Food is defining in culture. Even in melting pot of the U.S., many times we see food through the eyes of culture -- Clam chowder - North Eastern states, fried chicken - Southern states, BBQ - Western States -- while these are not hard line divisions, still we can associate certain foods with culture varience.
There is a food in Africa that is far reaching, the boiled cornmeal that is eaten in many countries, while referred to by different names, according the culture, crosses cultural lines and is common in most of Sub-Saharan Africa.
A food that was new to us, our South Sudanese friends referred to as paper food, or paper bread. We could not conceive what that could be. We knew it had to be a descriptive name and tried to visualize it, but had great difficulty, until we saw it being prepared -- OF COURSE -- Paper Food! Resembling a crepe, yet not -- a bit like the fermented bread-type food Ethiopians eat, except it isn't fermented. The batter is thin and runny. As you can see from the pictures they are cooked quickly over a hot fire on a large piece of flat metal. It is then picked up, set to cool and folded over, almost like a napkin. As with many breads it is without much flavor but they use it to help eat rice and sauces with their hands as silverware is not used. The boiled cornmeal is also eaten with the hands and into flavorful sauces, but paper food, I think it used especially when rice is served -- if you've ever tried to eat rice with your fingers you will appreciate why!
This young lady is cutting up goat stomach. The internal organs of animals, in this case goat, is seen as a delicacy. The liver, heart, and even the stomach and intestines are cleaned, cut up and cooked to be served to the very special guests. By the way, the bowls containing the intestinal meat and organs was the first to be emptied during the celebration meal - a very popular dish!
Of course cooking happens in the open over a fire. There are no stoves, gas or electric. The smokes adds an additonal something so that when I cook this food on a stove or cooker the flavor is not quite the same, it lacks that fire smokiness of traditional African food.
Food is essential to life. However there is great food insecurity in South Sudan. Even though the rain is falling, many people, displaced due to clan fighting and the ongoing security issues farther north, will not plant this year; and many, due to the lack of food, are eating their seed grain now instead planting. Pray for the people of South Sudan and other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa that they would find enough to eat. Pray that we all would be grateful for the abundance that God has provided for us and be sensitive to the needs of the hungry around us.
A food that was new to us, our South Sudanese friends referred to as paper food, or paper bread. We could not conceive what that could be. We knew it had to be a descriptive name and tried to visualize it, but had great difficulty, until we saw it being prepared -- OF COURSE -- Paper Food! Resembling a crepe, yet not -- a bit like the fermented bread-type food Ethiopians eat, except it isn't fermented. The batter is thin and runny. As you can see from the pictures they are cooked quickly over a hot fire on a large piece of flat metal. It is then picked up, set to cool and folded over, almost like a napkin. As with many breads it is without much flavor but they use it to help eat rice and sauces with their hands as silverware is not used. The boiled cornmeal is also eaten with the hands and into flavorful sauces, but paper food, I think it used especially when rice is served -- if you've ever tried to eat rice with your fingers you will appreciate why!
