Fafa Gilbert – FAFA GILBERT

The West African Red Curry recipe

March 28, 2021by Fafa GilbertLeave a Comment

Recently I challenged myself to a taste test of recreating a West African Red Curry inspired by the classic Thai Red Curry.

Why would I even think of such a thing? Honestly I’ve always wondered why the Ghanaian Groundnut soup isn’t as popular as the Thai Red Curry as they both share a similar flavour profile.

The main difference between the creamy Ghanaian Groundnut soup and the Thai Red Curry in terms of flavour is the absence of Coconut milk, which gives the Thai Red Curry somewhat a sweeter taste.

On the day in question (where I experimented by substituting West African spices for the Thai spices), I omitted the Coconut Milk as I had none at home. Instead I added a tablespoon of the Caramelised flavour of the Ghanaian Honey which did lend its sweetness to the dish.

To make this recipe you’ll require the following INGREDIENTS;

1.2kg of whole Organic Chicken

2 tablespoonful of Ghanaian Groundnut Purée or smooth roasted Peanut Butter

1 tablespoonful of Sukoni / Nkitinkiti (Aniseed)

1 teaspoonful of grated DawaDawa (fermented Locust Beans)

6 Cubeb spice or 3 Calabash Nutmeg, 2 Grains of Selim pods and a teaspoon of Black Peppercorns

3 cloves of Garlic

3 large Banana Shallots or any Onion of your choosing

3 Bay leaves

1 tablespoonful of Shrimp or Crayfish powder

2 tablespoonful of Peanut Oil

30g of Ginger

1 teaspoonful of Cumin seeds

Juice of 1 Lemon

1 tablespoonful of Tomato Paste/Purée

2 Habanero Chillies and 5 Pettie Belle Chilies (KpakpoShito)

250ml of Coconut milk or 1 tablespoonful of the organic Ghanaian Honey

1 litre of Water / Chicken stock (increase the liquid by 250ml if you’re omitting Coconut milk)

4 fresh Basil

Salt to taste

TO SERVE

Serve with boiled Rice, Yam, Plantain, Gari (grated fermented Cassava granules), Fonio, Couscous etc

METHOD

Watch how to prepare this inventive West African recipe below;

Please don’t forget to subscribe, try the recipe, leave comments with your feedback and share.

All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

Fafa Gilbert, Ndudu by Fafa, NDUDU BY FAFA RECIPES, RECIPES, YOUTUBE

Homemade Krispy Fried Chicken

March 12, 2021by Fafa GilbertLeave a Comment

Fridays are my days of indulgence and as such I created this aromatic Crispy Fried Chicken. I served this with some Yam fries , Green Chilli sauce and a side Salad. The Salad was to ease my guilt as I bit into each juicy crispy Chicken. Go ahead and treat yourself.

TIP
Please preheat your Oven to 140*c and place your fried Chicken in till you’re ready to eat. It keeps it warm whilst you fry your Chips.

INGREDIENTS

1kg of Chicken Drumsticks

1 teaspoonful of dried Rosemary

2 levelled tablespoon of freshly milled Black Peppercorns

5 tablespoonful of Greek or Natural Yoghurt/ Buttermilk or Kefir

1 tablespoonful of Green Chilli sauce

300ml of Vegetable oil for frying

Salt to taste

FLAVOURED FLOUR

1 cup of Plain flour or All Purpose flour

1 tablespoonful of Corn Starch

1 teaspoon of Salt

1 tablespoon of Chinese 5 spice mix (readily available in most grocers)

2 cups of Cold Water in a deep bowl

TO SERVE

Serve with Yam fries and Green Chilli sauce.

METHOD

Watch how to prepare this incredible Chicken recipe below;

Please don’t forget to subscribe, try the recipe, leave comments with your feedback and share.

All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

NDUDU BY FAFA RECIPES, YOUTUBE

Aboboi Moin Moin (Steamed spiced Beans and Plantain)

March 10, 2021March 10, 2021by Fafa GilbertLeave a Comment

In a previous post I shared my Bambara Beans and sweet ripened Plantain Akara (Beans & Plantain Fritters) recipe. I used half of the blended mixture for the fritters and the remaining half for a steamed version.

The blended and naturally flavoured batter was wrapped in Thaumatococcus Danielli (Green Leaves) and steamed. You can use either Plantain or Banana leaves instead.

In the absence of the above leaves you can use moulds as shown in the traditional MoinMoin recipe below;

INGREDIENTS

250g of Bambara Beans / ChickPeas

200ml of Water

2 medium sized over ripened Plantain

3 medium sized Onions

5-8 Green Chillies

1 Red Bell Pepper

70g of dried smoked Herrings/ Smoked Shrimp powder/ Smoked CrayFish powder

Half a medium sized Yellow Bell Peppers

1 teaspoon of Salt to taste

FLAVOURED PALM OIL

4 tablespoonful of Zomi or Palm Oil

5 chopped Green Chillies

1 large thinly sliced Onions

Salt to taste

TO SERVE

Serve this steamed Beans and Plantain pudding with a chilled glass of Lemonade or Watermelon Lemonade (both recipes are available on my YouTube channel, ‘Ndudu by Fafa’).

Watch how to make this incredible flavour packed steamed Beans pudding below;

Please don’t forget to subscribe, try the recipe, leave comments with your feedback and share.

All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

NDUDU BY FAFA RECIPES, YOUTUBE

Tastiest Asparagus shaving Salad recipe

February 22, 2021February 22, 2021by Fafa Gilbert1 Comment

Make this quick, nutritious and delicious Asparagus shaving Salad.

INGREDIENTS

400g of Asparagus

2 large sliced Banana Shallots or Red Onion

100g of Bulgar Wheat / Fonio/ Quinoa/ Couscous

4 tablespoonful of Garlic Oil

100g of baby Plum tomatoes or Sun dried Tomatoes

30g of chopped Parsley/Basil/Coriander

Salt and Pepper to taste

150ml of hot water

Zest of 1 Lemon and juice of half the Lemon

1 tablespoonful of Apple Cider Vinegar

1 teaspoon of Sugar

METHOD

Watch how to prepare this quick Asparagus shaving recipe below;

Please don’t forget to subscribe, try the recipe, leave comments with your feedback and share.

All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

NDUDU BY FAFA RECIPES, YOUTUBE

Amazing Vegan Green Plantain recipe

February 22, 2021by Fafa GilbertLeave a Comment

In Ghana, Plantain chips (made from fried Green Plantains) are a favourite snack amongst the locals .

It’s mesmerising watching the Plantain Chips seller, peel, slice and fry the Plantain right before your eyes. The buttery golden colour, crunchy texture and naturally sweet nature of the Plantain chips topped with roasted Peanuts will have you smiling and snacking more.

It was interesting to discover the same Green Plantain cooked in a different way in both Jamaica and Puerto Rico where I’ve paid homage to in the recipe. A perfect vegan and gluten free snack that works perfectly for Canapés.

Green Plantain is available in all African and Caribbean grocers and some supermarkets in the UK also do stock them.

INGREDIENTS

2 large peeled Green Plantains

200ml of Vegetable/Peanut oil for frying

Optional sprig of fresh Rosemary

Salt to taste

I’ve also created another recipe where I used Green Plantain for Akara. This recipe has amassed over 100,000 views and it’s a must try. Please note you can omit the Egg from this recipe to make a Vegan version.

METHOD

Watch how to prepare this incredible Gluten free Plantain snack below;

Please don’t forget to subscribe, try the recipe, leave comments with your feedback and share.

All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

Sauces & Marinades, Stews, YOUTUBE

QUICK MEATY RICE RECIPE

February 7, 2021February 7, 2021by Fafa Gilbert3 Comments

Introducing a quick one pot Rice dish that’s packed with natural flavours and a perfect comfort food for a working week.

You can use Brown Rice instead of White Rice and also replace the minced Meat with either Turkey, Chicken or Pork.

Considering this recipe requires a few ingredients the outcome in terms of flavour is unparalleled to any other Rice recipes.

INGREDIENTS

300g of minced Beef

250g of Basmati Rice

2 medium sized sliced Onions

100g of Butter

1 tablespoonful of Aniseed

1 Bay leaf

4 tablespoonful of Suya spice Mix

1 tablespoonful of Smoked Paprika

1 tablespoonful of Mixed Herbs

1 tablespoon of Salt and Pepper to taste

300ml of Water or stock

TO SERVE

Serve with fried Plantain , Salad or steamed Vegetables

METHOD

Watch how to prepare this quick Ground Beef Rice recipe below;

Please don’t forget to subscribe, try the recipe, leave comments with your feedback and share. All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

Uncategorized

Chicken Confit Recipe

January 14, 2021by Fafa GilbertLeave a Comment

Nothing beats a moist, fall off the bone Chicken with crispy skin which is equally packed with flavours. A great way to preserve your Chicken for much longer. Shred the Chicken and use it for sandwiches or stir fries. To try this recipe you’ll need the following ;

INGREDIENTS

3 Chicken Legs

2 heaped tablespoonful of Sea Salt flakes

30g of sliced Ginger

5 crushed Star Anise or 1 tablespoonful of Aniseed

8 crushed All Spice pods

4 Grains of Selim pods

4 cloves of crushed Garlic

30g of Thyme

10 Cloves

3 Bay Leaves

1 tablespoonful of Black Peppercorns

2 litres of Olive oil or Duck fat

TO SERVE

Best served with mashed Potatoes, Beans or Ratatouille.

METHOD

Watch how to preserve, spice and cook your perfect Chicken Confit below;

Please don’t forget to subscribe, try the recipe, leave comments with your feedback and share.

All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

ART, LIFESTYLE, YOUTUBE

INSPIRING AFRICAN TABLE SETTING IDEAS

December 19, 2018December 20, 2018by Fafa GilbertLeave a Comment

‘Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation’.

Oscar Wilde

Finding reasons to host dinner parties, lunches etc in the comforts of your home should not be difficult.

Coming up with obscure reasons to host my guests gives me the inspiration to display my heritage. The conversation always gears towards knowing the history of my country (Ghana) and food.

With years of experience organising such private events, I have compiled a few videos covering table setting, how to set an African inspired table and how to include your heritage and personalise your table setting for the festive season.

After watching the videos were you inspired?

Tell me a bit about your culture and what pieces you will incorporate into your table setting.

Please your comments below with your answers and thoughts.

YOUTUBE

SLOW COOKED LAMB SHANK IN MUSKMELON SEEDS ( WREWRE SOUP RECIPE).

Featuredby Fafa GilbertLeave a Comment

WreWre (Muskmelon or Cantaloupe seeds) soup is rich in Vitamin A, C, Folic acid potassium to mention but a few nutritional contents..

It has no fat, cholesterol or saturated fat and helps boost one’s immune system especially during the cold months.

Wrewre (as it’s locally known in Ghana) can be used for various recipes and it can be found in some Indian cuisine.

The taste is similar to Groundnut or Peanut soup, however it has a slightly delicate nutty flavour to Peanuts.

Stay tuned for more recipes using this nutrient dense seeds.

For a healthier soup use leaner meat, fish or seafood.

INGREDIENTS

80g of Wild Melon seeds (WreWre seeds) Readily available at most African grocers or online.

4 Lamb shanks

1 tablespoonful of Organic cold pressed Coconut oil

60g of Tomato purée

1 large Tomato

1 large Onion

2 litres of Water

200g of smoked Fish (optional) or 1 teaspoonful of powdered dried Shrimp

2 large Aubergines

10 whole Green Chillies

Salt to taste

SPICE BLEND

30g of Ginger

1 large Onion

3 Green chillies

2 cloves of Garlic

1 teaspoonful of Aniseed

Watch how prepare this flavour packed WreWre soup below;

Don’t forget to subscribe, share, try the recipe and leave comments with your feedback.

All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

ART, FASHION, LIFESTYLE, Travel

VLISCO ME ALL DAY

Featuredby Fafa GilbertLeave a Comment

Imagine having a bad day and reading an email that changes your mood for the better. What bad day? Please ‘bad day’ my appointment with you is over, I’m busy filling my head with good thoughts ooh!

The email acknowledged and praised my sense of creativity including my style and an offer to visit Ghana briefly for a campaign shoot. Did I read ‘billboards in over 6 African countries, magazines etc…’ Mama where are you? I’ll surprise her instead.

My last visit to Ghana was to bury my little brother hence this email was a welcome distraction from my grief.

The realisation of seeing Mum again made me happy as I impatiently counted the days to immerse myself into this incredible experience.

Vlisco Group was founded in Helmond, The Netherlands in 1846 and produces fashion forward African Wax prints. Vlisco fabrics are an integral part in most African homes particularly in the Central and Western part of Africa. I grew up knowing about Vlisco from my Mum as it was her favourite in terms of design and quality.

Mums vintage African fabric pieces are from Vlisco and they still look new (I rummage through her wardrobe and wear them whenever I’m in Ghana).

Vlisco Group’s brand portfolio consists of four brands: Vlisco, Woodin, Uniwax and GTP..

INTRODUCING OUR CAMPAIGN STARS |

Fafa Gilbert @ndudu_by_fafa puts Ghanaian cuisine on the world map via social media. Coming from the Volta region in Ghana but living in London, she skillfully interweaves both cultures in her recipes as well as in her unique fashion approach.

Fashion by @lumierewoman.

The positive energy on set was electric as each creative individual expressed themselves through the entire shoot. I’ll talk more about this later in another post; including the two amazing ladies I worked with during this campaign.

The theme for the campaign was ‘NEW BOLD ROMANTICS’ and they certainly made me feel like a ‘Queen’.

Link below to purchase the fabrics directly from their website.

https://shop.vlisco.com/en/all-fabrics?collection_code=760

The designers chosen for my outfits were Lumiere Woman and Sadia Sanusi, Hair by Kush Taylor, Jewellery by Chyba Jewellery, Make up by Woena Makeup Artistry, Photographs by Matthew Miziolek with Creative Directors Grietje Schepers and Sanne Huijsmans.