Malian Cuisine

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Mali - Cooking and Food
==Overview of Malian Cuisine History

Malian Food Traditions and Festivals
In West Africa holiday and festival practices have been influenced by many different cultures. The original tribal cultures and how they used the land have the most significant impact, but many influences stem from European settlers as well as Islam. Unlike India, where most of the holidays have some Hindu origin, Africa’s holidays are generally Muslim. In North Africa, a Moroccan stew or tangine is made for the Muslim feast of Aid el Kebir or Slaughter of the Lamb. During holidays, families slaughter a Lamb and donate some of its meat to the needy, as well as, give charity in general. Mrouzia tangine is made from raisins, almonds, honey and spices. What is most notable about this dish is that the sweetness and spice preserves Lamb for a month when many families will find themselves with a large amount of Lamb.A typical dish served at almost every feast is Skudahkaris, a Lamb and rice dish.

Malian Cooking
Another important rule in Malian cuisine is that which says that men do not cook. This is available especially for men from prominent families. There is no doubt that even in this situation there are some exceptions, one of the reason being the fact that is has always been said that men cook the most delicious meals. Some of these dishes are thiebu djen, a stewed Whitefish usually eaten for lunch; basmati rice, and Halibut steak stewed in a fragrant, salty tomato sauce and served together with carrots, Eggplant, cabbage, and cassava; thiebu djeninto; fish balls made of salmon and Halibut. An authentic Malian dish is a stunningly simple combination of jasmine rice, carrots, sweet potatoes, and yam doused with Peanut sauce; yassa au poulet, a half-Chicken stuffed and baked with a tangy onion-mustard sauce; grilled Lamb; « special sauce » which consists of a combination of Onion, peppers, ginger, and salt and it could also include green olives; salad of field greens; akra, which is served with tomato-shrimp sauce. Malian people tend to prepare a lot of dishes using a great variety of fruits and vegetables, and this means that they consume lots of vitamins, avoiding thus toxic ingredients which, in time, have became popular all over the world.