Domoda (Peanut Butter Sauce)

Well hello again :)

Today is the last day of the Summer, unfortunately!!! I don't know how is the weather where you are but here in England it's been raining all day!!! Me and my little man were going crazyyy :) 

The only thing I want during this weather is some comfort food, some nice cup of tea and a nice romantic movie. ( I watched   The Notebook today!!! Loads of tears again :) ) 

Today I am sharing one of my favorite recipes of Gambian cooking - Domoda. It is very smooth and creamy dish. The unique texture is given by peanut butter. But let me start from the beginning. 

1 Kg of any meat ( I used lamb)
2 large white onions
4 cloves of garlic
half of the tube of tomato puree
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
2 carrots
3 Kanni Chillies
1/2 white cabbage
1 Cassava
Oil
Your favorite seasoning
Basmati Rice

The first thing I do is prepare the meat: I cut it in cubes ( or any sizes you like), I wash it and season it ( lamb seasoning, black pepper, salt, all purpose seasoning). After marinating the meat I move towards vegetables. 

Firstly, I chop onions. The last time I made Domoda, I put all the onions, garlic, tomato paste, chopped tomatoes and 1 Kanni chilli to the food processor. Believe me, it was the best idea so far, as the blended mixture is working really well with the peanut butter. But even if you do not have a food processor, you can chop the onions and garlic the way you like it, add the tomato puree on top, add the seasoning and its ready to go. So. After blending the vegetables, I heat the oil in the cooking pot. After the oil is hot enough I add the mixture and stir it on the slow heat. After around 10-15 min I add the meat ( yes, the raw meat :)). After adding the meat, I do not stir or even touch what is in the pot. I put the lid on and keep the pot on the slow heat for another 10 min. At the mean time I put the kettle with some water in it. Prepare the carrots, cassava and cabbage. I know some Gambians don't put the vegetables in but my family likes this sauce with some vegetables in, furthermore, when you have children, it is better to make them getting used to eat more vegetables. After 10 min in the pot, I open the lid and stir the onion mixture with the meat. Always taste if there is any seasoning missing. I usually add 2-3 Maggi cubes. Add the vegetables on top and poor the boiling water over the meat and vegetables, so they would be all covered in water. Leave on the slow heat for around 30-40 min, and don't forget to stir, as we don't want the sauce to get stuck or burn. Now, when everything is  cooking in the pot it is time to make some rice!!! Rice cooker here it comes :) 

My husband likes the meat really well done and the vegetables just right ( not too soft not too crunchy). After checking how is the meat and vegetables are, i.e. when it is cooked towards your satisfaction and your  liking we add peanut butter. We use smooth peanut butter, so it doesn't have the crunchy bits in there. I usually add from 4 to 5 table spoons of peanut butter to the sauce. I tend to stir everything after every single table spoon of peanut butter, so then I know how thick it will get. When the peanut butter is added to the sauce we leave the sauce on the slow heat for around 10-15 min, or until the oil will come out on top of the sauce. I usually add 2 Kanni chillies at the end of the cooking with the peanut butter. And now its ready!!!

Just serve in the bed of rice. 

Enjoy it :) 

Introduction

Hello to all, 

I was planning to start my blog for a while now. I have noticed that there is so many subjects discussed by different people. Everyone write what they are passionate about. I have a passion...A passion for cooking. even though there is so many programs about cooking, various books and different recipes..

My passion for cooking started long time ago. Actually, the first time I cooked something ( fried egg), when I was about 13 :) When I was at school, we had cooking lessons..And till today I remember my teachers words " I think Polina is going to be a great cook". I thought to myself "no way".. and guess what.. I enjoy cooking and mostly providing comfy and simple food.. The passion for cooking became even stronger after I met my boyfriend, who is from Gambia. He cooked such a nice dinner for our first date.. And I fell in love.. with African food.. I know most of the dishes, they are not identical, but they are very tasty :) It took me a while to learn.. Made mistakes.. But I have learnt one thing: never rush!!! And it doesn't matter what you cook, as long as you add a special ingredient: LOVE !!! My dad always taught me - when you love your family you will always provide the best food in the world that no restaurant can sell.

I am still new in "blogging", but I will try my best to show you some nice and easy recipes, I will show new cooks ( newlyweds or anyone who never cooked before) that you can cook anything you want :) 

Lets start from my recent creation: FISH YASSA 

This dish is adapted from Gambian (Senegalese) cooking. Usually, it is cooked with chicken, however, I found that the fish tastes as good as the chicken. 

The ingredients are: 

1 Kg of your favorite fish 

3 large white onions

5 cloves of garlic

2 medium size carrots

Lemon juice

Mustard

Vinegar

Your favorite seasoning

Oil for cooking

Basmati ( or any favorite ) rice

The first thing we need to do is to prepare the fish. Clean the fish, take out as many bones as possible and do whatever is necessary for your chosen fish. After the fish is clean and de-boned, cut it into  the sizes that would suit you ( because my fish was very big, one piece of fish was used for one portion; thank you daddy ). Put the fish in to the bowl ( use the bigger one because you will put onions on top of the fish). Chop the onions into bigger slices ( half the onion and chop it like you can see in the picture). chop the garlic and put on top of the fish that the fish would be under the "blanket of onions". Season with your favorite seasoning. Personally me, I used few Magi cubes, some all purpose seasoning, black pepper, white pepper, chili. Put 2 tea spoons of mustard, 3 table spoons of vinegar and 250-300 ml of lemon juice ( I use the lemon juice concentrate from the bottles, it usually half of the small bottle). mix Everything thoroughly and leave to marinate for at least 12 hours in the fridge. 

After your fish is marinated we are ready to make the magic :) 

Heat the oil in the frying pan and fry the fish until is brown and crispy. In the meantime, put some oil into your cooking pot and put all the remaining onions and garlic from the marinate, add some carrots ( cut them in your usual way) and leave it to cook on the slow fire until the onions are nice and soft, and golden. After the fish is fried for your satisfaction, add the fish into the cooking pot, add some boiling water ( the water has to cover the fish and the onion), mix it, taste it if you need more seasoning and leave everything on the slow heat to simmer ( for around 40-45min). While the fish is cooking, make the rice. I use the rice cooker. Different people have their own way of how to cook rice. Personally me, I cook it in the rice cooker, making it not too wet, and after its cooked, I always put some butter and mix it in the rice. 

Before the sauce is ready, I add 3-4 Kanni Chilies, and leave for about 10 min to simmer with the sauce. 

So... After the sauce is done..and the rice is ready.. Its time to plate up :) Use a big plate, so all family could sit together and enjoy the food in each others company :) make a bed from rice for the delicious and tangy fish with a lemony flavor..

I hope you will enjoy my version of a Fish Yassa ( or Fish in a lemon marinade )