishes; Akwadu & Succotash.

Akwadu is traditionally eaten for breakfast in EG and was very quick + easy to make. The dish received mixed reviews but Isaac loved it! Succotash is served as a side-dish with breads or rice etc. and it was similarly really easy + quick – and tasty!

RECIPES

Succotash *vegan

INGREDIENTS

1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tin of sweetcorn
1 large fresh green chile, finely chopped
1 packet baby lima beans (had to use fava beans)
1 packet okra, cut into thin slices
20 or so cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
(optional: bacon bits sprinkled on top)

METHOD

Heat some olive oil in a pan on a medium high heat, stirring until the onion is golden brown. Then stir in the garlic, chilli, corn, beans, okra & tomatoes.
Stir well and cook for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
To serve, sprinkle with the basil and chives and mix in the vinegar.

Akwadu *vegan

INGREDIENTS

4 bananas (or plantains)
1 cup desiccated / shredded coconut
½ cup orange juice
¼ cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted (we used dairy-free)
2 lemons, juiced
topping: cinnamon, honey (or maple syrup)

METHOD Preheat oven to 400F/200C.

Cut the bananas into thick slices and arrange them in a baking dish.
Pour the melted butter on top and drizzle with the orange and lemon juice.
Then sprinkle the top with cinnamon, the brown sugar and coconut.
Bake for 12-ish minutes at 200’C until the bananas are soft and a bit golden. Remove and serve hot with some honey or maple syrup!

Gracias and see you in Eritrea! M + B x