Traditional recipe book 'with a twist' launched

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Tuesday March 15, 2011 00:00

The project is a collaboration between Botswanacraft Marketing, the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture, and the National Food Technology and Research Centre (NFTRC).  Two years ago, the three organisations signed a memorandum of agreement that cemented their pledge to work together to promote the use of indigenous foods. 

This relationship dates back to the production of the first traditional recipe book published in 2007. The first edition - Botswana Traditional Recipe Book - features Botswana traditional recipes in their original form.  But the second edition - Botswana Traditional Recipes with a Twist - uses familiar traditional ingredients that are combined with a few non-so-traditional flavours to create exotic new tastes. 

According to the book, for the not-so-adventurous plates, the traditional recipes have been retained. Some of the recipes that are covered include those for meat dishes, cereal dishes, relish and varieties.  Some the meat dishes that are sampled are curried mogodu stew, Cajun ox tongue, lamb neck, the popular serobe and roasted guinea fowl.  The cereal dishes include bogobe jwa lerotse, dikgobe, lesasaoka la letlhodi and setampa.

As for relish, you can choose from delele, morogo wa dobi, morogo wa rothwe/thepe and mosata. There are also varieties in the form of dessert like morula-flavoured yoghurt and lerotse jam. Speaking at the launch, the Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Shaw Kgathi, said as a ministry responsible for the preservation, promotion and development of Botswana's culture, a project like this one seeks to create awareness on the importance of traditional food. 

Traditional food, he said, forms part of culture in every community.  'It is common knowledge that communities like Chinese, Indians, Portuguese, just to name a few, have vigorously promoted their traditional food throughout the world and they have become brands in themselves.  The possibility of turning Botswana traditional food into a brand is not out of reach.  I am convinced that with the right packaging and marketing this is possible,' he asserted.

Kgathi believes that the second edition has the right attributes of presenting a local brand.  'I am informed that the recipes were prepared by chefs from hotels around Gaborone and Home Economics teachers from Botswana schools during a traditional cuisine sampling session, which was held at Botswanacraft on August 26th, 2009.  The selected dishes were then used to compile the book.  The main reason for engaging local chefs, restaurants and teachers was our wish to see traditional cuisine included in menus of all hotels, lodges, restaurants, homes and schools in Botswana,' he said, adding that this was in order for Batswana to take part in sharing their dishes amongst themselves and their visitors. 

He said NFTRC came on board as a strategic partner to analyse the nutritional value of each of the dishes prepared.  The analysis was mainly to ensure that the food included in the recipe book was of a high quality and could be shared locally and internationally.  The minister said the second edition features recipes with both indigenous and contemporary ingredients, without necessarily taking away the unique taste of the food, hence the title Botswana Traditional Recipe Book...with a Twist.